Mimic 2 (2001)

Director: Jean de Segonzac

Starring: Alix Koromzay, Bruno Campos

Run Time: 79 mins

Certificate: 15

 

Plot Outline: It was thought that all of the Judas strain insects had been wiped out but some survived and are now nesting in the school where one of the bug experts who helped create the strain now works.

The Review: A completely hollow sequel, Mimic 2 just rehashes a lot of generic set pieces and scares which is no wonder it went straight-to-video. At 79 minutes it's pretty short and everything moves along at a fairly quick pace (they start and hole themselves up in the school about half-way through the film - usually this "last stand" mentality is left to the finale third of these type of films). But there's very little continuation from the original (you still need to see it however to understand what is going on) with the exception of the character of Remy, who was only a minor character in the first one. We don't know how the Judas insects have survived or why they suddenly get a fixation on Remy. Characterisation is hardly important in this film and despite a few glimpses of developing characters and relationships, the basic formula is to introduce someone into the film and have them killed off a bit later on. It's quite a shallow strategy really because we don't really associate with anyone when they're lopped off. Alix Koromzay is alright as the heroine but her knowledge of the insects is way too much and it seems like she's only there to tell us what is happening next. The rest of the cast aren't that important either because most of them die or have very little screen time. On the positive side, the film does have a great look to it. This is one city you wouldn't want to be caught in during the night: dark, dank and looking like something that the Devil himself thought of, the film has an eerie and creepy atmosphere. The sets are always dripping with water and there's just a general lack of hope and despair overriding everything. The ass end of Earth this may be. The bugs are a bit bigger than last time too and although the obvious lack of budget doesn't allow them as much screen time, the make-up effects for them are suitably gooey and icky. The folding face mask that the bugs have is unnerving as hell but like so many of the ideas in this series, it's just cast aside in favour of cheap schlock tactics.

Final Verdict: Like the original, there was so much potential for a better, intelligent sci-fi flick instead of the shallow "monster on the loose" flick Mimic 2 is. It's a weaker rehash of the original which doesn't run out of steam - it just doesn't really get going.

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