Movie Reviews

Ten years after being convicted for the murder of his parents, Tim (Brenton Thwaites) is newly released from protective custody and ready to move on with his life. His sister Kaylie (Karen Gillan) however still dwells on the events of that night and is sure that it was an evil force in a mirror called the Lasser Glass, which serves as a gateway to evil, that killed her parents. Determined to find out what really happened, she has tracked down the mirror and learned that similar deaths have befallen previous owners over the past century. Coincidentally she just happens to buy it the day her brother gets released… what are the odds, right?

Armed with cameras, computers and whatnot, Kaylie sets out to document the truth and clear her brother’s name in the process. Tim is more than a little hesitant at first but it doesn’t take long for him to get swept up in his sister’s quest. But is the mirror truly a gateway to evil or is it just a coping mechanism for the siblings?

Oculus is not so much just another scary movie as it is something of a mindfuck. Director Mike Flanagan is kinda sparse with the real scares and seems to be more interested in playing with perception and reality. Things unravel a bit towards the end as the setup gets strained to the breaking point but kudos to Flanagan for at least wanting to try something different instead of going for some cheap scares and a formulaic plot.