Oculus

Review

Released: 2013

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Starring: Karen Gillan, Brenton Thwaites

I bring you another horror movie recommendation. Oculus is a psychological thriller dealing with a supernatural presence. Tim Russell is released from a psychiatric hospital after 11 years, regarded as sane and safe after a horrifying incident. Immediately after his release, Kaylie, his sister asks him to help her in revealing the truth behind that childhood incident. She wanted to absolve his brother of the charges against him and prove that he was compelled to violence by a supernatural antique mirror. She had grown to form an elaborated plan to disclose the entity that had destroyed their family. She sets up video cameras and high-tech equipment in their childhood home. From then onwards it is a battle of illusion and reality.

This movie does not contain intricate twists but the atmosphere of fear is maintained throughout the story. Flashbacks and the present sequences are woven into each other with such smoothness making us question, till the end, whether it’s all a mental illusion or is there actually some paranormal activity going on. Because the younger version is shown to interact with their adult selves, twisting the perception of the audience. The ending could have been different. Despite that, it is worth watching.

One important aspect highlighted, which I found quite interesting, was our oblivion towards the ghostly and supernatural presences. Many of us disregard the changes in the behavior of a person as a figment of imagination instead of listening and trusting them. We should carefully listen and understand what they are going through and help them. Forming assumptions on your own would neither benefit you or the other person. Rather we can end up in a situation far worse than one can visualize.

Resources:

Image no 1: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FOculus-Karen-Gillan%2Fdp%2FB00LDLR20G&psig=AOvVaw1fUc69H4miLqH6VhNtXOj0&ust=1617907371083000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCMj38PHk7O8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABBb

Image no. 2: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rochestercitynewspaper.com%2Frochester%2Foculus%2FContent%3Foid%3D2369538&psig=AOvVaw1fUc69H4miLqH6VhNtXOj0&ust=1617907371083000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCMj38PHk7O8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABA0