Rating: 
Summary: direct-to-video movie that doesn't try to be more than it is
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: What the ???
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: mimic 2
Review: mimic 2 is a fast paced sequel, it does not explain itself well but considering many other sequels it is good enough. I was surprised to notice that it comes in just under 80 minutes!---if they could have stretched it to 90 minutes with more story details this would have been rated higher. I was not bored like some reviews previously but I definetly EXPECTED MORE from this movie. the extras on the dvd were very interesting. bottom line: rent it and curl up with your boyfriend or girlfriend-------you could have done worse(people who know movies know the what the bad ones are)---taunt little thriller that tried!----many others don't
Rating: 
Summary: Why bother?
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: Alix Koromzay is the real surprise in "Mimic 2"
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Puuuuhleeeeeeeze!
Review: Starts off good with cool atmosphere and an awesome stunt, then goes south, way south. The worst part is that there is only one bug. This is not obvious other than a demonstration with ants in the beginning, then it makes sense. So this 6 foot cockroach wants to mate with the female lead, and in fact does, thenturns into a perfect replica of a human. Skin tone, eye color, hair pattern, everything.... Check out the behind the scenes to see what I mean.
Rating:
Summary: I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN
Review: The first thing that irked me about M2 was how rainy the opening scenes were and the lack of common sense any street wise school teacher teaching in the South Bronx would possess but the lead character lacked. Since when does any teacher take their students out into the rain to 'play', they'd be jobless. No New Yorker in their right mind would cut through as many wet, drippy and weirdly fogged alleys as the lead character did. Any reasonable person knows that main streets with lights is the safest route to go and I sure would like to know what part of Manhattan this woman lived in that she had to go through alleys to her to building. Another disappointment was THE STORY LINE. Uggh! and double uggh. There was such a neat set up at the end of the original Mimic and it would have simple and classy enough to include that same 'nature gone wrong theme' than the 'lonely woman who loves bugs more than men and the big ol cockaroch who was attracted to her' scenario...triple uggh... And that school! No school in the City of New York could have been that run down and still housed students. It would have never opened on the first day, South Bronx or not. I guess the screen writer is from LA or something and doesn't know a thing about New York except for really bad movies like the "Bonfires of Vanities". Did I like this movie? No. Should I have been surprised? Considering it went straight to video, I shouldn't have been but I held out the hope that you didn't need big names to carry off a sequel to a movie that had a chance to be really good in which the makers of this flick not only failed, but went beyond with insulting, unrealistic, gloomy, drippy scenery and idiotic behaving characters. There is no way on God's green earth that any single woman living alone in the Big City would not actually turn the lock on her door the second she walked through it. She would not rely on a simple chain and, that stupid window that kept flying open would have have six dead bolts to keet it shut. This movie is ugghh to the ninth power times ten.
Rating:
Summary: Stick with the original...
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Stick with the original...
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Can't mimic the success of the original
Review: 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?
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