Customer Reviews

Mimic (Widescreen)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The movie itself isn't all that good, but if you are a big Guillermo Del Toro fan as I am this is a big one as it was his first big Hollywood movie (second feature overall), and what he learned dealing with the studio, pushing his visual technique further because of it, came out the other side a better director. As far as creature features go it's okay, but as I've come to expect with Del Toro the commentary is very good, also quite funny, gives you an idea of what he was dealing with behind the scenes, the director's cut of the film removes a lot of the bad second unit stuff that Del Toro hated the most.

In 1997, Guillermo del Toro was not a rising legend in the movie business -- in fact, he was a relative newbie.

So obviously the sci-horror flick "Mimic" was an attempt to forge roads in the rough world of Hollywood. It's a flawed gem among horror movies -- it builds up a sense of slow, shadowy horror based on what could happen if humans play God, loaded with symbolism and eerie clicking noises. But it also has an insane climax, and Del Toro's direction often gets buried under the scares.

In the near future, children are ravaged by a cockroach-carried disease. Dr. Susan Tyler (Mira Sorvino) creates a solution -- a sterile mantis/termite crossbreed that will destroy the cockroaches, then die.

A few years later, Susan buys bugs from some street kids -- and finds a Judas larva among them (which promptly vanishes). Then the kids go missing... as do the subway dwellers. When an enormous dead insect is found washed into the water treatment plant, Susan knows for sure that the Judas bug has not only survived and reproduced -- but it's evolving at a ghastly rate.

Meanwhile, her hubby Peter Mann (Jeremy Northam), subway cop Leonard (Charles Dutton) and an immigrant (Giancarlo Giannini) looking for his autistic son all venture down into the deserted subways. But Susan has run afoul of the Judas insects -- and as all the humans huddle in an abandoned subway car, she finds that the insects have evolved even further than she thought.

The filming of "Mimic" was apparently a pretty bad one -- Bob Weinstein and Del Toro apparently argued a lot, and Del Toro later compared the final film to a pretty girl with her arms chopped off. Sadly, a lot of Del Toro's unique style was stripped from it, since the creep factor (an autistic boy wanders through a ruined chapel) and religious symbolism get smothered in lots of "boo!" bug scares.

But he does give "Mimic" a lot of atmosphere -- it's cloaked in a bleak, grimy, rainy atmosphere, full of decayed old subways and tangles of rusty pipes. While the science is sketchy at best, Del Toro manages to give the vaguely humanoid bugs a special quality of horror -- though the idea of insects mimicking a coated, hat-wearing man sounds silly, their crusty eyeless "faces" are pretty ghastly.

The first half of the movie is something of a bio-mystery, slowly building the suspense about where these bugs are, and how much they've evolved. Then the story explodes into a "Night of the Living Dead"-style horror flick, with the fearful humans trapped in a small space with bugs about to smash inside, and picking them off if they venture out.

The biggest problem? The ending. Both Susan and Peter face off against the bugs in a literally explosive finale -- the events of which stretch credibility until it snaps and zings you in the face. Really quite bad.

Sorvino and Northam are a bit stiff at first, but both blossom when one of the bugs carries her off into the tunnels -- after that their performances are full of barely-restrained hysteria. Charles S. Dutton is the scene-stealer here as a blues-singing, sharp-tongued cop who finds himself in over his head, and ends up being the most heroic of them all.

Buried under the surface of "Mimic" is a brilliant horror film, but the plot is dragged down by a hokey ending and mutilated direction. Maybe we'll get lucky and have a "director's cut."

As a subject, the portray of an underground world below major cities has always been appealing. Combine that idea with some giant killer bugs and you get "Mimic", Guillermo Del Toro's sci-fi extravaganza. This film makes an interesting approach on the nature of predators and the mystery of the dark corners of human civilization. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to satisfying the hard critical eye.

The movie tells a story about an army of genetically-altered insects created to destroy a plague of cockroaches in the sewers of New York. Three years later, the bugs have learned to survive by mimicking their worst enemies: humans. Now an entire colony of these creatures is growing under the Big Apple, and they're getting ready to move up.

As you can see, the idea for the plot is very good, and has an interesting edge to it, but in the end, the filmmakers decided to exploit it through simple action sequences, with a lot of "Aliens" on the back of their minds. Mira Sorvino is very good as the doctor who created the monsters and is now tortured by the idea of her creation being loose on the world. But her character is the only one with at least some depth in this whole story. All the others are just background people, who play basically three roles: "partners" for our main hero, "victims" that need to be rescued (children are perfect for this), and "meat", so we can witness the destructive power of the giant bugs.

