There’s a reason why we can expect a fifth instalment from the prospering Paranormal Activity franchise this Autumn – because it’s triumphantly taking supernatural horror, and bringing it to the one place we feel most at ease, and most safe; our home. It’s a notion now explored by Mike Flanagan in his latest feature Oculus, using a commonly used object – in this instance a household mirror – as a vessel into a dark and deranged world. You may well struggle to look at your own reflection for a good long while after this, at the fear of what you may see. My sincere condolences if you feel that way already.
When Tim Russell (Brenton Thwaites) is released from a mental institution he was admitted to as a child, he is instantly approached by his older sister Kaylie (Karen Gillan), who is incensed into exonerating her brother, who had been accused of murdering their father. Kaylie remains adamant that the actual perpetrator is the Lasser Glass mirror they had hanging up in their father’s study – which they believe to be the supernatural phenomenon that committed the barbaric crimes that led to their parents demise. However to prove their wild point to be true, they have to come face to face with the demons that have plagued their lives.
Flanagan sets his film seamlessly between the present day, and the flashbacks to when Tim and Kaylie were children, treating them more like visions, as our characters are able to physicality peer into their old lives and share the screen with their younger selves. As we progress towards the latter stages, the line between the past and the present becomes increasingly blurred, and while it’s intriguing how Flanagan plays with our perceptions, it is somewhat perplexing. Though that is undoubtedly the entire point – you are left struggling to comprehend exactly what is going on in certain sequences, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the piece. The pacing is spot on, however, and while this is not particularly terrifying, the way the narrative is structured, we remain compelled throughout, always on edge and unsettled.
Tim remains our entry point into this demented universe, and he represents our perspective, and while Kaylie is obsessed with discovering the truth and getting to the bottom of these otherworldly occurrences, he remains cynical throughout and needs convincing otherwise. It’s vital we have a role of that ilk, as he’s effectively channelling the viewer, and any accomplished horror movie will take that cynical viewer, and have them wholeheartedly abide by the end of proceedings. In this instance, Tim’s incredulity blurs the audience’s perceptions of this tale, because at times we’re treated to two conflicting flashbacks from the sibling’s respective memories, which proves to be an intelligent technique.
In the meantime, it’s refreshing to see a female led horror movie that doesn’t abide by the frustrating cliches of the genre, and sexualise her needlessly (and excessively), and instead she’s a strong-willed, intelligent woman. Though above all, Oculus succeeds for one reason; its story. It’s a shrewd, well-structured narrative that has been deftly executed. In this genre, it really can be that simply – even the finale is enjoyable, and that is where so many horrors fall short. It’s all well and good scaring the audience, but rarely are contemporary horrors tied up as smartly as this particular feature is.
[Rating:3/5]
