Mimic (1997)

Featured Audience Ratings

• A.D. V

  
  A so-so monster movie from director del Toro that surprisingly is not much better in it's director's cut incarnation. There's several more scenes scattered throughout but they still don't help lift the generally weak impact of the film.

• Steven C

  
  I always seem to give Guillermo del Toro the benefit of the doubt, and I really should stop doing that. There comes a point when I have to realize, no matter how noble his intentions, he's just not that great of a filmmaker. I appreciate his attempts at elevating the creature… More
  I always seem to give Guillermo del Toro the benefit of the doubt, and I really should stop doing that. There comes a point when I have to realize, no matter how noble his intentions, he's just not that great of a filmmaker. I appreciate his attempts at elevating the creature B-Movie ("Cronos" and "Pan's Labyrinth" are good examples of this). I also appreciate his appreciation of character. That is something that squarely fits him in the auteur category; visual style plus sturdy characterization. Still, there is no way around the fact that he has extremely overrated. His "Hellboy" films are embarrassingly messy and "Blade II" is the loudest, most overstuffed and incoherent sequel around. "Mimic" falls sort of in the middle of all this. There is clearly and interesting film at play here. I liked the ideas and the characters. Unfortunately it's just so squarely pedestrian it can never rise above mediocrity. The director's cut does help the film but in the end, it's just a generic creature film. If creatures is all del Toro has to contribute to the world of cinema, he should quit while he's ahead. Del Toro needs to give us something new, and looking at his upcoming projects, he's not trying to.

• Chris W

  
  I've only seen this once, and I don't remember too much about it, but I remember that I really liked it. Since then, I've found out that this was directed by Guillermo del Toro, which didn't mean much to me when I saw it sicne I had no idea who he was back then.… More
  I've only seen this once, and I don't remember too much about it, but I remember that I really liked it. Since then, I've found out that this was directed by Guillermo del Toro, which didn't mean much to me when I saw it sicne I had no idea who he was back then. Now that I know this, I may just have to give this a rewatch since i know I'll be able to appreciate it far better. The plot involves a creepy type of insect monster that can mimic humans. Most of the film takes place in subways and there's lots of darkness, tension, and all the little tropes that make horror movies what they are. So, while the film isn't the most original in that sense, it has del Toro's unique and awesome visual style and sensibilities, and definitely fits into his oeuvre. The film is really creepy, has some neat effects, and you can easily see del Toro's love for horror and being creative and imaginative. You should check this one out. It's really good.

• Melvin W

  
  Susan Tyler: Sometimes an insect will even mimic its predator. Mimic was not as good as I had hoped, but I still like it and think it's a pretty solid creature feature. I like that Guillermo del Toro made a movie like this, as you can see that he really enjoys the genre. Mimic… More
  Susan Tyler: Sometimes an insect will even mimic its predator. Mimic was not as good as I had hoped, but I still like it and think it's a pretty solid creature feature. I like that Guillermo del Toro made a movie like this, as you can see that he really enjoys the genre. Mimic is a pretty cool and very fun science fiction film. The story revolves around a huge type of bug called the Judas Breed that Susan(Mira Sirvino) created. Her and her fellow bug experts didn't think it would be able to adapt and would die off eventually. Well soon she finds out this isn't the case. The bugs are as big as humans and are able to mimic us too. The acting isn't great, but it doesn't ruin the movie either. The real stars of the movie are the bugs though, and they look great. While it's by no means an amazing movie; it's really easy to have fun watching.

• Manu G

  
  A Bold Experiment. A Deadly Mistake! Good movie. It had it's good intense moments which I liked very much. The story was intriguing, a little bit too dark for my taste but nevertheless good enough. Acting was not so bad, Mira Sorvino acted pretty good. A virulent new disease… More
  A Bold Experiment. A Deadly Mistake! Good movie. It had it's good intense moments which I liked very much. The story was intriguing, a little bit too dark for my taste but nevertheless good enough. Acting was not so bad, Mira Sorvino acted pretty good. A virulent new disease is killing the children of Manhattan and has reached epidemic proportions. Peter Mann in desperation asks the entomologist, Dr. Susan Tyler, if she can help by killing the disease carrier, the common cockroach. Susan genetically engineers a new species of predatory insect to exterminate the cockroach and then die off. This novel solution works and the children recover but nature isn't the laboratory and things don't exactly go according to plan. Three years later people start to disappear, mutilated bodies are found and wild rumors of giant insects mimicking man start to emerge from the bag people living in the subway under Manhattan. Peter and Susan are called in to investigate.

