‘The Reflected Self’ Review
Stars: Barney Jones, Daisie Boyes, Marielle Clare | Written and Directed by Kelvin Richards
“She’s not here. No one is.”
From writer/director Kelvin Richards, The Reflected Self is an adaptation of his own novel of the same name. Being his second feature in the dual role of writer/director, will The Reflected Self be a true and faithful adaptation from his own work, or will the familiarity of the occasion misjudge his vision?
Dian (Barney Jones) and Nia (Daisie Boyes) have taken up a creaky, old cottage in the middle of nowhere. Boxes to unpack and rooms to explore. From the get-go, Dian finds himself fixated by a horrific vision of a ghostly woman. Of course, these are visions that only he possesses. The placements and frequency of the terrifying woman establishes a tone of dread at first, as we eagerly anticipate any jump scares that are bound to occur. Dian and Nia, however, after attempting to settle in, are subsequently placed into contact with Aria (Marielle Clare), who virtually appears from nowhere, and has a striking resemblance to both Nia and the weird dead woman. What could this all mean?
What this means is that The Reflected Self is to confidently embark upon a journey of its characters, scene-by-scene, readjusting their self, placement, location, and reality. All to the bamboozling amusement of its viewer. If focus is maintained – which is deeply encouraged – there are ways to follow the back-and-forth jumps and transitions through different realities, or subconscious, even. But does it work?
Initially, The Reflected Self exists as a routine horror flick. Spooky cabin, spooky vision of a scary woman, etc. Gradually, there is an evolution to a back-and-forth tussle of psychological thriller and slightly sci-fi/fantasy. Ultimately, the horror vibe is dropped. The unsure, or twists-and-turns, nature of its genre manages to both add layers to the film and confuse or even unsettle its audience. Additionally, there is a feeling that the horror vibe was dropped, not only abruptly, but way too soon. The Reflected Self could have been a much scarier film, but artistic choice dictates scares in this film through the horror of a character’s mindset, rather than conventional horror tactics.
Ultimately, there are feelings that The Reflected Self is more concept than execution. Maybe, the final product could have been more thrilling and exciting given the stakes and story developments as the film gradually comes to its conclusion. The conclusion and pay-off itself comes across as weak, or cheap, even. In this instance, writer-director Kelvin Richards has given his all with the tools available, though budget limitations and, potentially, being too familiar with the work, exist in detriment to The Reflected Self.
**½ 2.5/5
The Reflected Self is available to stream on Amazon Prime now.
