What happens: Young adults Kaylie and Tim return home (to the scene of violent, childhood trauma) to prove that an antique mirror was the root of the evil–and destroy it. The mirror has other ideas.
Should You Watch: if you are okay with slow building suspense and psychological horror without lot’s o blood and gore – see it in the theater. If your preference runs to high body count and gore, you might want to wait for Netflix or tv.
Oculus is like a fun, haunted house ride. At a certain point, I had a strong suspicion how it was going to end but it was such an enjoyable movie that I didn’t care. Not to say that it was predictable–there were lots of surprises–but at least one thing was inevitable. (For a non-spoiler example, if you were watching a movie where someone ate a banana and left the peel on the floor, you know eventually someone is going to slip on it.)
This movie is kind of quiet at the beginning-with the mirror giving little hints that it’s not going to go quietly. While they are dealing with the mirror in the present, Kaylie and Tim are also grappling with the past. (Tim has “forgotten” and Kaylie is trying to get him to remember.) Alternating timelines become overlapping timelines. It builds suspense and underscores the idea that, even though 11 years have passed, Kaylie and Tim are not too far removed from the terrified pre-teens who watched their family self-destruct.
More notes from Oculus:
*Do not make large purchase–especially antique mirrors–without consulting your spouse.
*Mirrors know you better than you know yourself.
*Living is winning.
*These 2 need to get together:
Theme party suggestions:
See No Evil: Oculus
Hear No Evil: Lords Of Salem
Speak No Evil: Dead Silent
Tawanna Sullivan 