Mimic 2

[Hellbilly]

Not sure if a sequel to Guillermo Del Toro's underrated and excellent sci-fi thriller Mimic (1997) was really necessary but here it is - Mimic 2-Hardshell, another direct-to-video cash in from Dimension Home Entertainment.

Yep, seems like one of those nasty and gene-manipulated cockroaches (Judas bug) is back and ready to terrorize New York City. Not as clever and thrilling as the first one but I might dare to say quite entertaining nonetheless.

Meet Remi (reprising her role from Mimic: Alix Koromzay - interesting actress, also seen in The Haunting & Children Of The Corn 666), a quirky school teacher with bad luck in dating men.
Discussing the sex life of insects while having dinner with a date - taking moody snapshots of herself afterwards pinning them to her closet door - Remi's quite a character even though she's unhappy with her own sex life.
She may or may not realize this but she's definitely a "dude-magnet": One of her underaged pupils wants to live with her, the bald and fat school janitor bugs her with sleazy comments :D she also gets asked for a date from one of her teenage ex-students :eek2: plus a Detective seems to have the hots for her while investigating the mysterious deaths of her dates. They all pop up dead with their faces torn off.
Is Remi a psychotic killer? :eek1:

But wait! there's another "Remi" admirer lurking in the dark, watching her every move. A tall dark stranger who's able to climb walls, fly through the air and changing his face at will.
Yup, you probably guessed it. It's Mr. Mimic and he has chosen Remi to be his future bride ...

Alix Koromzay is no Mira Sorvino and TV director Jean de Segonzac is certainly no Guillermo Del Toro but I'll be damned if Mimic 2 isn't a fun movie to watch. I'm not saying it's perfect though. Sure it's lacking, especially in the f/x department but I still think they did a pretty good job on this sequel. M2 looks very good, gotta love the first 45 minutes. Imaginative camerawork, flashy editing, cool lightning and a few nice death scenes makes this film worthwhile.
I thought the ending was kinda weak though, the usual "run, hide and scream" ending.
Another thing: Why do they ALWAYS play military drums whenever the military shows up in a movie? Eagah! It's soooo cliche.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005BCKJ.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Hows the disc?

Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, the sound is quite active! Heavy action from the Surround speakers, very impressive!

Video is 1.85:1, 16:9 enhanced. Clean & colorful transfer but I'm not sure if this is the correct aspect ratio. I'm no expert but it seems like they enhanced a full screen print? In most closeups the heads of the actors are "cut off" at the top.

Extras include lots of interesting behind-the-scenes footage, deleted scenes (nothing special), a behind-the-sound featurette and a few bonus trailers (no M2 trailer though).

M2 is recommended. Worth a rental at least.

[Zodiac-Mindwarp]

Good review Hellbilly.

I watched this awhile back when it first hit DVD, and thought that it was actually pretty good. Not a great movie, but enjoyable for what it is.

I also agree with you about the ending, it could have been better then what they decided to do.

[dwatts]

Nice review!

-- Not as clever and thrilling as the first one --

You lost me here though. The original was neither clever nor thrilling. And this one sounds less so. Oh well - direct to video is not what it used to be, I gues :)

[Hellbilly]

Thanks for the comments guys.
Originally posted by dwatts
You lost me here though. The original was neither clever nor thrilling.
Sorry about that dwatts. Just my feeble opinion ;)

[dwatts]

:D

Don't mean nothing by it. I just didn't dig the original at all. Just seemed pretty much the same old same old.....

[MaxRenn]

Originally posted by dwatts
:D

Don't mean nothing by it. I just didn't dig the original at all. Just seemed pretty much the same old same old.....

Well, it's true that "Mimic" offers nothing new but if it's done with a good script and a talented director then you get one of the best horror movies of the 90s. The best thing about "Mimic" is the suspense of the first half culminating in the brilliant scene where Mira Sorvino is snatched away on a deserted subway platform. Personally I thought "Mimic" was a worthy modern version of 50s monster movies like "Them!" and "Tarantula". And the sequel is not bad

[dwatts]

Oh, I don't know. Them! is a classic. Mimic? Keep in mind I'm a fan of the oldies, none of these modern moster films do anything for me.

[R. I. P.]

Originally posted by MaxRenn
The best thing about "Mimic" is the suspense of the first half culminating in the brilliant scene where Mira Sorvino is snatched away on a deserted subway platform.

I couldn't have said it better myself. I completely agree. This scene is electrifying and my jaw dropped to the floor in utter amazement as to how realistic it looked. I also agree that "Mimic" is easily one of the best horror/sci-fi flicks to come along in quite some time. ;)

The media has generally trashed "Mimic 2". Reading this thread has given me new optimism and I look forward to viewing it sometime very soon. :)

R. I. P. :glasses:

[Hellbilly]

Mira's subway sequence in Mimic ranks up there with one of the best ever filmed I'd say. Such a classic scene.
Mimic 2 certainly had it's moments. A solid production because it was intended for a theatrical release.
But I'm not so sure about Mimic 3: The Sentinel though: Filmed in Romania which isn't always a good sign, starring Lance Henriksen and Amanda Plummer :eek2:
Ah well, I'll still give it a spin when it hits DVD this October.

[MaxRenn]

I didn't know they were making "Mimic 3". I had no idea the series was so popular ;)

dwatts, I love the old monster movies too and I agree "Them!" is a classic. Just give "Mimic" another chance.

[Mattster]

Ahh Dimension... the king of direct-to-video horror movie sequels.

[The Chaostar]

Originally posted by dwatts
Oh, I don't know. Them! is a classic. Mimic? Keep in mind I'm a fan of the oldies, none of these modern moster films do anything for me.

This is hilarious. You claim that you find Them! a classic but then you state that a film like Mimic does nothing for you because it is "modern"? It just shows your incompetence on fully understanding the horror genre - and, of course, what an idiot you are.

Just joking there Dwatts - EPKJ was soooooo funny, where is he?

[dwatts]

:) I'm sure he's still around :)

You know, I have come to realize that I can analyze films all I want, think about them, even enjoy them intellectually. But in the long term, there are just some titles I unconsciously reach for on my shelves more than others. I reckon those titles are the ones that truly man something to me.

The old BW 50's sci-fi films are high on that list. When I bought First Man into Space, for instance, I had no idea I would watch it four times in a short space of time. I just knew I wanted it. Compare that with Alien, a film I love love love, but don't play so often - or Terminator II, a film I have barely watched once since buying it - and I think I have the makings of my true favorites list. If I had to name my top ten, I don't think it would truly be my "real" top ten. I'd have to see which discs I play the most. You know?

Anyhow, you can't Mimic a classic.

[Hellbilly]

I wouldn't call Mimic a classic because it ain't.
In my opinion it's just a damn well made movie. The acting didn't suck and the story was good enough to keep me interested ("Mr. Funny shoes!").

It also had balls, showing child characters getting killed, always feels "political incorrect" but since Mimic is about the renewal of species this was "acceptable" (to make a rather -drastic- point I suppose).

[The Chaostar]

Originally posted by dwatts
You know, I have come to realize that I can analyze films all I want, think about them, even enjoy them intellectually. But in the long term, there are just some titles I unconsciously reach for on my shelves more than others.

This is soooooo true.

[dwatts]

And they're not always the "good" ones either --LOL--