The real problem with "Mimic" is that, even though it has a very original idea, the script suddenly decides to play it safe, since it gives you absolutely no surprises. By the end, you know exactly what's going to happen, basically the same thing that happens in "Aliens": you know that the good guys will find their way through the colony, find the source of all the creatures, and blow it up with the biggest explosion their budget can allow. Fortunately for us, at least it's a big budget (the design for the creatures is award-worthy).

The DVD itself is no good, unfortunately. It includes the theatrical trailer, but absolutely no bios or commentaries. Lack of features is a curse among DVD's, and I'll never get tired of saying it.

In conclusion, I recommend the movie because of its original idea and some cool special effects, but you're warned in advance that you won't find anything new once the story gets going. How they managed to pull off a sequel is still a mystery to me.

Guillermo del Toro's effectively creepy bug movie is a fast-paced, exciting (and gooey) thriller starring Mira Sorvino. However the film has a mainly "been there, done that" story about a deadly virus called Strickler's disease, that is killing many children, and Sorvino's character finds a cure by genetically- modifying cockroaches. The nasty critters get set free in the world, and several years later people start getting picked off by giant bugs that have evolved to "mimic" their predator: Man.

The action, which mostly resides in the trademark underground railway tunnel, is inventive, and there are some genuine shocks and twists along the way. The messing with nature theme has been done before (Jurassic Park), and the film is very similar to The Relic. But there is a strong environmental message that, while good, thankfully isn't heavy-handed and doesn't get in the way of some cool bug-splosions and hapless kids getting munched. Disgusting fun.

Mimic is a "bug" movie, and a pretty good one. This time the threat comes from man-sized, roachlike creatures, that threaten to multiply and make pest control a nightmare.

Roaches in New York City are spreading a deadly disease. Entomologist Susan Tyler (Mira Sorvino) introduces genetically altered roaches to the local population via the local sewers. Secretions from the mutant bugs known as the "Judas breed" destroys the metabolic systems of cockroaches, causing them all to die.

Three years later, neighborhood kids bring the "Bug Lady" (Susan) an unusual insect they have collected from the subway tunnels. Though it escapes, the specimen sets Susan and her physician husband Peter (Jeremy Northam), on the trail of the mysterious insect species. The search leads to the subway and sewer systems. Peter, who works for the Center for Disease Control, heads down into the subway system with his assistant Josh (Josh Brolin), and Leonard, a city cop (Charles Dutton). Meanwhile, Susan is gathered in by one of the roach creatures and deposited somewhere in the sewer system. Also wandering in the underground, are Manny (Giancarlo Giannini), a shoeshine man, looking for his lost son, Chuy. Soon they all come together in a life and death struggle against the killer bugs.

This movie is dark and creepy, and the musical score by Marco Beltrami adds to that atmosphere. Tension builds, for like all good horror films, we don't get to see the big bugs too soon. But once the attack begins, things move swiftly, and the level of excitement remains high until the conclusion.

The special effects are good, not great, and do not dominate the movie. The build-up of the story is good, and helps to add to the plausibility of the plot line, though there are still some problems. The whole concept of man-sized roaches evolving from normal sized bugs may be hard to accept, despite the explanation provided for this phenomena. The concept of the roaches "mimicking" humans is interesting, but very hard to swallow. The creatures are so fast and strong, why would they need to infiltrate the human population, when they could kill us so easily. We see the creature "unfold" itself just before it sweeps Susan off the subway platform, and there is no way that it could pass for human, in anything but near dark conditions. Finally, if the Judas breed could wipe out roaches in NYC, wouldn't they have used them in other places too?

All that being said, this movie is very enjoyable and highly recommended. The roach monsters, once the pretense is out of the way, are great fun. Josh has a cool death scene. Charles Dutton's aggressive performance was very enjoyable. It's also fun to see Mira Sorvino getting down and very dirty. With a little better character selection this movie could have been much better. One big negative about this film is the young boy Chuy (sorry kid). There is nothing appealing about this irritating, spoon clapping character.

"Life finds a way." Ian Malcom, "Jurassic Park"

This famous line from Steven Speilberg's dinosaur adventure has become a popular lesson of many science fiction films today. "Mimic," a film in which genetically altered insects become something never intended, is no exception to this particular lesson; in fact, the movie uses it to its advantage on numerous occasions, that, and some very sophisticated special effects and filmmaking techniques. Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, who directed "Cronos," turns what is a basic nature-gone-mad movie into something more terrifying, more chilling, and more suspenseful than anything we've ever seen done before.

