Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Outstanding horror flick has gore, children in peril.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 18+?
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Where to Watch
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Oculus
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 7 parent reviews
What's the Story?
After 11 years, Tim Russell (Brenton Thwaites) -- who killed his father as a boy -- is released from a psychiatric hospital. His sister, Kaylie (Karen Gillan), immediately asks him to participate in a ritual: to help destroy the creepy old mirror that she thinks caused all the trouble. At first, it appears as if Kaylie may be crazy, but it soon becomes apparent that the mirror does have the power to make people see things. Before long, the siblings are flashing back to the events of their childhood, when the mirror drove their mother (Katee Sackhoff) into hysterics and turned their father (Rory Cochrane) into a homicidal maniac. Will Tim and Kaylie be able to tell reality from nightmare -- and survive?
Is It Any Good?
Creepy mirrors have been featured in horror movies plenty of times before, but none of them have been anything quite like OCULUS. It immediately turns your expectations upside via the character of Tim, a troubled but cured soul with blood on his hands. The question of whether he'll kill again quickly becomes moot as his old bond with his sister re-asserts itself. The characters are strong and interact in vivid ways, and they remain the movie's anchor; they're no horror movie amateurs, and they struggle to stay on top of the scares.
But Oculus' real weapon is its flashbacks, which aren't specifically used as flashbacks but rather as illusions and nightmares forced upon the characters by the mirror's evil. They fold over into reality as younger and older versions of the same characters regard one another, and it's clear that they shouldn't be taken literally. This is a breakthrough for director Mike Flanagan, and (apologies for the pun) a most reflective horror movie.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Oculus' violence and gore. Which scenes were meant to make you squeal and squirm, and which had a more visceral effect? What's the difference between these moments? Do bloody scenes make a movie more frightening?
How scary is Oculus compared to other horror movies you've seen? What's scary about it? How did you feel about the scenes with the young children in peril? Did it make a difference knowing that they were only flashbacks or nightmares and that the children survive to grow up?
What's the relationship between the central brother and sister like? Is it realistic? Is it stereotypical? If you have siblings, how does it compare to your relationship with them?
Movie Details
- In theaters: April 11, 2014
- On DVD or streaming: August 5, 2014
- Cast: Karen Gillan , Katee Sackhoff , Brenton Thwaites
- Director: Mike Flanagan
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Relativity Media
- Genre: Horror
- Run time: 105 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: terror, violence, some disturbing images and brief language
- Last updated: March 2, 2023
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