Rating of
2.5/4
"Mimic" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 05/05/12
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.
