Initial pre-judging of found footage releases should be outlawed among film writers and critics. They should be approached like any other genre or filmmaking style from a standpoint of optimism and neutrality. Obviously this will never happen which is even more of a tragedy when films like The Mirror are still being produced by interesting and talented writers, directors and actors.
The set-up is, as with the best of the genre, remarkably straightforward. Three flatmates Matt (Joshua Dickinson), Steve (Nate Fallows) and Jemma (Jemma Dallender) have decided to purchase what they believe is a haunted mirror from the internet under the illusion that through round-the-clock filming they will prove the existence of the supernatural and therefore be in a position to claim a £1 million prize.
Obviously bad things begin to happen as Matt slowly succumbs to the mirror’s malevolent influence. Edward Boase who wrote, produced and directed The Mirror is clearly an exponent of the more subtle aspects of his art. There are no over-dramatised jump scares so common among recent, and it must be said weaker, additions to the genre and the justification for the cameras is simple yet believable.
Whether through budgetary restrictions or by design the flat itself becomes a key character in the story, with it becoming a claustrophobic and silent semi-prison that provides the back drop for the strained friendships and the mysterious goings on. As always with found footage films the cast must be unquestionably believable and the script naturalistic and with The Mirror that is almost, almost the case.
There are occasional lines that are perhaps a little repetitive (although this may be the intention) and while the performances are on the whole excellent there is a doubt raised here and there that three obviously educated young people wouldn’t seek help or assistance, or even leave when events begin to take a darker turn.
OVERALL SUMMARY
The greatest strength of The Mirror though could also be its greatest weakness. At a time when films such as The Conjuring and Insidious are pulling every horror reference from an overused pot and striving to strain audience’s nerves to breaking point, a smaller, simpler film that relies on chilling spookiness and a steadily building oppressive atmosphere may become lost amongst the maelstrom of cinematic bluntness and that is a shame. The Mirror is without doubt cleverly put together and filled to the brim with moody tension but ultimately it just might not be scary enough.
