STN Entertainment
PHOTO BY PHIL BRAY
'Mimic'
Rated R '
Cronos. Del Toro's reported take on his
new
thriller was to use it as a vehicle to
ockroaches in New York City? That's
to be expected, But the bugs in the stir up the fears of "our insulated soci-
biomedical thriller Mimic are any- ety."
With six screenwriters credited to this
thing but your everyday cockroach-
film, including John Sayles (Lone Star)
es.
These insects are huge, repulsive, evil and Steven Soderbergh (sex, lies, and
creatures that "mimic" humans and set videotape), one expects more than the
out to annihilate Gotham's populace. usual rehashed horror-flick cliches. Also,
Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite) and Je- the whole premise is a bit tough to swal-
remy Northam (Emma) star as a scien- low, but at least the writers came up with
tist couple living in a comfortable world an original idea.
The grotesque giant cockroaches are
who have their lives turned totally up-
indeed frightening, but the film is
side down.
Using genetic engineering to save New plagued by inconsistencies with their be-
York City kids from a deadly disease, havior: Two of the predators hold a little
three years later their genetic break- boy captive underground, while one of
through takes on a life of its own as a sub- the giant monsters swoops down on Tyler
terranean colony of hybrid insects and carries her away. Why do they in-
emerges. Realizing that her experiments stantly kill some people and take others
with DNA have spawned this dangerous as prisoners?
Sorvino and Northam, neither of
new species, entomologist Susan Tyler
whom are actors one would expect
(Sorvino) attempts to stop the hu-
to see in this kind of movie, turn
manoid insects before they escape
MOVIES
in capable performances. There's
the subway system and wreak
not much required of them in
havoc on the streets of New York.
The narrative moves at a brisk pace their roles except to alternately look in-
early on — viewers should pay close at- telligent and terrified. Alexander Good-
tention or risk confusion throughout the win, John Brolin and Charles Dutton
remainder of the film. And Mimic does lend support as well as a few chuckles.
Although close-up special effects are
offer some moments of real suspense, but
good
and the film does offer an occasion-
other scenes just seem to crawl along be-
al spine-tingler, Mimic could have been
fore the next jolt.
Mimic marks the American feature a much better thriller. Horror fans will
film debut of director Guillermo del Toro, find it entertaining if they can suspend
who made international waves three disbelief and get past the plot holes. Fea-
years ago with his Mexican horror film turing lots of bugs, ooze and other dis-
gusting stuff — this movie is definitely
Beth Fhaner is an editor/ writer at Visible not for the squeamish.
C
Ink Press. She is the editor of Magill's
Cinema Annual, a comprehensive film
reference book.
— Beth Fhaner
PHOTO BY KERRY HAYES
Demi Moore in G.I. Jane.
'G.I. Jane'
Rated R
superwoman and more just brave human
ith all the attention Demi Moore's being determined to reach her goal.
The script, by David Twohy and
career has been getting lately, the
slogan of G.I. Jane, "Failure is not Danielle Alexandra, is intelligent and for
an option," refers as much to the the most part, understated — particu-
movie and its title character star. For- larly one scene in which Jordan's com-
manding officer walks in on her in the
tunately for all involved, G.I. Jane
shower, intending to intimidate
turns out to be an entertaining
her. By her refusal to acknowl-
and intelligent look at double
MOVIES
edge his ploy, she succeeds in in-
standards and the mission of
timidating him. It's an effective
equality.
U.S. Sen Lillian DeHaven (Anne Ban- scene.
G.I. Jane is an exciting, action-packed
croft) decides that the time has come for
a woman to break the armed forces' re- movie made all the more effective by a
maining gender barriers — what better good script, fast-paced, assured direction
place to start than with the all-male, elite and a star who comes through for every-
covert operations unit known as the one.
Navy SEALs. Navy Intelligence officer
Lieutenant Jordan O'Neil (Moore) is se-
lected as the guinea pig. She goes will-
— Liz Lent
ingly, believing in the cause and hoping
for the opportunity to one day see com-
bat. What she doesn't know is that every-
one — DeHaven included — wants and
needs her to fail.
After a slow start, with some tedious
expositional scenes rendered in a paint-
by-numbers fashion, director Ridley Scott
®0 1 ) 55555555 _Outstanding
(Thelma and Louise, Blade Runner) kicks
things into high gear with the com-
mencement of Jordan's training. Shot
with unblinking ferocity, Scott makes
c!)
l
55559599...VerY Good
the soldiers' pain uncomfortably real.
Never shying away from the cruel ex-
tremes to which these people are forced
®c
Good
to go, both physically and mentally, the
director has created the full-length fea-
ture film version of an anti-recruitment
Fair
poster.
As Lt. O'Neil, Demi Moore is quite be-
lievable, creating a character who's less
W
Bagel Barometer
ck.) - -
94
Liz Lent is a local freelance writer.
Jeremy Northam and Mira Sorvino in Mimic.
.401 solar
MOvero.
Oir_iPta
as.:
No Bagels
Awful