Customer Reviews

Mimic 2 [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I saw Mimic in the movie theaters and enjoyed it. The original plot: scientists in the near future genetically engineer bugs to stop an infestation of plague-spreading cockroaches. They called them "Mimics" because they mimicked the behavior of the roaches and were able to infiltrate their nests.

Fast-forward a few years and the Mimics have gotten out of hand. Instead of being sterile, they reproduced. And instead of just being able to mimic bugs, they are now giant-sized beetles that have an outer shell that looks a lot like a guy in an overcoat wearing a hat. In short, the Mimics started hunting us.

There was way too much religious symbolism in the first movie for my tastes (from stigmata to calling the bugs "Judas breed"), but it was a sci fi film that aimed high even if it didn't always hit the mark. Mimic 2, a direct-to-video sequel, aims low and hits its mark anyway.

A minor character from the first film, Remi (Alix Koromzay), comes back as a hard-working redheaded schoolteacher who just wants to settle down with a nice guy in a soundstage-version of New York. She has a tough time though, mostly because she seems to like bugs a little too much and talks about them a lot.

What, you don't remember Remi from the first film? Neither do I. She was part of the CDC though, so we can assume she's fallen on hard times when we see Remi traipsing through the crumbling halls of a soon-to-be-condemned school teaching weird little freaky kids that talk about being insects and killing happy families.

Remi's life is interrupted by a series of killings, all of them involving men who have their faces torn off. The handsome Officer Klaski (Bruno Campos) enters to investigate and tolerates Remi's rambling about insects just enough to create something of a spark between them.

Mimic 2 doesn't hit you over the head with the plot, which is unfortunate because sometimes you need a good whack to understand what might be obvious to the director. Apparently, there is a Mimic from the original hive (you're shocked, I know) that's attempting to build a new hive right in the condemned schoolhouse. We're supposed to infer all of this from Remi's conversations about a single soldier ant who is the last of his kind to die "without a queen."

The rules of foreshadowing demand that we understand this to mean a few things: 1) that there's just one Mimic left, 2) that it's a soldier, 3) that it's looking for a queen. If you don't catch this little dialogue and interpret it correctly, the movie doesn't really explain itself much further. In fact, there's a scene that hit the cutting room floor that's on the DVD that explains everything. Without it the movie grasps at straws.

But what about the face ripping? Here's a quote from The Thing to help you out: "Man is the warmest place to hide."

That said, there are lots of surprises, shocks, and twists in the movie. The director (Jean de Segonzac) is competent and the writing (Joel Soisson) is well done. Unfortunately, the movie seems to have bad timing. In at least two scenes, the movie gives itself away too early-by about 10 seconds in each case. What the lone Mimic soldier is doing and what it plans to do is quite sinister, but pulling off the surprise twist requires careful timing, which this movie lacks. De Segonzac has directed TV, mostly, so maybe that's part of the problem.

The characters are a mixed bag. Remi's suitably quirky, although a little TOO quirky at times. The guys she dates rate high on the creep-o-scale, a fact that of course guarantees they will all die horrible, faceless deaths. The two kids Remi struggles to protect (Nicky played by Wil Estes and Sal played by Gaven Lucas) are really one-dimensional but are suitable foils for Remi's motherly instincts. Detective Klaski is well done, as is the government agent who competes with him to exterminate the bug. When Detect Klaski encounters the Mimic, he empties his entire gun into it, grabs a gun from his ankle holster, and fires the rest of that too. Now THAT'S what a normal cop would do when faced with a giant bug!

Not that it helps. Fortunately, the special effects are sparsely used. There are occasional computer graphics, but for the most part the bug is a rubber suit just off screen. We never see it in good lighting; a good thing too, given that when we do see the big bug it looks like a guy in a suit. The director works with what he's got and uses it sparingly.

The ending is the big payoff, but your reaction to it will really depend on your perspective of the film throughout. If you think the idea of a bug taking the role of a serial killer and stalker is preposterous, the ending is so ridiculously absurd that it's just plain comical. If you think the idea of a big bug flying around trying to stick its ovipositor in your gut is disturbing, then the ending will keep you awake at night. It's all a bit misogynistic, actually, but then most stalker movies are.

Koromzay is no Mira Sorvino, but she does okay. There's a cut scene where a creepy cigarette-smoking guy who sits in the stairwell of the building explains how Remi is an "average-looking chick that guys think they have a chance with," which explains why she has so many problems. That's sums up the movie too...it knows it's a direct to video sequel and doesn't try to be more than it is.

