Mirrors (R, 2008)

common sense media says

Brutal horror movie offers little to reflect on.


parents & educators say
  • 40% say violence is an issue
  • 30% say language is an issue

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this brutal horror movie is graphically, grotesquely, and grimly violent, featuring extensive sequences of special-effects gore. Disturbing, gory images are lingered over, and the film's magical-mirror plotline -- in which mystical reflection images are recreated in the real world -- means that, in many cases, viewers literally get to see the same horrifically violent acts twice. There's also a demonic-possession element to the plot, as well as a bit of sexuality, some strong language, and references to a drinking problem.

Positive messages: A lead character is a cop who is suspended for accidentally shooting an undercover officer. Lead characters are dealing with a marriage shattered by tragedy; a child overhears his parents arguing. Demonic possession and theological elements are involved in the plot.
Violence: Constant, brutal, and explicit violence, including slashed throats (seen repeatedly in close-up and later in photos); knife wounds; flesh wounds from shards of shattered mirrors; drowning induced by unseen supernatural forces (including that of a child); a grotesque special-effects sequence in which a woman's mirror reflection tears her own jaw loose, fatally replicating the grisly wound on her real-life counterpart; a mutilated body is seen floating in a bathtub; a half-naked female burn victim seen crying in agony; several burn victims seen in supernatural visions; a psychiatric patient being manhandled and restrained; corpses being autopsied shown in great detail; a woman cut to bloody ribbons by exploding mirrors; a character battling an elderly demon-possessed woman in intense close-quarters fighting (her demise includes being shot, impaled with a steam pipe, immolated in an explosion, and crushed with falling debris). Children are in peril. Extensive discussion of a fire with dozens of fatalities and a massacre at a hospital which left 15 dead. A nun is essentially kidnapped at gunpoint.
Sex: Some kissing; glimpses of naked buttocks and breasts. A lead female character dresses primarily in low-cut tops, wet tops, or low-cut and wet tops.
Language: Some, including "f--k," "s--t," "dammit," "hell," and "bitch."
Consumerism: Many brands are visible on screen, including Jack Daniels, Quaker Oats, Heineken, Dodge automobiles, UPS, Smirnoff, Crown Royal, Amnesty International, and more.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: A character discusses a problematic history with alcohol, noting that they "haven't had a drink in three months." The same character is using a prescription drug with serious side effects to stop drinking. A scene is set in a bar.

More on Mirrors

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about the nature and character of bloody horror films. Why does Hollywood make them, and what purpose do they serve? This movie -- like The Ring, The Grudge, and Pulse -- is a remake of an Asian horror film; why has Hollywood found Asian horror films so worthy of re-visitation over the past few years? Do violent horror films release negative emotional energy or create it? Can violent, graphic images in films like this desensitize viewers? Does it matter whether the goriness seems "over the top"?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Haunted by doubt and guilt after accidentally killing an undercover officer, suspended NYPD detective Ben Carson's (Kiefer Sutherland) marriage is shattered, and he's forced to take a nighttime security guard position at the burnt-out wreckage of a department store in hopes that he might be able to move on from crashing with his sister, Angela (Amy Smart). As Ben tours the ruins each night, he starts seeing grim, grisly visions in the store's mirrors -- visions that somehow leap from the glass into the real world. As the malevolent force behind the mirrors poses an increasing threat to Ben's friends and family, he has to unravel the mystery of the force hidden behind the mirrors ... and ask himself whether satisfying the force's demands will really end the threat to his family.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Helmed by French horror director Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, High Tension), MIRRORS is long on gore and short on plot, as Ben flails, freaks out, and fumbles around trying to decipher the visions and messages he's receiving from the mystical dimension behind the mirrors. (The department store, it seems, used to be a hospital, and the past treatment of a schizophrenic girl lies at the heart of the mystery.)

Even as Ben frantically tries to keep his estranged wife (Paula Patton) and children safe, Mirrors doesn't do much to make viewers care; the mirror visions are so powerful that they can't be ignored or denied, which means that the film simply limps from one bloody sequence to another. Aja's other horror films, while also grisly, had a certain style to them; in Mirrors, the slack plot is just an excuse for a series of gory, violent moments that the film lingers on lovingly. Mirrors has plenty of spooks and scares and special effects; what it doesn't have is much of a plot -- or characters worth caring about.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
Director: Alexandre Aja
Cast: Amy Smart, Kiefer Sutherland, Paula Patton
Genre: Horror
Run time: 110 minutes
Theatrical release: August 15, 2008
DVD release: January 12, 2009
MPAA Rating: R
MPAA explanation: strong violence, disturbing images, language and brief nudity.
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This review was written by James Rocchi
 
 

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What parents & educators say

13
Based on 10 parent & educator reviews:
  • 40% say violence is an issue
  • 30% say language is an issue

Most useful reviews by all members

zasderfght
teen, 14 years old
 
Mirrors was a disappoint and this is coming from a true horror fan
Mirrors was simply bad. Not because it wasn't scary, because it was jumpy in two scenes, it was boring. Nothing was going on. The gore factor was surprisingly low and that's a low even for Alexandre Aja who makes his films gruesome non-stop from start to finish. Mirrors was completely different. There were so many twist and turns that the story never went anywhere and nothing made any sense. Sometimes things were so stupid I wonder if he recycled ideas from M. Night Shymalan. For sexual content, we see Amy getting ready to take a shower. (We see her buttocks, legs, bare back, and the side of her breast). For violence/gore there are only two gruesome scenes. One scene involves a female ripping her jaw off (extremely gory, gashes of blood, the whole act is on-screen). The other scene involves a man grabbing a shard of glass slashing his throat. (Gashes of blood). Kiefer Sutherland fights an evil nun and there is a lot of blood and gore in this scene. As for profanity, there are at least around 10 f words, some scatological terms, anatomical terms, religious exclamations and profanities, mild obscenities, and name-calling. Overall, skip Mirrors.

