Mirrors (2008) Dir; Alexandre Aja

American remake of a Korean original, this is actually far better than it has any right to be
The plot:
Kiefer Sutherland is a washed out cop who has quit the force under mysterious circumstances and takes a job as a security guard at a burnt out shopping mall which suffered a fire several years previously and is still sitting, unused. He's got family trouble and is desperate for the cash.
The whole place is a wreck, except for several giant mirrors.
On patrol, Kiefer sees something strange within the mirror, and can't shake the feeling that he is not looking into the mirror, but that the mirror is looking back at him.....
And it's pretty spooky stuff.
Kiefer is in full on Jack Bauer mode, whispering gruffly before occasionally shouting furiously, which is a bit hard to take seriously, but the fact that this is helmed by Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes remake, Piranha remake, Haute Tension) lends this an air of credibility as he is, you know, a proper horror director, so handles the shocks really effectively, and delivers a real monster at the end that packs some punch and isn't just a limp and pointless CGI fest.
Seriously, it's pretty nasty, and I half expected it to start chanting "Dead By Dawn."
Yet to see the Korean original, though if the usual rule applies that the source Asian movie is vastly superior, it should be a cracker, as this one wasn't half bad.
Enjoyed it.

4 out of 5

House of Flying Daggers (2004) Dir: Yimou Zhang

From the director of Hero, Yimou Zhang, comes a sumptuous romantic martial arts fairytale that is by turns bewitching, violent and laced with romance.
The plot:
Set during the Tang dynasty in China (circa 600 - 900 A.D.), a narcissistic police officer, Jin, is sent to a brothel as part of an investigation into a rebel group, opposed to the government forces known as the House of Flying Daggers. Once there, Jin is enchanted by the beautiful dancing and martial arts prowess of a young blind woman. Captivated, he attempts to ravish her, but is interrupted when the police burst in and arrest both himself and the blind dancer. Imprisoned, Jin manages to free the dancer and they both flee. With the police hot on their heels, much fighting ensues and, just as all seems lost, a swarm of daggers fly through the air, slaying their attackers.
But who threw the daggers?
And precisely whose side is everyone on, anyway?
Beautifully shot, this is evocative, imaginative, artistic film-making of the highest order.
The stunt work is remarkable and, whilst some will quibble at the amount of wire-work used, this simply lends to the air of the fantastical that the director evokes.
Though occasionally getting bogged down in it's own romantic musings, as a love triangle manifests that can only end in bloodshed, still this is engaging, creative and simply gorgeous to look at.
Very good indeed.

4 out of 5