The Plot:
Ben Carson is on leave from the NYPD after accidentally killing a man. Now, a history of drinking and bad decisions have left the cop feeling unhinged and unhappy. When the opportunity comes to put his life back together, he moves in with his younger sister and takes a job as a night watchman. He soon finds himself working in the old Mayflower Department Store, a burned out carcass of a building still standing thanks to an insurance company dispute. Ben eventually learns that the previous guard killed himself, running a piece of glass across his neck. And to make matters worse, the large showroom mirrors seem to be coming to life, showing Ben things he doesn't want to see. Our hero eventually learns of an old insane asylum, someone named "Esseker", and a demonic force that seems to be after his family - and that includes his estranged wife and children that he loves so dearly.

The DVD:
Before getting down to motion picture brass tacks, let's get the conclusion out of the way first - Mirrors is either a minor work in Alexandre Aja's otherwise impressive career, or certified statement of scare genius undermined by an apprehensive studio (who naturally trimmed the abundant gore for an MPAA mandated R rating) and a cross culture sense of hybrid hindrance. Watching his film for a second or third time, one gets the distinct impression that a foreign cast and a more otherworldly location (say, Paris or some dreary part of Eastern Europe) would have infused this film with the necessary dread it tends to lack. Still, for what Aja manages under stingy US support and a world of unnatural fanboy expectations, Mirrors is quite fine. It delivers a healthy dose of atmosphere, makes wonderful use out of a stellar sense of set design, and walks the fine line between unbelievable and unforgettable without clearly crossing over into one side or the other.

There's no denying that Aja and his conceptual crew have created one of the most compelling locales in the history of horror. The burnt out department store, a combination of decadence and decay, rotting mannequins looking like artifacts from an abattoir's showroom, really set the suspense. When star Kiefer Sutherland wanders the space in the opening act, we are literally prepared for anything. That the movie looses interest and relocates into the basement (and the old abandoned mental hospital arena) is expected, but unnecessary. Mirrors could have wholly existed in the ruined retail space and we'd totally accept the station. As it is, Aja clearly believes that the modern fright fan needs an ADD inspired fix of fear every few moments. This is a film that goes from cop in trouble drama to haunted space to killer glass to face ripping to insane devil possession so gracefully that you're amazed at how effortless it all seems. Aja is so skilled that he could probably make the juxtaposition between fantasy and fact work without giving the viewer whiplash.

Not everything about Mirrors is a success, however. For every sequence of blood curdling grue - accented well by the ability to view the film in its "Unrated" form - there's a tad too much talking. Every time we turn around, Ben and his estranged wife are having yet another heart to heart. The kids are also a weak link here, used to garner sympathy from both the audience and a key component of the plot. Finally, the entire narrative goes a bit batty toward the end, Aja unable to keep all of his divergent terror tenets locked in and logistically sound. As Sutherland is battling some banshee, we get lost in a series of F/X tricks that take away from the aggressive scares the director was working with before. There's nothing wrong with a little smoke and...you know what, but something about the Evil Dead like finale feels chaotic, not conclusive. Still, for all its flaws, Mirrors is an interesting entry into the post-modern scary movie canon. It's not a complete triumph, but it definitely isn't the flop most critics complained about four months ago.

The Video:
Presented by Fox in every critic's favorite "Screening Only" review copy format (complete with random logo placement), it's hard to comment on the image here. The transfer offered is impressive, but then again, it's not final product. There are two different versions of the film on the disc - one presenting the theatrical release, the other offering the aforementioned "unrated" cut. There is definitely more gore in the latter version. As for the picture provided, one hopes the actual 2.35:1 widescreen anamorphic image surpasses the slightly compressed version experienced for this review. Theatrically, the film was claustrophobic and creepy. Here, everything has that mass produced sheen of a press preview disc.

The Audio:
Though information indicates that this screener provides all the necessary sonic situations of the final Fox packaging, this critic will again reserve judgment. The Dolby Digital 5.1 offered was good. The back channels come alive whenever the action starts up, and there are some nicely ambient moments of suspense, but the rest of the time, the speakers hardly spark. The musical score is fine, however, and the dialogue is easily discernible.

The Extras:
While there is no commentary proper, the Screener disc offered did have a collection of deleted and alternative scenes featuring Aja's personal overview. The arguments for why certain elements were left out make sense (one issue - too much talking!), but there are also some interesting narrative twists taken out of the theatrical print that might have benefited the final product. Aja argues for the ending as provided, even showing a sequence of how Fox wanted things to play out. In addition, we get featurettes focusing on mirrors themselves, and a decent documentary Making-of. Oddly enough, while Aja claims the project was in development around the time of High Tension, there is a controversy over whether or not the storyline was lifted from a Korean fright flick named Into the Mirror from 2003 (an end credit acknowledging the Asian effort argues for a pre-lawsuit compromise). Certainly, the notion of a haunted reflection is nothing new. Without seeing the Korean film, it's hard to judge.

Final Thoughts:
On a big screen, with the massive sets looming like cadavers in a long forgotten mortuary, Mirrors was one spooky ass experience. You never knew what was coming around the next corner and Aja proved his capability with suspense by keeping things nice and anxious. No matter the size of your home theater set-up however, no DVD experience can match the theatrical mood. Still, the movie itself is well worth an investment of your time. For fright fans, it's definitely Recommended. For those who know only Sutherland from his 24 ties, a rental might be the better way to go. France has a history of elevating the art of ample gore. They created the infamous Grand Guignol after all. The current crop of filmmakers are really taking nastiness to a whole new level. While Mirrors is not premium Aja pus, it's definitely worth taking the time out to experience.

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