Retro Review ‘Oculus’: A Malevolent Mirror Reflects the Origins of a Modern Horror Master

Oculus is now streaming with subscription on Starz. Reader Beware Spoilers!

The haunted object has been a well of content for the horror genre. Inhabited dolls, houses, to malevolent VHS tapes have given us some of our most memorable and terrifying film experiences. Keeping with this theme, writer/ director Mike Flanagan (“Haunting of Hill House”, “Midnight Mass”) uses a mirror as the object in question.

Letting its victims see what they want to see while the reality is much more sinister and violent with his 2013 film Oculus. Based on a short film he made in 2005, Flanagan expanded on his story and created a truly unique and frightening take on the sub-genre. Starring Karen Gillan (Avengers: Endgame), Brenton Thwaites (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales), Katee Sackoff (Mandalorian), and Rory Cochrane (Antlers).

After years of lockdown at a psychotherapy ward, the now 21-year old Tim (Thwaites) is being released and reuniting with his sister Kaylie (Gillan). Immediately Kaylie tests years of therapy by putting Tim face to face with the reason they were separated in the first place, an antique mirror known as the “Lasser” glass. Since the mirror’s construction in 1754, dozens of owners have experienced madness, and often violent deaths. So of course, our heroes want to steal it from an auction house and run experiments on it. Their destination, where all their troubles began, their old family home still vacant all these years later. 

[Related] Retro Review ‘The Midnight Meat Train’: Pursuit of Darkness Leads an Artist into the Abyss

Wanting to not only exonerate her brother for what happened in their youth, but Kaylie also wants to restore the good name of her father, (Cochrane) after he was blamed for the death of their mother (Sackoff). To do this, she has taken every precaution she can think of from years of research. Alarms for when to eat, when to drink, use the restroom. Numerous cameras are positioned throughout the house, covering every angle for when the influence takes hold. Even a failsafe to destroy the mirror if the timer isn’t reset, meaning they didn’t survive. I love when paranormal films go into investigation mode. 

As the night presses on, reality will be tested, and brother and sister will have to find the strength they had as children to once again survive the Lasser glass or become another victim in its morbid history. Flanagan takes a unique approach to storytelling with Oculus because a lot of the narrative is told in flashbacks. Still, as the story progresses and the mirror’s influence grows, these two-timelines collide even to the point where the characters are interacting in a way with their younger selves. It really messes with the audience significantly and amplifies the stakes for both sets of kids. 

You can see the seeds of what Flanagan will later bring to fan favorites like the Haunting of Hill House and Doctor Sleep. Dead eyes on the ghosts, the 90-degree camera tilt that has become a signature in future work, and reoccurring cast members like Kate Siegel have appeared in everything he’s done since. Even the Lasser glass itself has been seen in every project since if you look hard enough.

Karen Gillan, as Kaylie, is a force of nature. A perfect “Mulder” to Brenton Thwaites “Scully” as she’s constantly in motion of speaking, and the conspiratorial one of the pair. Gillian has pages and pages of monologues that she absolutely nails. Without the luxury of therapy like her brother, she has had years to do nothing but think about the mirror, and you can see it has consumed her every thought. Thwaites as Tim struggles to use his therapy techniques to debunk his sister, but as they experience more phenomena, he makes excuses. His portrayal of someone slowly breaking mentally throughout is riveting. Such smart casting choices and their polar opposite chemistry shine on screen. 

Oculus has some genuinely scary moments. From the subtle figure at the end of the hallway one moment and then gone the next which leaves an uneasy feeling in your stomach, to the absolutely terrifying as the mirror’s influence reaches a crescendo. Sackoff going full feral mode after escaping her restraints is a waking nightmare captured on film. For me, it’s the quiet moments that really make the hair stand up and build the most tension.

Still, a young filmmaker hungry for his opportunity, Mike Flanagan’s Oculus isn’t without its flaws, but it’s highly effective at getting under your skin. Fans of his later work can see the ambitious camera work and storytelling methods being honed that will later become staples in his projects. Scary, inventive, escalating in its grasp on the viewer, with stellar performances all around, this new take on the haunted object troupe will be one you’ll want to keep in rotation. Just as soon as you cover all your mirrors first. 4/5

You can check out the trailer and poster below, and Oculus is now streaming on Starz with subscription. Leave a comment below and let us know what you thought about Mike Flanagan‘s Oculus. Be sure to follow ScaryNerd for all things horror, sci-fi and more.

About Post Author