That's not to say that "Mimic" is as fresh as a spring breeze. There are elements at work in the film that are all too familiar if you know your science fiction well. There's the obligatory explanation for the havoc surrounding the central characters, scenes involving them being trapped somewhere beyond any help, and a hero in the group that will devise all the plans for escape and the way in which to kill their opponent. But under a new premise, and some very strikingly intense moments, "Mimic" makes the old seem new again.

The hero (or heroine, in this case) is Dr. Susan Tyler (Mira Sorvino), who is called upon by the city of New York to find a cure for a fatal disease striking the city's children. Along with husband Peter Mann (Jeremy Northam), they create a genetically altered breed of insect (revealed as a cross between a cockroach and a praying mantis) to wipe out the disease-infested cockroaches underneath the city.

Of course, the bugs, named the "Judas" breed, were altered in ways that left them with a short life expectancy of only six months, plus a sterile female so that no mating will take place. But, after three years have passed, Susan encounters a bug closely resembling the "Judas" breed insects, and it becomes apparent to her that they have survived.

How did they survive? The movie never explains it, which is best; it's better left as a mystery. It also leaves room for the ensuing action sequences, as Susan and Peter, along with a police officer (Charles Dutton), make their way into the underground subways and abandoned facilities beneath the city streets.

This is where things get really interesting, as del Toro works his magic on us. A simple scene in which Susan attempts to retrieve a flashlight by sticking her hand in a dark hole is full of suspense, while a claustrophobic intensity permeates sequences involving an abandoned subway car where the group seeks refuge from their predators. Accompanying all of this is a heightened sensory perception. Del Toro toys with shadow and light, along with sight and sound, to add an atmospheric feel to each setting. Not since "Seven" have I seen a film that uses this technique so masterfully.

And the message behind it all? It's one we're well familiarized with, that playing God gets us nowhere. Sure, Susan's intentions were in the right place, and we even understand her reasons after an early shot of her in a hospital ward filled with sick children. I think the general theme behind all of the mayhem is not one of toying with science, but one on the many ways that life can change, and evolve into something previously unknown.

"Mimic" has a good cast in its favor. Mira Sorvino shines in a role that differs from others roles of her career, such as "Mighty Aphrodite." But she proves herself able to play a convincing character in any situation. Jeremy Northam is the last person you'd expect to see running through tunnels and putting himself in dangerous situations, but he pulls it off. F. Murray Abraham makes an appearance as Susan's mentor, Dr. Gates, playing the well-educated man to perfection, while Charles Dutton is superbly comical and heroic as Leonard, the police officer.

"Mimic" is a dazzlingly intense adventure that is genuinely suspenseful and totally entertaining. It's ability to tighten the intensity surrounding its sequence of events is a trait rare to this genre, as is its ability to bring us into the atmosphere of the film's murky settings. Del Toro has fashioned a new evolution of sci-fi out of old-school tricks; I highly recommend this film.

"Life finds a way." Ian Malcom, "Jurassic Park"

This famous line from Steven Speilberg's dinosaur adventure has become a popular lesson of many science fiction films today. "Mimic," a film in which genetically altered insects become something never intended, is no exception to this particular lesson; in fact, the movie uses it to its advantage on numerous occasions, that, and some very sophisticated special effects and filmmaking techniques. Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, who directed "Cronos," turns what is a basic nature-gone-mad movie into something more terrifying, more chilling, and more suspenseful than anything we've ever seen done before.

That's not to say that "Mimic" is as fresh as a spring breeze. There are elements at work in the film that are all too familiar if you know your science fiction well. There's the obligatory explanation for the havoc surrounding the central characters, scenes involving them being trapped somewhere beyond any help, and a hero in the group that will devise all the plans for escape and the way in which to kill their opponent. But under a new premise, and some very strikingly intense moments, "Mimic" makes the old seem new again.

The hero (or herione, in this case) is Dr. Susan Tyler (Mira Sorvino), who is called upon by the city of New York to find a cure for a fatal disease striking the city's children. Along with husband Peter Mann (Jeremy Northam), they create a genetically altered breed of insect (revealed as a cross between a cockroach and a praying mantis) to wipe out the disease-infested cockroaches underneath the city.

Of course, the bugs, named the "Judas" breed, were altered in ways that left them with a short life expectancy of only six months, plus a sterile female so that no mating will take place. But, after three years have passed, Susan encounters a bug closely resembling the "Judas" breed insects, and it becomes apparent to her that they have survived.

How did they survive? The movie never explains it, which is best; it's better left as a mystery. It also leaves room for the ensuing action sequences, as Susan and Peter, along with a police officer (Charles Dutton), make their way into the underground subways and abandoned facilities beneath the city streets.

