Reviews

Mirrors

A less gory and more clichéd remake

By CHRIS WANGLER | August 20, 2008

1.5 Stars

Alexandre Aja’s hyper-stylized remake of The Hills Have Eyes was graphic and successful, confirming his membership in the so-called Splat Pack. Mirrors, his uneven rehash of a Korean original, is less gory and more clichéd. Kiefer Sutherland has an ideal role as a recovering alcoholic (!) and disgraced cop who takes a security job in a burnt-out NYC department store. When Ben starts to notice charred fire victims trapped inside the store’s mirrors, his estranged wife (Paula Patton) thinks it’s just the pills talking. Solid suspense and cringe-inducing set pieces keep the first half interesting. Then comes the curse of many a new horror film: the task of devising a less-than-preposterous explanation for all that “unspeakable evil.” The solution here involves a monastery, a psychiatric torture chamber, and the word ESSEKER. It would all be funny if it didn’t mirror the same burnt-out ideas every one else is using. 110 minutes | Boston Common + Fenway + Fresh Pond + Circle/Chestnut Hill + Suburbs

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