• Ken S

  
  Thoroughly enjoyable, can't wait for his directors cut to his DVD

• Dead A

  
  No wonder why it got so many bad ratings. I'm not really good in Biology but I do have some common sense. I must admit that the special effects was good. About acting, that little boy was annoying. Was he mental? No I do not recommend it to watch at all. It's a waste of… More
  No wonder why it got so many bad ratings. I'm not really good in Biology but I do have some common sense. I must admit that the special effects was good. About acting, that little boy was annoying. Was he mental? No I do not recommend it to watch at all. It's a waste of time.

• David L

  
  Working in New York, Dr. Susan Tyler, (Mira Sorvino) is able to announce an official cure for the devastating Strickler's Disease, along with her husband Peter Mann, (Jeremy Northam) as the disease had targeted children. Figuring they are done with it, they are shocked years… More
  Working in New York, Dr. Susan Tyler, (Mira Sorvino) is able to announce an official cure for the devastating Strickler's Disease, along with her husband Peter Mann, (Jeremy Northam) as the disease had targeted children. Figuring they are done with it, they are shocked years later when they are confronted with evidence about a roach problem dating back to their first experiments. Forced to go down into the sewers of the city with Officer Leonard, (Charles Dutton) they find that the rumors are indeed true, that the cockroaches used in the initially experiments have mutated into gigantic insects that have formed an ability to mimic the appearances due to the testing and have become responsible for a series of gruesome attacks in the area, forcing them into a battle to stop them before they take over the city. There was some good stuff to this film that does hold it up. A big factor to this one is that, for once, this one comes up with an intelligent storyline that is built up to the extent that it's not at all confusing as to what's happening. From the evolution of the insects built to combat the virus and what the original intent is, to how the change begin, including the trigger factor, and finally the end result, with the fully-formed insects going out on the hunt, this one is well-built and has a really strong story to it that is, thankfully, kept to a simple part once it's all out in the open. Another good point here is the use of the creatures, which are really well-done and quite entertaining. The fact that they still have the insectoid look to them, with the facial features and the long, grabbing arms and overall look, along with the few humanoid touches given to it, from the ability to be a human-sized person when standing upright with the wings and spikes tucked in to the humanoid-mask that covers their face and allows them to move about with a vaguely human-looking appearance that allows them to blend in perfectly. There's also some fun to be had with the blood and gore in here, which is quite fun. There's a leg amputation, a leg slashed open that is repeatedly cut open further and bleeds more, a body bent completely in half backwards to the point of being able to fit into a small sewer gate, and tons of splatter on the walls, as well as all the non-lethal cuts and bruises along with the violence against the insects, which while not graphic does have some good stuff to it. The last big plus here is the film's second half, which really manages to consist of non-stop action for the duration. Once the descent into the sewers, there's just no stopping the action, from the chase through the tunnels to the confrontation inside the halls of the ruined subway station to an incredibly creepy attack inside a car nearby and followed up with simply spectacular conclusion inside the power plant that has a lot of great parts to it. From the glorious setting that not only allows for some plenty of fun tactics to be had but also makes for a creepy set-piece to the suspense of whether or not the plan, which is required by timing, to work is milked exceptionally well, and the fact that the aftermath is a simply gigantic explosion that is shown to take out the surrounding areas as well is a lot to do with this. The other segments are just as much fun, and overall this whole segment comes off rather well. There is some bad flaws here as well. One of the biggest is that, as much as the film scores right in this area, suffers from the overly-complicated scientific explanations for what's happening. It's great that it managed to make sure it's understood, but at the same token, it's also hammering those down to the point where it's bordering on overkill with the explanations. This is due to going into detail with every single person they come into contact with and spell it out for them, which at times makes th film like it's going on an extended loop for no real reason. This can be a source of contention as well for those that aren't into these types of films for the fact that it can be seen as being over-their-heads when trying to enjoy simple entertainment, and with this one being viewed as "smarter," it can lessen the enjoyment factor. Another factor to this, and perhaps the films' biggest flaw, is that it appears too long for it's own good. This one, especially in the early parts trying to examine everything and come up with an answer, makes the film feel incredibly long and not at all that interesting due to focusing on the scientific angle, and these here are the film's problems. I know a director's cut is on the way. I'm hopeful that some of these problems will be fixed. To sum up here this a somewhat above-average creature feature that, while slightly flawed, has enough good stuff going for it that it evens out. Give this a shot if you prefer more intellectual creature features or are a fan of the creative side, while those that are more into the simpler fare should heed caution.