Mimic was a very clever and original film that gave the audience what we were looking for, some good scares, great SFX, a great story, a cast that you could care for. Why would anyone try to destroy all of this? who knows but Mimic 2 has to be the worst sequel I have ever seen, I've always been a fan of nature gone crazy and critter horror and I must say I was offended by this dreadful film, the Character of Remy is not strong enough to save this one, I mean, she was a whole lot likeable in the first one even though we were left wanting to see more of her but not like this, also the bugs were totally absent, the new direction the story took it was completely stupid, the fact that they wanted to look more like humans was just to justify the absence of good SFX that made the original so amazing. In a nut shell, it is not scary, it is not original, it is not entertaining, it is NOT a Mimic sequel, just ignore it exist. If you crave a good insect flick just watch the original MIMIC or BUG with Bradford Dillman, and again, ignore this straight to video attempt of a sequel.

I found this movie was much better than expected. But you've got to take it for what it is, a genre b-movie.
Ok, so maybe the police detective character is a tired cliché played by an uninspired actor, and maybe the heroine is a bit too weird (the emotional photo-collage thing), and the movie could have benefited of a bigger budget. But still, the plot's main gimmick is inventive and works, overall entertaining, with some slightly scary moments, and the visual effects are good.
I don't know, I had fun watching it and didn't feel insulted. To give you some reference, I think 'Species 2' is a laughably bad sequel, and I find the original 'Species' very overrated. So I guess I don't fall for every sci-fi movie out there.
The dvd is anamorphic widescreen.

Never mind the low expectations; face it, it's a sequel to a not particularly brilliant bug-monster movie, we're not expecting genius here. But what we do get is a very well made action-horror film, some highly effective and inventive camera work, and a neatly done finale. Right there is about twice what I would have expected of a straight-to-video movie with a less than stellar cast.

One member of the cast ought to go stellar here: Mimic 2's real surprise is Alix Koromzay, reprising a role nobody noticed in the first picture. Here, she's solidly in the lead and we're right there with her. Koromzay manages the trick of portraying a character we care about, and root for, without for a minute descending to the typical woman-in-peril hokum of countless other thrillers. She is tough when she has to be, terrified when you'd expect her to be, and pulls this picture out of its B-movie niche. I have not seen Koromzay in a lead role before but she pulls this off with quiet polish and spunk.

Bottom line? Solid little thriller that contains an unexpected but welcome twist: A good performance.

This sequel to MIMIC is a tense, eerie thriller, with some excellent suspense scenes and an engaging cast. Seems like the bugs from the first movie or at least one of them is back and wants the babies stolen by a treacherous Japanese man. Said man is killed in the first scene and the bug babies are hidden away. Enter Remy (Alix Kolomanzy) from the first movie, who is now a schoolteacher, an entomologist freak who seems to relate better to bugs than men. The poor girl takes polaroids of herself after each subsequent date falls through, and pastes them on a closet door. Meanwhile, seems like her dejected boyfriends are getting offed by this deadly bug, who can now take on more human appearances.
Edward Albert is wasted in a stereotypical governmental agent role; Bruno Campos is fun as the dashing cop, and Will Estes does a nice turn as one of Remy's former students who has the hots for her.
A worthy sequel and the special effects are pretty impressive.

I wasn't expecting a whole lot out of MIMIC 2. After all, it was the direct-to-video sequel for a science fiction film that didn't do very well at the box office to begin with. However, even with my low expectations I was disappointed. The film started off well enough, having a minor character from the first film become the lead in this one. However, nothing exciting was done with the concept. Instead, the premise of the original was stretched as far as it would go beyond belief. The last remaining Judas bug knows its time is running out. So, it has to mate so the species will continue to survive. However, this bug evolved to the point where it adapted to mimic humans. Therefore, the only creature worthy of it mating with is a human. Get it? Pretty twisted, huh? Good. Now, don't waste your time watching this movie.

This dire direct to video sequel lacks the humor and chills which made the original so enjoyable. This time around the roaches (known as the Judas Breed) are able to take on an almost human form. It's up to hypochondriac biology teacher Remy (Alix Koromzay) along with a cop and 2 of her students to destroy them. The only problem is they are unarmed.
MIMIC 2 is generally rather tedious and adds nothing new to the genre. The only other interesting twist is that Remy takes a polaroid of herself at the exact moment one of her relationships falls apart; and has these taped on her wall. The movies ending is a real cop-out. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Why do sequels like this keep getting made?

