Mirrors is a horror movie that captures the essence of a supernatural story and psychologically accentuates the horrific visuals. The film revolves around the life of Ben Carson (Kiefer Sutherland), a recovered NYPD detective suffering from alcohol abuse and PTSD due to an accident he was involved in. To help him cope with his problems, he accepts a position as a night watchman at Mayflower Department Store, which caught on fire and was left in ruins.

However, Ben starts to realize that there is an underlying issue with the mirrors in the department store. Ben witnesses horrifying visions where he sees himself being brutally mutilated, along with other supernatural beings. These forces target Ben’s family as well, uncovering the fact that he has deep connections to a terrifying event in the past. In a race against time, Ben is left with the challenge to unveil the mysteries of the department store in order to stop the mirror’s supernatural powers.

Cast & Crew

• Kiefer Sutherland – Ben Carson
• Paula Patton – Amy Carson
• Amy Smart – Angela Carson
• Cameron Boyce – Michael Carson
• Ezra Buzzington – Terrence Berry
• Director: Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, Crawl)
• Writers: Alexandre Aja & Grégory Levasseur (*Loosely based on South Korean film Into The Mirror 2003)
• Producers: Alexandra Milchan, Marc Sternberg
• Music: Javier Navarrete
• IMDb Ratings & Reviews
• IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 15% Critcs | 50% Audience
• Metacritic: 35/100

There are some who have received Mirrors with praise for its fresh jump scares and overcomplicated plot elements while claiming that the movie did lack substance with flow and cohesion, but horror enthusiasts found enjoyment in the cruel censorship, eye-popping slaughter, and atmospheric heavy horror components alongside Aja’s gruesome horror products.

Critics found the film’s Mirrors to be exceptionally entertaining considering the death scenes that was said to be gory was just overwhelming.

Awards & Recognition

Nominated – Best Horror Film at the Scream Awards

With particular examination being focused on the frightening “mirror death,” Amy Smart’s infamous bathroom scene of the bathroom marks has, alongside Aja’s work, arguably become one of the most iconic highlights of this gruesomely praised piece of work.

Personal Insights & Cultural Significance

Mirrors attacks a deep rooted fear in all human beings and that is your reflection looking at you. The idea derives from folklore of mirrors owning ominous capabilities, including the ability to converse with spirits.

The movie seems to take inspiration from J-horror and K-horror with vengeful ghosts, cursed places, and psychological horror elements, much like The Ring or The Grudge.

Like other Alexandre Aja films, Mirrors does not shy away from cruel, relentless horror. Some of the deaths are so brutal that it changes the viewer’s experience into a gory thrill ride that fans of violent supernatural horror have always wanted.

Nick Stahl stars as a new character who is also haunted by mirrors in the direct-to-video sequel that was released in 2010. Mirrors 2.

The second part does not look as good as the first one, but it still has the mystery and curse elements that fans appreciated in the first movie.

Final Verdict

For fans of supernatural horror with gruesome deaths and a haunting atmosphere, Mirrors is certainly worth the watch. To call it a critical success would be an understatement, however, its disturbing premise alongside Kiefer Sutherland’s haunting performance urges the audience to dive into this eerie horror flick.