• Jason O

  
  Mimic is an original horror movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat during the action sequences with tons of suspense. Mira Sorvino is an entomologist and she accidentally creates a new kind of bug that no one has seen before. The bugs grow up to be huge flying insects that… More
  Mimic is an original horror movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat during the action sequences with tons of suspense. Mira Sorvino is an entomologist and she accidentally creates a new kind of bug that no one has seen before. The bugs grow up to be huge flying insects that are said to have human instincts in them. Mira Sorvino and the others must destroy these monsters of a bug that she has created. The bugs are very well done and convincing once you see them. Once during the movie, one of the bugs opens its mouth to eat one of the heroes in a way that it looks like a human's face, yet they are bugs and can fly around. The movie has good special effects and like I said the bugs couldn't have been much more original or better done. Once they smell blood, you better watch out. The acting by Sorvino and the supporting cast is also good and the suspense at times during the movie is top notch. If you like great horror movies with a little bit of suspense added in, you should give Mimic a try. Most likely, you won't be disappointed. NOTE; That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. I still think of this movie as a goodie, and it was neat. Would love to see it again.

• xGary X

  
  A series of deaths and disappearances seem to lead back to the release of a genetically engineered cockroaches three years earlier. The early part of this film seems very much like the usual run of the mill horror film; disappearances in dark corridors, bumps in the night and failing… More
  A series of deaths and disappearances seem to lead back to the release of a genetically engineered cockroaches three years earlier. The early part of this film seems very much like the usual run of the mill horror film; disappearances in dark corridors, bumps in the night and failing flashlights with the inevitable cop/scientist combo in pursuit. Things change however as the action shifts underground, and Guillermo Del Toro's keen sense of style and atmosphere comes to the fore. It takes a lot of cues from the Alien films, pilfering many ideas from Aliens, and featuring Charles S. Dutton in a very similar role to that in Alien 3. The shocks are well engineered, the monster effects pretty well done and Del Toro is very skilled at keeping the audience on the edge of their seat. As to be expected when a foreign director takes the helm in the early days of his Hollywood career, the cast is rather lacklustre, but they all acquit themselves adequately. It's also very derivative but if you can accept the rather ridiculous premise, one of the better creature features of recent years.

• Stephen M

  
  I was expecting more from this efficiently made but derivative horror movie. The only novel aspect of the plot I can think of is that there can't be many other films where, desperate for a child of their own, the romantic leads end up fostering a spoon-playing, foot-fetishist… More
  I was expecting more from this efficiently made but derivative horror movie. The only novel aspect of the plot I can think of is that there can't be many other films where, desperate for a child of their own, the romantic leads end up fostering a spoon-playing, foot-fetishist retard. If you like squelchy sound-effects and people stumbling around in the dark, this could be just the film for you.

• William S

  
  Del Torro is great but this is him pleasing the studios!

• Dr Blood  

  
  Good special effects alone do not make a horror movie but the bugs in this are very clever in their "Giger-like" qualities.

• Dean !

  
  Not a bad film, not really scary but a cool idea. Has some good SFX.

• Leigh R

  
  Dang good movie.

• Dean M

  
  Scary of the mystery predators which look like between men & flies.

• Aaron N

  
  Underrated sci-fi/horror movie with a neat concept, some fun creature effects and an all around neat gorey factor.