Five years after the success of original "Mimic," Demention Films brought back again the same bug-monster, but with a different cast. In place of Mira Sorvino, who played the main character of entomologist Susan Tyler, Alix Kromozay re-appears as Remi, who briefly showed up as Susan's assistant. If you remember her role in the original, you have a terrific memory.

The story is basically the same. Remi is now working at a school, teaching kids about the insects she seems to love more than humans, especially annoying guys, who literally keep on bugging poor Remi after her unfortunate dates with them. Thus the sequel streches Remi's character, who actually vanishes in the second half of the original, but showed a glimpse of promising touch of more lively characterization.

But I never dreamed that they stretch the premise that much! Yes, Remi was unlucky in love five years ago, and took a picture of her own face after being treated badly by men. But now it seems she collected many, many relics of her failed dates (see her closet full of photoes), and she is about to experience the most awful date with a bug, a big deadly bug, which apparently has became a stalker like a human.

The sequel would not look ridiculous if you ignore the logic of the monster which literally keeps on bugging the leading lady. There are some creepy moments (like a body dragged virtically upward) but the real surprise is the lead Alix Kromzay. Her acting as Remy shows, despite its silly premises and diaglogue, enough strong power to carry the whole show to the end, with unexpected wry humor and even sexiness.

Though the film displays the good use of lighting and rain, its ending part looks too outrageous -- it is suggested that the bug-monster is trying to adore her and ... make love (no way!) while stabbiing Alix Kromzay's character -- and the choice of school as bug-infected nest is not a wise decision, compared with the more realistic image of underground world of deserted subway in the original "Mimic," but, the sequel should be called, considering its $ 10m. budget, adequate.

Little special effects and short running time is a dead giveaway of the low budget backgorund of the film. However, within those limited conditions, it ends up with a slightly better monster horror flick, probably better than average TV movies you see on cable TV, if not on the same height of the original. Whatever it is, "Mimic 2" is, I assure you, better than pointless "Spieces 2" or plain awful "The Hidden 2." If that means something to you.

A school teacher is having trouble with men and giant cockroaches. There are a few scenes designed to make us believe she is the entomologist from the first movie (her book and she says "we created them"). The bugs have targeted her. Maybe because she beat them before or maybe just because she smells good.

Any man who comes near her becomes the target of a lone soldier that is trying to fulfil its life purpose of protecting its queen. This causes a run in with the police as well as allows the military to get wind of the situation.

Military, police and school teacher converge to end the final threat from the Judas Breed. The ending is creepy and needs to be seen (I won't spoil it).

Much different in style and feel than the original. No infestation, just a lone bug doing its best. Check it out.

The original Mimic was an exciting and enjoyable bug movie. There were a few problems with the concept, but the movie was suspenseful and exciting. The low-budget sequel, Mimic 2 really adds nothing and shows how good the original was. Recycling is plainly evident when the cover of the Mimic 2 DVD is actually taken from the original Mimic movie poster.

The second time around, the element of surprise is gone, and it's much harder to create any suspense. The movie centers on Remi Panos, a minor character from the first movie, where she was an assistant to the Mira Sorvino character. The same actress, Alix Koromzay reprises her role from the first movie, but her appearance between the two films is so different, that it was difficult to recognize her as the same person. Minus the frizzy hair, and the jewelry in her previously pierced nose, Remi is a now a science teacher who still gets around town on a bicycle. Repeating a scene from the first movie, she once again bumps into the creature with her bike in an alley (Yes that was her). She also continues the odd practice of taking Poloroids of her face.

Men seem to be a problem for Remi, and more so, as various men in her life start to turn up dead, with their faces disfigured. A local cop named Klaski (Bruno Campos), begins an investigation, and finds that the Feds are poking around too. This time there is just one "Judas breed" roach on the loose (the budget you know), and he has nested in Remi's school, apparently to be close to her. Mr. Roach makes his move, trapping Remi in the school with two boys. Klaski shows up at the school to attempt a rescue. While the Feds lead by an agent identified only as "Darksuit" (Edward Albert), impotently stand around outside the school, unwilling to confront the roach. Waving guns, they unleash a giant canister of insecticide.

Mimic 2 is just weak, and the ending is totally unbelievable. The original concept, is extended to remove all credibility. Viewers of the first movie will be disappointed by this one. Save your time and money. Stick with the original, if you want to see be entertained, and not offended.