BabySwaggles
teen, 14 years old
 
Excellent For Mature Kids
It really didn't scare me, but I know all kids aren't like me. The violence in this movie I loved, and the rest of the movie isn't really worth it. But the violence got my attention, I watched it alone in my room and I started laughing. This movie should be for mature kids only, because I know the non-mature ones would probably almost throw up or have nightmares for a while.

william_1601
teen, 15 years old
 
Despite the positive role-model characters who put family first, this film contains disturbing violence and gore. The language is strong, but not explicit. Overall, the child needs to understand the unrealistic nature of the film in order to view it without significant impact. The most questionable scene in the film for children is when a woman lies in a bathtub while her reflection in the mirror turns 'evil' and pulls her jaw apart. Blood sprays everywhere and her face is torn apart in real-life.

Brendan Conway
teen, 17 years old
 
good movie and a big fan of Kiefer Sutherland

TheGman447
parent of 15 year old
 
Disturbing. Just Disturbing.
I sat this movie down with my son and we got to the jaw ripping and dropped it. this movie is gory and disturbing, a very stupid choice for any occasion.

JacobyShaddix32
parent of 3 , 7 , 9 , 13 , and 15 year old
 
Good movie
Not for younger kids

jackbauerislife
teen, 15 years old
 
sutherland
great movie keifer sutherland is god

twilightluver7689
teen, 16 years old
 
Creepy and gory
This movie literally left me looking back in mirrors when i passed by for about 2 weeks. It freaked me out, and was very gory, esp. when a character's jaw is pulled apart. I actually didn't watch because i didn't want that image in my mind. Don't watch if you are already scared of mirrors, or don't want to see blood (lots of it!)

Vivian_L
teen, 17 years old
 
The most boring horror movie I have ever seen~
This is, by far, the most boring and the stupidest horror movie I have ever seen. There were a lot of slow parts where nothing important happened. There was a lot of violence, but it wasn't terrifying at all, just stupid. The movie itself was not at all scary, and it seemed like the creators were using excessive violence to make it scary, which didn't work. I don't even understand why they needed anyone to guard a ruined building in the first place; why didn't they tear it down and build something new? It was a stupid movie and it wasn't scary for a 14 year old at all. Because of the violence and gore it's definitely not appropriate for anyone under the age of 13, but I don't recommend it to anyone, since it's a complete waste of time. :/

Austin0896
teen, 15 years old
 
Freaky
This movie is interesting. It is violent and scary and has some occasional sexual things but nothing to serious. It is very bloody and gory. Not recommended for under 15.

MomOf2Girls
parent of 2 and 5 year old
 
Really good
Rented this movie last night and I really enjoyed it, didnt want to look into any mirrors after, but it was really good. The ending was a little disapointing though. Would have liked to see him get back to his family... maybe open for a sequal. who knows. But it was a good movie, gor and all

YBNormal
parent of 8 and 10 year old
 

kmichael97
parent of 19 year old
 
hmmmm.......
it was overall a good movie but it was kind of boring. but very gushy movie that is most definitely not for kids. the scenes are brutal and freaky!!!! the language isnt bad but......

neonnloveeee
teen, 14 years old
 
ok for teens
I loved itt!! Its not the greatest movie for kids, it will make you scared if mirrors for the next couple days after watching it. But, I loved it(:

 
mirrors review
this movie is great.i watched it last night.it can get gory.all in all its great.only 1 boob shot.

HorrorFreak1997
teen, 14 years old
 
I liked it a lot... It will most likely terrorize you from mirrors after watching it for a day or so... But it was pretty good. One of my favorite horror movies.

kristinaM
teen, 16 years old
 
Not for the tender-hearted or w/e.
LOVED THIS MOVIE, it was good. Although it actually didn't scare me at all, i know it's all fake so it kind of mad me laugh at some parts. It was very gory and gruesome, had plenty of deaths and blood, etc. Not really that much cursing in all. Oh, and the little boy(the son) almost drowned, that was pretty much the scariest part for me because he was so adorable and inocent looking. All in all, it's a good movie, but you shouldn't allow younger children and teens to see it unless they don't scare easy, are with an adult or older sibling, or if a parent has seen it first and given them the "ok". -Kristina(:

imjustwondering
teen, 17 years old
 
Off: 0-13 Iffy:14-15 ON: 16 +
i loved this movie( SPOILER ALERT!!!) its a psychological thriller about a man who is on patrol at this old abandon mall or building and these demons are released when he arrives(no flying spirits ) and soon he has to start fighting demons in order to save his family but in the end gets trapped in the same horror. this is really not for kids in the single digits some parts of the movie is extremely violent like the scence where his sister jaw it ripped off and how thats happening is pretty graphic but its goo i would say its sexual because its not like there is sex and tongue kissing is movie to watch if in pyschological thrillers and he is good remodel for trying to save his family instead of just leting the demons kill and gets a nun who used to be possessed by them to do the right thing as well

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