Miroir

"Mirror, Mirror" is at its best in the first half, with its simple but effective depiction of school life. In the second half, a few of the death scenes leave something to be desired, but others (bathtub drowning) are good. Karen Black and Yvonne De Carlo may be the draws in the cast, but it's their younger co-stars that do almost all the hard work: Rainbow Harvest makes a believable transformation from a "Winona Ryder in Bettlejuice" - wannabe to a wicked villainess, Kristin Dattilo is also convincing as one of the sweetest persons you'll ever meet, and Charlie Spradling plays the spoiled b*tch to perfection (and is downright GORGEOUS to boot). The movie does seem to go on a bit too long, but stick with it because the ending is the cleverest part. (**1/2)

At heart, this is a fairly typical demonic possession thing, with older-looking "schoolkids", jump scares and some gory deaths, plus the obligatory shower scene... with variable levels of acting. The thing that really got me though, was the awful sound design... switching between barely-audible dialogue and over-the-top sound effects during the "scary bits", I got really fed up with having to adjust the sound on my iPad accordingly.

Having said that, the plot's not too bad and, if this is your kind of thing and you're in the mood, worth a watch. It would be nice if someone were to remix it though.

This film is excellent, and it is so underrated. The atmosphere is good. Excellent acting...Rainbow Harvest does a great performance as Megan. Karen Black does a fairly good performance as the wacky mother. The ending to this film is one of the most brilliant endings I have seen in my lifetime. No other ending like it. The film is not really scary, thought I am sure some may find it scary. I like the look of the mirror, also. Special effects are pretty good for the low budget.Film is hard to find to rent, best bet is either to buy the MIRROR, MIRROR COLLECTION (worth the 20 bucks just for the first 2 films, 3 and are crap) or to go to a Ma and Pa Video Store. Recommended for horror fans everywhere! 8/10

Pretty funny little horror movie...better than one might expect. Karen steals it in a variety of different wigs as the wacky mother of Rainbow Harvest who's the new girl in school, tormented by her classmates because she dresses "punk". Kind of a cross between "Carrie" and "Heathers".

Los Angeles punkster Megan (Rainbow Harvest) moves with her mother (Karen Black) to a small California suburb. Megan doesn't fit in at her new private school, but to make matters even worse, there is a massive antique mirror left behind in her new bedroom that boasts dangerous supernatural powers.

"Mirror Mirror" is an under-viewed gem from the early nineties that is corny and shocking in equal measure. The film is admittedly a bit dated, and the singular element that I found most alluring in it was the late eighties/early nineties atmospherics that are reminiscent of an "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" episode; make no bones about it though, "Mirror Mirror" is considerably more gratuitous.

Director Marina Sargenti, who only has a small handful of credits to her name (all of them nineties television films and horror pictures) handles the material here very well. The film blends Gothic elements with an early '90s California sensibility, and the composition is surprisingly nice. The opening scene details a gruesome murder in the 1930s that takes place before the eponymous mirror, and occult elements pervade as its origins are uncovered.

Plot-wise, the film is nothing remotely original, and that may be its only significant downfall. Elements of "Carrie" and "The Boogeyman" abound, and the narrative progression is predictable to say the least. The upside is that the material is handled with much more sophistication than a film like this demands, and the horror creeps in, growing more and more violent as Megan's powers grow stronger and stronger. Great performances elevate the film above standard teen horror fodder as well; Rainbow Harvest (gotta love that name) plays the Gothic, "Beetlejuice"-era Winona Ryder character. We also have performances from veterans Karen Black as Megan's boozy Beverly Hills mother, and Yvonne De Carlo as the inquisitive estate handler; both Black and De Carlo's presences are welcome and they handle these supporting roles with considerable class.

Overall, "Mirror Mirror" is a well-made snapshot of late eighties-early nineties teen horror that is entertaining and thoughtfully made. While it lacks originality and could be heavier on stylistic flair, I appreciated the film as a time capsule for an in-between era of the horror genre as it transitioned from the celebrated eighties slasher to the onslaught of a nineties new wave. 7/10.