Plot: What’s it about?
Cassandra (Monique Parent) and Anthony (Billy Drago) are deeply in love and share a passionate bed, so they vow to remain together until the end. As much as she cares for Anthony however, his minimal income from his art isn’t enough to provide for her, so she dabbles on the side with a drug dealer, Julio (Richard Cansino). In exchange for some cash to keep herself in business, she showers Julio with sexual affections he could only otherwise fantasize about. She also has a special mirror in her possession, one which allows her to see into the future, but when she looks this time, she sees a horrific event. As she gazes into the mirror, she sees herself being murdered by Julio and as she doesn’t wish to allow this to transpire, she decides to go after him first. The next encounter between them turns sour, as Cassandra stabs the drug pusher, but he is soon able to take control over the situation. But when both vanish and no location is known, Anthony simply assumes he has been left by his former lover. He moves into Cassandra’s old place however, along with his brother Joey (Mark Ruffalo) and his new girlfriend Carolyn (Elizabeth Baldwin), who helps him sell his paintings. But when the past resurfaces through a detective (David Naughton) looking for Cassandra, will the truth about all this be discovered?
As the previous two entries in the Mirror, Mirror series were horror pictures, you might assume this second sequel would be also. That would be a mistake however, as Mirror, Mirror III: The Voyeur plays more like softcore porn than traditional horror. I know that the second movie in the series had less horror elements than the original one, but this one veers way off track and seems like a late night Cinemax effort, with a few scary moments tossed in. So yes, you’ll see some spooky makeup and experience some cheap scares, but make no mistake about it, this is much more about the sex than it is the scares. As was the case with Mirror, Mirror II, this sequel proves to be one that simply carries a sole connection, the presence of the mirror, as opposed to being a traditional sequel. In truth, the mirror has such a small role in The Voyeur, it seems like they were just slapped in, to justify being part of this series. I guess the producers figured it would increase sales to be tied to the Mirror, Mirror label, but come on, this one gives the other two installments a bad name and of course, that’s saying a lot about The Voyeur. The story is muddled, the horror elements are mild, and the only decent thing about this movie is the cast, with some middling names like sex kitten Monique Parent (Tender Flesh, The Pornographer) and the washed up David Naughton (An American Werewolf in London, Ice Cream Man) involved. So unless you’re a glutton for punishment or a Mirror, Mirror completist, this one is better left on the shelves.
Video: How does it look?
Mirror, Mirror III: The Voyeur is presented in full frame, as intended. Although the previous two installments were also low budget, straight to video releases, they had a solid visual presentation on DVD. But here, the image is simply too much like a home video, thanks to the methods used to capture the visuals. The entire feature has a cheap, off the shelf editing texture and a digital haze is present throughout. The colors look warm and acceptable, while contrast is also stable and such, but this one just isn’t a pretty sight. This is due to the source material however, so don’t blame this one on Anchor Bay’s transfer.
Audio: How does it sound?
As this one sounds the same as the other two, I have once again brought back my original comments, which remain just as viable here. The included 2.0 surround mix is more than solid, but don’t go overboard with your expectations here. The sound effects don’t need much room to stretch, so this track handles them without issue, but don’t expect the surrounds to pulse either. The main focus is the dialogue, which has a pleasant and clean sound, although not as crisp as I had expected. This is still an above average mix, but I had expected a little more, especially from the atmospheric presence.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc contains no bonus materials.