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.


Watch Out, It's Not a Human!!! Shrewd Sci-fi Horror   June 13, 2002
 6 out of 7 found this review helpful

This may be a very personal thing, but my cousin once saw Mira Sorvino in a karaoke bar in Kyoto five years ago. I still regret that she (my cousin) didn't have my phone number to invite me.

Anyway, Mira Sorvino was here in Japan for the promotion of this creep film "Mimic." It was a bit surprise she took the role of entomologist Dr. Tyler, because it was soon after she got an Oscar for that Woody Allen film. But she judged right for this film turned out successful, being directed by Guillermo Del Toro, later to direct "Blade 2."

The story is, in my opinion, another clever look on urban legend. In New York, a deadly disease carried by roaches burst out, and many children suffer from that, most cases leading to death. Entomologist Susan Tyler (Sorvino), asked by CDC specialst Peter (Jeremy Northan, of "Emma" and "The Net"), embarks on a plan based on releasing a genetically enhanced new spieces. It worked; the disease soon is gone, but that's only the beginning of another plague that is more deadly.

And that is THE Thing, that acts like humans, but in fact, lethal enemy to us. They inhabit in a disused subway constructions where unlucky characters have to be trapped. Though the story seems derailed in the final chapter of the film, the film, as a whole, maintains its creepy atomosphere throughout, and those weird feelings that some people might get when they watch insects -- something akin to awe and fear -- are tactfully expressed in the darkly images of the underground world.

The cast is also superb; besides intelligent Sorvino, you see Charles S. Dutton ("Alien 3"), Josh Brolin ("NIghtwatch"), F. Murray Abraham ("Amadeus") and Giancorlo Giannini ("Hannibal"). And some may be amuzed by the stylish opening title sequence by Kyle Cooper, who did his job in "Se7en." and many others.

Basically, love or hate film, "Mimic" will engage the heart of the people who love the kind of film like David Cronenberg. The story's defect is obvious (and the film at several points resembles that of underrated John Sayles film "The Alligator"), but if you go in for an eerie feelings of his films, it is worth a look.


Atmospheric, suspenseful and entertaining!   August 1, 2001
 4 out of 6 found this review helpful

"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.


Evolution has a way of keeping things alive.   June 30, 2004
 4 out of 7 found this review helpful

Probably the one thing that shocked me the most about Mimic (1997) was learning that New York City has a cockroach problem. I mean, I've been to NYC and it seemed really clean to me, but then again my eyesight isn't what it used to be probably because I spent a lot of time staring at the sun as a child. Mimic, the first mainstream film directed by Guillermo del Toro, who later did Blade II (2002) and Hellboy (2004), stars Mira Sorvino (yowsa), Jeremy Northam, along with co-stars Josh Brolin, Charles S. Dutton, and F. Murray Abraham (am I the only one that finds the use of an initial in place of a first name annoying?)

As the film begins, we quickly learn, through some deft directing, of an incurable, often fatal, sickness running rampant in New York City that seems only to effect children (won't somebody think of the children?!) Anyway, after determining that it's the cockroaches that are acting as carriers for the disease, Dr. Peter Mann (Northam), from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), calls in entomologist Dr. Susan Tyler (Sorvino) to help deal with the problem. The solution? A genetically enhanced super roach engineered to not only emit secretions that increase the metabolism of the common roaches, thereby causing them to starve to death, but also designed to have a limited life span. The cure works, killing off the pesky varmints, and thus eliminating the transmission element of the disease, and saving an entire generation of children. Doctors Mann and Tyler are heroes, saviors of the wee ones (the children, not the roaches) and soon after develop a romantic relationship. Everything seems hunky dory, that is until three years later, when it's discovered that the super roaches, who weren't supposed to live beyond their specified genetic programming, have since evolved into something much worse than anyone could have ever imagined...

