“Look Away,” a psychological horror film directed by Assaf Bernstein, delves into the eerie territory of duality and the twisted allure of a sinister mirror image.
The story revolves around Maria, a shy and lonely high school student, grappling with the challenges she faces at home and in school.
Her life takes a surreal and unsettling turn when her reflection in the mirror starts moving independently and offers her help.
As the two switch places, Maria’s life becomes a nightmarish descent into darkness, and her mirror image’s motivations are revealed.
Maria’s Struggles and Discovery
Maria Brennan is a shy high school student who struggles with loneliness, and the movie introduces us to her.
While her mother, Amy, struggles with her own nightmares, her distant father, Dan, constantly criticizes the way she looks at home. She experiences constant bullying from a classmate named Mark at school, which does not provide much comfort either.
Lily, who has her own secrets, is the only person who offers her any semblance of friendship. Maria’s life takes an unexpected turn when she discovers a sonogram in her room that suggests she might be pregnant with a twin.
The bathroom mirror’s image starts to move on its own shortly after, which causes her to become alarmed and perplexed. She further isolates herself by making futile attempts to confide in her parents.
Airam’s Appearance
Maria’s reflection begins to communicate with her, introducing herself as ‘Airam.’ Airam is the antithesis of Maria – confident, charismatic, and everything that Maria aspires to be. She offers to take away Maria’s sadness and reveals her continuous presence.
Dan, unaware of Airam’s existence, exacerbates Maria’s struggles when he gifts her cosmetic surgery for her birthday. Devastated, Maria turns to Airam for support.
The Sinister Switch
At the school’s winter prom, Maria endures humiliation and physical harm from Mark in front of her peers. Seeking refuge in the bathroom, she encounters Airam, who persuades her to switch places with her.
The act of switching occurs when they touch palms and lips through the mirror, transferring control of Maria’s life to Airam.
Airam’s Revenge and Devastation
Airam proceeds to seek revenge on everyone who wronged Maria. She exposes Dan’s infidelity to Amy and attacks Mark brutally. Her actions lead to a tragic accident resulting in Lily’s death.
Maria, trapped in the mirror, is horrified by Airam’s vengeful actions, but her pleas for reconciliation fall on deaf ears.
Airam’s behavior becomes increasingly reckless as she initiates a relationship with Sean soon after Lily’s death.
When the police investigate Lily’s death, Sean agrees to cooperate, but Airam kills him impulsively. The film’s revelations shed light on Airam’s motives behind these malevolent actions.
Airam’s Motive and Dan’s Dark Secret
During the movie’s climax, Airam’s true motivation is revealed: Dan is the target of his vengeance. The deformed twin sister of Maria who was targeted for execution by her own father is revealed to be Airam in flashback scenes.
Despite her mother’s pleas, Dan euthanized the deformed child, burying her beneath a heap of snow.
As Airam’s spirit latched onto Maria, she formed her identity, using the mirror as a means of communication. The film’s climax portrays Airam’s confrontation with Dan.
Pretending to be Maria, she engages him in a deeply unsettling conversation. In a final, chilling act, she slits his throat, asking why he couldn’t love her. Airam’s vengeance reveals the dark secret hidden within the Brennan family.
Does Airam Exist, or Is She a Manifestation?
The movie makes a subtle suggestion that Airam may not actually be separate from Maria’s psyche but rather an extension of it. Maria’s most intense emotions and desires are channeled through her creation.
This idea is refuted, though, by Airam’s definable existence as demonstrated by her interactions with other characters and her own actions.
When Amy hears Maria and Airam talking to each other in the restroom, the movie emphasizes this division by highlighting the two different voices.
Maria’s Trapped Existence
Maria remains trapped in the mirror world at the end of the film. The initial goal of their switch was to give Maria a better life, but it quickly devolved into a malicious scheme.
Maria becomes increasingly alarmed by Airam’s behavior and begs to go back to her real life as she realizes the serious consequences of their switch.
After Airam is rejected, a string of terrible things happen that force Maria to withdraw into the mirror universe.
As Maria lies next to her mother in the movie’s final scene, mirroring the reflection that is visible in the mirror world, it represents Maria’s resignation.
Opinion
The film “Look Away” investigates the complexities of identity, the seductive sinister allure of a doppelganger, and the underlying desires that can push a person into darkness.
It is a psychological horror story that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats while making them consider how real life and the supernatural are intertwined.
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