John’s Horror Corner: Mirrors 2 (2010), a watchable sequel with enjoyable death scenes.

MY CALL: Unfortunately, this is one of those sequels that takes all its plays from the playbook of part 1, but simply uses a different (and cheaper) cast of characters in highly similar situations. But what the movie lacks in most respects, it makes up for with decent quality death scenes. I’d definitely give this a low priority recommendation if you liked part 1. I’m glad I saw it, but once was enough. MORE MOVIES LIKE Mirrors 2:  For more evil mirror movies try Mirrors (2008), Oculus (2014), Into the Mirror (2003) or Mirror Mirror (1990). But I’d skip Mirror (2014).

Still recovering from a terrible accident, Max (Nick Stahl; Disturbing Behavior, Dead Awake, Hunter Hunter) is recruited by his father to be a night security guard for the all-new renovated Mayflower, the very same cursed shopping mall of Mirrors (2008). As soon as his first shift begins, we are jump-scared by visions of a ghostly woman he sees in the mirror.

Following boldly in the footsteps of part 1’s director Alexandre Aja (Mirrors, Piranha 3D, The Hills Have Eyes, Crawl) who remade and one-upped the South Korean Into the Mirror (2003) with brutal pizzazz, Víctor García (The Damned, Hellraiser: Revelations, Return to the House on Haunted Hill) steps to the helm for this quickly released sequel.

Unfortunately, this is one of those sequels that takes all its plays from the playbook of part 1, but simply uses a different (and cheaper) cast of characters in highly similar situations. Moreover, this sequel plays on premonitions of presumably ‘preventable’ deaths in the manner of Final Destination (2000) and sequels.

Just like Mirrors (2008), we open with a night security guard (Evan Jones; The Book of Eli, Wishcraft) at the Mayflower Department Store who finds his reflection is quite malevolent and dies to the actions of his cast image. The methodology is a tad weak, but the death scene remains mean and gory.

The story lacks the development, tact or execution of its predecessor. Really, this feels like a completely standalone horror movie that just happens to take place in the same cursed store as before. Except now… the rules of the store and its haunting are completely different; basically unrelated in any way except for the involvement of angry spirits in mirrors killing people via possessed reflections. Oooooh boy, and the story involves rape, which is always charming, right? So there’s your trigger warning.

What the movie lacks in most respects, it makes up for with decent quality death scenes. Christy Carlson Romano’s shower scene death features extensive nudity, a lot of blood and some redeemingly shocking gore when her head is brutally guillotined by a broken pane of glass. No death could live up to Amy Smart’s (Mirrors) jaw-ripping demise in part 1, but this shower death scene remains incredibly satisfying for this gorehound. Likewise, Jon Michael Davis’ death is just plain mean and brutal complete with Achilles tendon gashes and disembowelment. So while this is clearly ranked below its predecessor, I still enjoyed watching it.

This movie had exactly the kind of cheap ending that, in my opinion, no one wants. But the bad people got what they had coming in the form of horribly murderous ghostly revenge, and that’s somewhat satisfying on its own. And the death scenes (though not numerous) were a disgusting joy. I’d definitely give this a low priority recommendation if you liked part 1. I’m glad I saw it, but once was enough.