MIMIC (1997)

As much as we can spot 80s horror from a mile away, I’ll say 90s horror isn’t too far behind from having its own trademark. MIMIC is the classic loved (by some) 90s movie about giant bugs going crazy, starring Mira Sorvino (remember her? What is she up to nowadays??). The story starts out with a disease killing youngsters brought on by the city’s roach problem… and scientists coming up with a hybrid bug that releases some sort of enzyme that speeds up the bug’s lifespan, ultimately killing them all. In bug horror movies, we know it’s never that simple, and it’s only a matter of time before strange noises and not-proportional lifeforms start showing up. Back to the 90s trademark, it doesn’t get any more 90s than Charles S. Dutton, Mira Sorvino, and some wonky effects. The cast is decent, but OMG, the kid and his father (you’ll know who I’m talking about); their annoyance drags the film down greatly. Additionally, many of the scenes were too dark in terms of lighting, to fully see what was going on. The film does get props for not waiting until the final 5 minutes to see the obligatory bug lair, (we get that earlier on) so we do have that. Legend has it Del Toro (yep, that Del Toro), wanted to film an alternate ending. A Directors Cut has since been released but still not quite the original vision. What we have though is a giant bug movie with decent scenes, a few truly creepy moments, and some miscasting along the way. Not a bad time, but could’ve used a bit more light…AND lightheartedness. Check it out…after looking under the rug.

SLASH SCENE: Being ‘picked up’ in the subway

SLASH SCORE: 3.5/5