This is where things get really interesting, as del Toro works his magic on us. A simple scene in which Susan attempts to retrieve a flashlight by sticking her hand in a dark hole is full of suspense, while a claustrophobic intensity permeates sequences involving an abandoned subway car where the group seeks refuge from their predators. Accompanying all of this is a heightened sensory perception. Del Toro toys with shadow and light, along with sight and sound, to add an atmospheric feel to each setting. Not since "Seven" have I seen a film that uses this technique so masterfully.

And the message behind it all? It's one we're well familiarized with, that playing God gets us nowhere. Sure, Susan's intentions were in the right place, and we even understand her reasons after an early shot of her in a hospital ward filled with sick children. I think the general theme behind all of the mayhem is not one of toying with science, but one on the many ways that life can change, and evolve into something previously unknown.

"Mimic" has a good cast in its favor. Mira Sorvino shines in a role that differs from others roles of her career, such as "Mighty Aphrodite." But she proves herself able to play a convincing character in any situation. Jeremy Northam is the last person you'd expect to see running through tunnels and putting himself in dangerous situations, but he pulls it off. F. Murray Abraham makes an appearance as Susan's mentor, Dr. Gates, playing the well-educated man to perfection, while Charles Dutton is superbly comical and heroic as Leonard, the police officer.

"Mimic" is a dazzlingly intense adventure that is genuinely suspenseful and totally entertaining. It's ability to tighten the intensity surrounding its sequence of events is a trait rare to this genre, as is its ability to bring us into the atmosphere of the film's murky settings. Del Toro has fashioned a new evolution of sci-fi out of old-school tricks; I highly recommend this film.

Mira Sorvina gives a splendid performance in this effects filled, creepy and tense exersise in traditional creature features. Sorvino plays a scientist who finds a cure for a deadly virus by creating a new breed of cockroaches called "Junos." After the virus was wiped out, the Junos were destroyed. However, years later, the Junos have evolved into giant roaches that live in the sewers of New York, praying on humans. While there are some standard cliche's in this well crafted horror movie, the latter of the film is in Sorvino's performance and the excellent special effects. Director Guillermo del Toro does a great job of keeping the tenstion at a high mark, and you can tell when you're sitting on the edge of your seat biting your nails. This is an excellent installment into the creature feature genre.

This movie wasn't perfect but what I liked most is that in most horror movies people do exactly the wrong thing. The typical example is a Friday the 13th movie where even though people are dead nobody calls the police, people go in the basement or outdoors alone etc..

In Mimic, none of that happens. Each action that takes them further into danger is a logical progression. They did basically what you'd expect almost anybody to do in a given situation.

I don't understand the couple of completely negative comments that are up here. Seems like they were watching a different movie like "Relic" which came out about the same time but was horrid.

The opening credits alone of this hybrid, bio-scifi thriller are enough to breed nightmares: Squirming beetle tendrils silhouetted over images of diseased children as the texts darts in and out of focus at off angles. Right away you know you're in for a dark ride.

This is one of those truly outlaw mainstream films; a slick, polished production which thankfully avoids formulaic Hollywood conventions. It is the classic Frankenstein scenario, updated to 90's New York with an insectile twist: A well-meaning lady entomologist breeds a super-insect as the only means of containing a lethal epidemic carried by the common cockroach. The plan is a success, the plague is vanquished - but a whole new horror is unknowingly unleashed upon humanity, when this lab-bred creation begins to evolve, over the following years, on its own .......

Without giving too much more away, the pace of this dark ride accelerates rapidly, with an offbeat unpredictability that keeps the viewer riveted. The claustrophobic setting of NYC's decaying subway infrastructure is a ruinous manmade environment turned alien, out of control, not our world anymore .... a breeding place for the oversized Mantis-Roaches, who enter and pass through our nighttime urban wastelands, undetected with the help of a cleverly evolved "disguise", to prey upon derelicts or any who would dare violate their territory (an element recalling "Wolfen"). As our ragtag ensemble confronts the big buggy baddies, sympathetic characters (the comic relief, no less) and even kids aren't safe from nasty bits of onscreen massacre, and generous quantities of, um, fluids are spilled on both sides of the food chain in the course of correcting this ecological abomination. Like a small-scale "Starship Troopers" gone underground, lots of ooze and aahhhs.

For high energy, bleak, repugnant fun, "Mimic" is one of the better recent popcorn-level diversions, with impressive effects, immaculate sound, and just enough brain candy and class to keep the more jaded creature feature veterans interested. One small word of caution: you will hear sounds afterwards that may remind you of that ominous skittering chatter, and a small boy's voice saying, "Funny, funny shoes .... funny, funny shoes ...."