Oculus

Starring: Karen Gillan, Brenton Thwaites, Katee Sackhoff, Rory Cochrane, Annalise Basso, Garrett Ryan
Directed by: Mike Flanagan
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
2014

Times Seen:
Tim: 1


Summary: A woman (Karen Gillan) enlists the help of her brother (Brenton Thwaites) to prove their parents were killed by a supernatural force.

Review:

Tim: Look, I get that Oculus isn't the perfect horror movie. Yes, there are some pretty big plot holes and the movie offers a number of opportunities for people to criticize it and the script. However, even with its flaws, this is a more intelligent and scarier movie than the majority of horror films out there. I know it's flawed, but it still creeped me out and kept me on the edge of my seat. That is important. And so, even if maybe I shouldn't, I enjoyed this movie.

The line between scary and silly is razor thin. I've watched quite a few horror movies where I couldn't keep myself from laughing at what was depicted on screen. That isn't the case here. Oculus certainly isn't one of the scariest movies I've seen, but it did a decent job of keeping me in a state of dread. No one likes feeling anxious, but during a horror movie, if the film can make you feel uncomfortable and nervous about what's coming next, that is a very good thing. The movie featured a few sequences that just made me squirm in my chair. The supernatural beings with the weird mirror eyes were creepy when shown for a few seconds at a time. That kept me in a state of suspense. However, I do have to point out that once these creatures are seen on screen for more than just a flash, they lose a lot of their ability to frighten. That was an issue I had with the film, although the effects were mostly good. I do enjoy movies that make you question what is real, and this film did a fairly good job of keeping me questioning the events I saw on screen. While some of this was a little too manipulative and convenient, it still created a sense of unease and dread. If you can't trust what you see and touch, then that automatically puts you in a precarious situation. The film did a good job of that.

The cast was fine. Karen Gillan is an actress that I believe has talent. She's still early in her career, but if she keeps making good decisions, she could be great someday. Brenton Thwaites wasn't great. He was a little too wooden and stoic for my opinion. It wasn't a huge sample size, but the guy just made me yawn on screen. A lot of people talk about Katee Sackhoff, but after seeing her in a few films, I have yet to see what the fuss is all about. She seems like a completely underwhelming actress. Rory Cochrane was a nice addition and gave a disturbing performance. It was good. Still, as a whole, the cast might have been better than the average horror movie, but left a bit to be desired.

I've read a lot that people hated the ending. While it was a bit predictable, I didn't think it was wholly unsatisfying. It wasn't surprising, but it was a dark and appropriate ending for the story. I thought it was fine.

I have seen a lot of bad horror movies in my life. When I see one that surpasses the expectations of the genre, I always sit up and take notice. Oculus isn't a great movie, but it's a perfectly acceptable, entertaining entry in the genre. I enjoyed feeling so anxious watching this effective horror movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



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