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Mirrors

(2008, Rated R, Horror, Starring Kiefer Sutherland, Amy Smart, Paula Patton)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 17, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 17.
  • Is it any good?

    2.0
  • Common Sense says

    Brutal horror movie offers little to reflect on.

Why We Rated This not for kids

What to watch out for

  • 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.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Mirrors

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.

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Families Can Talk About

  • 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"?

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Parent Reviewer
    I rate this title iffy for age 17 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language

    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......

  2. I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it 1.0

    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. :/

  3. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content

    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.

  4. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Georgia
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message

    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(:

  5. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Illinois
    I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it 3.0

    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.

  6. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 3.0

    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

  7. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title iffy for age 7 and give it 5.0

    mirrors review

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

  8. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Minnesota
    I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 4.0

  9. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Iowa
    I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it 4.0

  10. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Ohio
    I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it 3.0

  11. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    Lives in Connecticut
    I rate this title off for age 10 and give it 1.0

    disgusting brutal bloody movie!

    This mob=vie is pretty good until the girl ripped her mouth off!

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