Each October, the Unsung Horrors podcast does a month of themed movies. This year, they will once again be setting up a fundraiser to benefit Best Friends, which works to save the lives of cats and dogs across America, giving pets second chances and providing them with happy homes.

Today’s theme: Sequel

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Adam Hursey is a pharmacist specializing in health informatics by day, but his true passion is cinema. His current favorite films are Back to the Future, Stop Making Sense, and In the Mood for Love. He has written articles for Film East and The Physical Media Advocate, primarily examining older films through the lens of contemporary perspectives. He is usually found on Letterboxd, where he mainly writes about horror and exploitation films. You can follow him on Letterboxd or Instagram at ashursey.

I waited an entire year with great anticipation for this movie.

I watched the original Mirror, Mirror for my Karen Black pick in last year’s Horror Gives Back challenge. It was unexpectedly one of my favorite films from that month. Karen Black’s presence definitely helped, but it was more than just her. I was invested in the characters. I really enjoyed the performance from Rainbow Harvest (just the best name ever) as she channeled Winona Ryder’s goth stylings of Lydia Deetz from Beetlejuice. Perhaps what intrigued me the most was to find out how many women were involved in the production. Directed by a woman (Marina Sargenti) and mainly written by women (including sisters Annette and Gina Cascone), the film feels different and refreshing compared to most horror movies released in the early 1990s. 

I was excited to watch the sequel, Mirror Mirror 2: Raven Dance. So much so that I saved it for this challenge, expecting to be able to plug it into the sequels category, which is typically an option. I wouldn’t say that I made a terrible mistake, but boy howdy was I let down. I guess I only have myself to blame. How could I possibly have had such high expectations for this film? I blame the poster.

If you watched Mirror, Mirror, you may as well forget everything you saw. Raven Dance is basically a sequel in name only. You could easily go straight to this film without having seen the original (don’t do it, though). The only returning element is the mirror itself, although is it the same mirror? How would it have gotten to a church orphanage? And there is a 17-year time jump in this film as well. Maybe someone manufactured a bunch of mirrors, and the demonic force can travel among them. Again, no answers and really why am I even questioning it. I cannot put more thought into the lore than the writers, right?

In the cold open of this film, a nun is blinded by the power of the mirror. Seventeen years later, Heather from Mr. Belvedere (Tracy Wells—her actual character name here is Marlee) and her younger brother show up at the orphanage after the death of their parents. For (again) some unknown reason, a rock band is setting up to play at a charity event (I guess?). They make fun of the fiddle-playing little brother, and Marlee makes a random wish that the mirror grants, frying the band members but blinding her in the process.

Things only get weirder from here as Sally Kellerman shows up as Marlee’s stepsister, Roslyn. Having been cut out of the will, Roslyn hatches a plan with Dr. Lasky (Roddy McDowall) to incapacitate Marlee and steal the inheritance. But a mysterious man named Christian (Mark Ruffalo of all people, in his film debut) is there to help Marlee get her groove back. Maybe. Unless he is evil. It doesn’t really matter.

Throw in some extended ballet dance sequences and shots of a raven now and then, and you have all the ingredients for a mid-90s direct-to-video sequel to a film that was pretty obscure in the first place. It’s not great. Although I will say that the twist ending was perhaps the most interesting aspect of the film, it didn’t quite save it, but it did bump the whole experience up by half a star.

Will I be watching Mirror Mirror III: The Voyeur next year? One hundred percent, I will! I’m always committed to a bit. Plus, Mark Ruffalo is in this one, too, but as a totally different character. Sign me up.

I watched this film on Arrow Player, but it is also available on TUBI.