Oculus

Oculus

Starring Karen Gillan, Brenton Thwaites, Katee Sackhoff, Rory Cochrane

Directed by Mike Flanagan

Synopsis:
Alan Russell (Rory Cochrane), his wife Marie (Katee Sackhoff), and young children Kaylie (Annalise Basso) and Tim (Garrett Ryan) are the picture-perfect family - until their father brings an ancient mirror home.  Almost immediately terrifying events occur, including visions of a ghostly female.  Soon Russell and Marie begin acting irrationally, almost violently.  Kaylie and Tim find themselves in danger at the hands of their parents, and they hold the mirror responsible for the events that occur one fateful night.

Twenty years later, a now grown up Kaylie (Karen Gillan) is taking care of Tim (Brenton Thwaites) after he is released from a psychiatric hospital after the events of that night.  She takes him back to their old house to confront the mirror one final time, and to videotape evidence that the mirror was responsible for the disintegration of their family.  However, the mirror has an agenda of its own, and plays with their minds and tries to convince them that they're the crazy ones.

Review:
"Oculus" didn't do very well in theaters, and after watching this film I have to wonder why.  Maybe the general moviegoing audience loves those horror films that have no plot, include mindless sex and numerous stupid jump scares.  Maybe they don't like a horror film that they have to think through, that includes amazing acting and has an interesting, unique premise.

Because that's what "Oculus" was.  An amazing film with a highly cerebral storyline and acting that could be on par with any average dramatic performance.  There were some jumps, but they were necessary to the plot.  Instead of focusing on that hackneyed form of horror, director Mike Flanagan instead relied on the slow burn of psychological torture that draws the viewers in and refuses to release them until the film ends.

Karen Gillan, best known for her role on "Doctor Who," gives an ethereal performance here, her elegance and grace makes her extremely beautiful and beautifully haunted, tormented by the past.  Her desire to prove her family were victims - and not killers - was something that clearly drove her to do the most outlandish things.  Brenton Thwaites is slowly emerging as the newest Hollywood "it" guy, and playing a mentally tormented young adult is a great way to show some serious acting.  However, the best performances were given by their younger selves - Annalise Basso and Garrett Ryan - who, at such young ages, managed to take some serious grown-up performances and make them their own. 

As for the story, it's something you need to see more than once to fully comprehend.  The mirror plays tricks on people, and it does with the audience as well, as you don't know what's real and what's imaginary, and what's in-between.  The film seamlessly blends past and present without flinching, as one moment you're seeing something in the present and the camera pans ever so slightly and it's the past.  Amazing work there as well.

Summary:
All-in-all, "Oculus" is a great underrated psychological horror film that needs to be seen.

My Rating: A