• Ryan M

  
  7.3/10 B-movies are a form of classic relaxation for this movie-goer. I like them because they are, undeniably, mindless; but there is still some considerable craft that goes into making them as cheesy - but fun - as they are. So I'll say it takes a pretty good filmmaker… More
  7.3/10 B-movies are a form of classic relaxation for this movie-goer. I like them because they are, undeniably, mindless; but there is still some considerable craft that goes into making them as cheesy - but fun - as they are. So I'll say it takes a pretty good filmmaker to make a B-movie appealing. Guillermo Del Toro isn't exactly the first writer-director that you'd imagine making his very own B-movie, given that he's more of a true-storytelling kind of guy, but with "Mimic", I think he really pulls it off, and hits all the right notes. There are many reasons why this makes for a fun B-movie and many other movies - those which are just plain bad - do not. For starters, it's DEL TORO directing; therefore, it's already got his whacky, unrestrained imaginative flourishes attached to it. He doesn't hold back, and I don't think he ever will; Del Toro needs to be creative or else he will most likely perish. He loves monsters, and he loves studying them, so there you have it; "Mimic" is, while different from some of his other films, still one of them overall. And that's good enough for me. Nasty, slimy cockroaches are loose in the sewers of Manhattan; provoking the stereotypical, sometimes funny, and sometimes annoying characters of the film to investigate such an infestation, and what the source of it is. As it turns out, the cockroach mutants have been released as the failed result of an experiment, which was intended as a study leading to the cure of an infectious, deadly disease. The heroine (Mira Sorvino), her husband (Jeremy Northam), and a black police-man team up to fight against the (bug) masses; in a film that's easy to enjoy and difficult to forget. Del Toro is a good storyteller who can entertain through both his visual stylistics and his screenplays. I really enjoyed his two "Hellboy" films, both of which I thought were witty, fun, well-acted, and visually stunning from start-to-finish. Those are the kinds of films that Del Toro has been making since his directorial debut, "Cronos", and with luck; these are the films that he will continue to make. This is not his best film, in fact, in terms of his overall filmography, it's probably one of his worst; but "Mimic" is never boring, never uneven, and never stupid outside of the typical, expected, intentional areas. The last act of the film is entirely cliché; with the giant mutant bugs attacking trains in the subways and such. People die, people bleed, people scream; yes, I think we all know the drill. The creatures jump out and attack the human characters, but the fun aspect of this formula is the fact that we can root for these death scenes and not feel particularly guilty about it. Don't go into the film expecting good characters, or a particularly good plot, really; go in expecting a B-movie by way of Del Toro. That's what you get; that's what was intended. The jump scares are fun, the cinematography and production design are lush and beautiful, and the creature effects are admirable. If you can get past the presumably intentional silliness of "Mimic", it suddenly becomes this super-enjoyable monster flick that admittedly borrows from other films, but not without being its own movie. Del Toro would never copy; he takes influence, rather. He also co-wrote this film, which means he wasn't AS involved as he has been in his films to come, but he was involved nonetheless. "Mimic" looks like a Del Toro film, feels like a Del Toro film, and plays like one too. There are flaws, but for all I know; they may have all been purely the directorial intent. But no matter what flaws it may have, as far as B-monster-movies go, this is a pretty darn good one.

• Jeffrey M

  
  Mimic is a solid entry in the creature feature genre. The direction was very good, as was most of the acting (save two very annoying kids at the beginning). It also succeeds in creating tension, which many films of the genre fail to do. The ending didn't particularly work for me,… More
  Mimic is a solid entry in the creature feature genre. The direction was very good, as was most of the acting (save two very annoying kids at the beginning). It also succeeds in creating tension, which many films of the genre fail to do. The ending didn't particularly work for me, hoping for a bolder choice, but this is one of Guillermo del Toro's more studio friendly movies.

• Chris B

  
  I remember watching this flick back in 1997 in theaters with my best friend Brad, we were both 11 years old and somehow we got in alone to see it despite Mimic's R rating. I always held a fondness for it as it has memories of childhood nostalgia with my still very good friend.… More
  I remember watching this flick back in 1997 in theaters with my best friend Brad, we were both 11 years old and somehow we got in alone to see it despite Mimic's R rating. I always held a fondness for it as it has memories of childhood nostalgia with my still very good friend. This left me a bit nervous for the upcoming Director's Cut of the film and how it would stack up now. Back in the day I had no clue who del Toro was or that he would grow to be a personal favorite Director, but how would this older flick compare with the rest? I walk away now after having not seen it since theaters, very happy. The film has the creepy atmospheric feeling that del Toro is known for and a very disturbing storyline that is really well done. The film looks and sounds incredible on Blu-ray and while the Director's Cut of the film only adds seven minutes to the previous thetrical version, you know this is the definitive version that del Toro has been wanting to release for years. I could not be more happy and impressed with the release as well as all it's extras that really help add to the film, Highly Recommended!

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