I really enjoyed this film, despite a few minor points. The story, developed by Toro and Matthew Robbins, along with un-credited writers John Sayles and Matt Greenberg, from a short story by Donald A. Wollheim, is exceptionally strong for the most part, creating a fun and engaging plot ripe with tension-filled twists, turns, and a healthy dose of scares. I did find the symbolism within the story, with regards to religion (the super roaches being called `The Judas' breed, and Sorvino's self-infliction of a wound on her hand with a cross to draw blood and lure the creatures away) to be overly obvious, but not so much to take away from the overall enjoyment to be had here. I was surprised at a few points, one in particular dealing with the two boys who would collect bug samples for Sorvino's character, often traveling in less than hospitable places. See the film and you'll understand what I mean. The characters were well developed, with maybe the exception of Brolin and Abraham's roles. I do really like F. Murray Abraham, as he's an excellent actor, but he seems relegated to a very minor role here, as a former teacher of Sorvino's character, one she visits, perhaps seeking absolution, after her creation goes terribly awry. I felt Brolin's character, as a police detective seemed a bit pointless given his brevity on screen. Charles S. Dutton was a very good choice in his role as a cop working within the transit system, becoming involved in the hunt, soon becoming the hunted, of the overdeveloped creatures, but this is the sort of role I've seen him in many times before, as the blue collar everyman who steps up. I think he's shown that he's much more than that in other roles, but seems to fall back in these types of roles a little too often, in my opinion. As far as Sorvino, well, she really manages to carry the film well, infusing a lot of humanity within her character, presenting a sense of realism so often missing in films like this. Plus, she's a scrumptious babe, and extremely easy on the eyes, and I admired here willingness to get completely dirty and funkified for this film, crawling around in filth during her underground scenes. As for Jeremy Northam's performance, I just didn't care for it all that much. He's a handsome man, but his character seemed to alternate between being annoying and being somewhat useful, more often former than the latter. Toro's direction is wonderful, and much more than I expected in a picture like this. Despite a few `in your face' scares, common to slasher type films, the tension was extremely well developed here, as was the atmosphere, especially while the characters were within the dank, dark, slimy, grimy sewers and derelict subway passages. There is a good amount of grossness within this film, so if you have a problem with great gobs of greasy, grimy guts and exceptionally large roaches, you should probably avoid this film. The special effects were superb, and extremely realistic. I loved the element of the film that related to the title, and the relationship to the creature's evolution. Is there a level of predictability here? Sure, but the movie did such a good job keeping me engaged throughout, I had little time to focus on who I thought would buy the farm, and who would survive until the end.

The wide screen print here looks really good, although I thought the audio was a bit soft at times, but English subtitles are available. Special features are sparse, listing only a theatrical trailer. One thing I didn't like was the way the film automatically starts playing once the disc is inserted into the DVD player, skipping the main menu, displaying it only after the film ends or if the viewer selects the menu option during play. The popularity of Mimic was enough to spawn two sequels, both direct to video, Mimic 2 and Mimic: Sentinel aka Mimic 3, neither of which are half as entertaining as the original.

Cookieman108


Roachboy   January 2, 2005
 4 out of 5 found this review helpful

Seven years before Guillermo Del Toro gave us "Hellboy" he gained himself a beachhead on the American horror movie front with "Mimic", 105 minutes of chilly, goopy, genuinely creepy high-tension nastiness that does what most New York apartment dwellers don't wanna do: checks behind the fridge.

Ever heard that expression, "for every one you see there's 100 more"? If you've lived in New York City you have: whether you live in a luxury high-rise with a doorman or a Bowery flophouse with communal toilets, you're going to deal with roaches. The city is infested. And for every one you see---every crawling, skulking, mottled brown little soldier trundling out from under the fridge---you can bet the little guy has one hundred buddies just waiting for the lights to go out.

Click-clock-click.

"Mimic" plunges right in to its icky little tub of spooky goo with what has to be the world's Worst Scientific Idea ever: in order to combat the virulent child-killing Strickler's Disease, which is spread by a New York cockroach plague, entomologist Dr. Susan Tyler (played with panache and conviction by Mira Sorvino)and some research pals from the CDC engineer a special hybrid bug.

Named the "Judas Bug", this little devil is a special combination of Mantid and Cockroach. Its modus operandi? It's awfully good at mimicrcy: drop it off in a cockroach hive, and it will draw the Strickler-infected roaches and poison them. Problem solved, New York's children saved.

Or are they? Cut to three years later: New Yorkers are disappearing in droves, and mysterious, shrouded figures are lurking around the subways and back alleys. Oh, and they like to make funny noises as they stalk their victims, noises like "click-clock-click". Sorvino gets back into the action when one of the Night Terrors comes clicking around her lab when she discovers a new specimen of super-sized mantid in the New York subway system, and things don't let up from there.

Let's cut right to Mimic's stylish, sleazy, richly atmospheric buggy heart: Guillermo Del Toro ("Cronos", "The Devil's Backbone", "Blade II") is a consummately gifted director with a fine sense of style, and "Mimic" gets its hands dirty from the start, delivering on the spooky, buggy fun, serving up gorgeous camera angles and a knack for the perfectly creepy shot. the sequence where a mildly autistic boy encounters the shrouded lurkers in a decrepit church, for instance, is one of the more genuinely horrific scenes ever committed to film. And best of all, "Mimic" has no bones about shredding cute little kids if it needs to---how often do you get that in a film these days?

The acting is all first rate, from a competent job by Sorvino to nice turns by Charles Dutton and the Giancarlo Giannini, and even a nice hot slice of gratuitous F. Murray Abraham, who classes things up a bit. But style and ghoulishly good atmosphere are the real stars of this spookshow, and Del Toro delivers the goods in creepy-crawly spades. All of the set pieces, particularly the climactic scene in the subway, are beautifully designed, and add to the film's sleazy, rotten, infested atmosphere.

For a nice paranoid jaunt into the crawling darkness, you can do far worse than "Mimic": just take along a super-sized can of Raid.

Click-clock-click.