One of the things that a Horror movie can do that few other genres can is take an ordinary, everyday object and imbue it with a meaning that, while obvious once pointed out, we just don’t attach to it normally. The Horror genre has a myriad of examples of this. There are haunted houses, obviously, but we have seen haunted cars,dolls, and even haunted videotapes. This allows an artist to explore what these objects mean to us on a deeper, more psychological level. Recently, a movie came around that gave us a haunted mirror, and explored the idea with an intelligent screenplay and confident direction. That film was Mike Flannigan’s OCULUS.
OCULUS begins as Tim Russell (Brenton Thwaites) is released from psychiatric hospital having served time there for the murder of his father (Rory Cochrane) 11 years earlier. He went in convinced that a supernatural being in an antique mirror caused him to do it, but now has come to believe he has created false memories to cover the trauma of killing his abusive father. Is older sister, Kaylie (Karen Gillan), however, remembers the truth and gains access to the mirror after an auction. Since the events 11 years ago, Kaylie has spent her entire life researching the history of the mirror, and has devised a plan to clear her brother of murder and destroy the mirror. Tim resists and tries to convince Kaylie that there is nothing supernatural about the mirror. It becomes clear quite quickly, however, that Kaylie is right; and the mirror is going to do everything it can to ensure its own survival.
In order to tell this story, director Mike Flannigan jumps between the present, and the events of 11 years previous. Giving us only one “11 years ago” card early in the film, the movie requires the audience to pay attention in a way most movies do not. As the film progresses, the two timelines begin to interconnect. This type of storytelling requires a great cast to pull it off, and Karen Gillan and Brenton Thwaites are both excellent in their roles as a brother and sister who are trying to survive the trauma of the past and present. The movie also boasts good performances by Rory Cochrane and Katee Sackhoff as the doomed parents and Annalise Basso and Garrett Ryan as the younger Kaylie and Tim.
Although the production of OCULUS is a decidedly professional affair, the film has its share of problems. Most glaringly, the movie suffers from an uneven sound mix. When our characters are not arguing, the dialogue is mumbled and dialed so low one can barely hear it– even when the reaction shots tells us something important was just said. Of course, then, when a potted plant gets kicked against the wall from two feet away, it shatters in a cacophony reminiscent of the Death Star exploding. This is not a problem exclusive to this film, of course, but it is the primary distraction in an otherwise genuinely engrossing story. This is not a deal-breaker, however. OCCULUS is a well acted, well shot treat that is a satisfying, creepy movie.
The entire movie, obviously, hinges on the object in question. This particular mirror shows us what is inside ourselves as well as out. Indeed, the mirror’s former victims dwell inside it, and all have mirrors for eyes – beguiling new victims with what they want deep inside. This begs the question; is this mirror evil, or does it simply reveal the evil within us? This is a film that taps into something primal in us and does it in a way that is both subtle and nightmarish. In the end, when we look in a mirror, we see ourselves; and sometimes seeing ourselves clearly can be the scariest prospect of all.
OCULUS was released in April of 2014 to good reviews and decent box office. Critics and audiences alike responded well to the film’s emphasis on dread and disorientation over gore a shock. The unresolved ending has piqued interest in a sequel, and possibly even a series. The mythology of OCULUS certainly provides for a wide range of storytelling possibilities. Let’s hope that if it happens, the subsequent films treat the material with the intelligence and patience that the original did.
OCULUS fun facts – Filmed in Alabama in only 24 days.
Director Mike Flannigan was approached by several studios to adapt his short into a “Found-footage” film, but he resisted the idea. He eventually made the film with Intrepid pictures when they said they would be interested “as long as it is not a found-footage film”.
In order to keep the timeline straight in the script, the scenes in the past were printed in italics.
The film was wrapped in October of 2012. It took another two years for the movie to get its theatrical release.
Tim Russell - “It was the mirror!”
Kaylie Russell - “The purpose of today’s experiment is to prove the object behind me is responsible for 45 deaths in the 4 centuries of its recorded existence.”
Alan Russell – “It is me. I’ve met my demons and they are many. I’ve seen the devil, and he is me.”
Kaylie Russell – (To the mirror) “You must be hungry.”