Mimic 3 (2003)

You'll never see them move in next to an exterminator

One could point to numerous areas of where this film doesn't play out like the first two and be completely right in that respect. It's not a special effects showcasing or a thriller with action packed scenes, as it plays out as a different kind of suspense feature. In one sense it does go for mystery for a majority of the time by giving snippets of clues till a final series of blows. This was handled by another director/writer and filmed in Romania, which gives the setting an off-look to portraying the US. "Mimic 3" tries to take a different route with the tone, pacing and story element, which fans should be all for to include diversity, but in its bold leap forward is still missing something to effectively further the series or completely encompass charging power on it own.

A 24 year old housebound man named Marvin, who was one of the last to get Stricklers disease 10 years ago, bides his time with voyeurism and photography outside of his high-rise apartment bedroom window. Yep, they did it on purpose with an indirect reference to "Rear Window" and all. His sister Rosy has a flair for the wild side, including getting high and hanging out with drug dealers, making her frequently spaced out and dressed in skimpy outfits. She brings a woman named Carmen over that Marvin spies on but they often get caught in awkward situations with his lungs burning from her smoke and perfume. He has no social life and snoops into other people's lives with a view from afar. Him and his sister think they saw a murder and report it to the police, though the detective, who has more an eye on his mother, believes it's a case of the boy who cried wolf and the girl who can't keep her mind focused. Soon enough Rosy and Carmen play amateur detective across the ways with Marvin only to look on helpless to the fact, until the murderers start to kill in the open and get closer and closer to his residence.

"Mimic 3" is essentially about one man who's locked up with little in the way of physical capabilities and then how he's able to overcome attacks against humanity on the outside even though he's one of the weakest of us in strength but not in conviction. Marvin often acts out the mannerisms of something like the "Rain Man" at points to give you an idea. In order to pull off a steady amount of on-screen power requires an amazing amount of range as an actor and the performer doesn't always nail it. He droops his shoulders, dodges physical touch and eye contact, not to mention can't live normally like others: all of which sets up sympathy. Not that much grows from him like other films that go for character development that starts as a seed and springs into a tree, as he essentially acts and maintains the garden and then perseveres despite outside obstacles. Nearly the entire film rests on the shoulders of the lead actor with his movements, emotion or how information gets passed solely through him. The biggest problem here is there isn't an equal balance of information and mysteriousness/wonderment to create a locked in driving point. As a result, a share of this feels like you're in the room with him but still a stranger.

The messages of the film don't come right out and say it, since little is told in the way of narrative, whereas the first two films had Dr. Tyler and then Remi to explain firsthand knowledge of what's going on, making those the more science fiction oriented films. In one sense, this doesn't retread like part two but in the other it's not always more contemplative despite its gradual flow that feels much longer than its hour and 17 minute run time. This is a subtle film where the messages are signaled from afar. It nearly takes the complete view point of Marvin to the point of only seeing things through his zoom lens, often times in the form of snap shots and then odd violin music frequently going like they're filming some 18th century aristocrat instead of some guy held back in modern times. It leaves a lot of questions open and it doesn't create the world of intrigue it wanted to like its predecessor "Rear Window" did. It takes a share of time before anything happens that is significant and this more or less plays on if he's imagining it or is it real and then why no one believes him. If you haven't seen the first two films, there's going to be more surprise with that sentiment, but otherwise it's not the best luring system for an acquainted viewer. The Judas Breed element is somewhat elusive as to why and how they're there, and then what explanation is told is said so quickly so as to miss the focal point. It makes the film wind down inconclusively and feel less part of the "Mimic" series, which is somewhat disappointing even if this tried to be different.

Rating: 4.5/10

Director: J.T. Petty (Soft for Digging)
Stars: Karl Geary, Alexis Dziena, Rebecca Mader, Amanda Plummer, Lance Henriksen
Link: IMDB

Final Destination 2 (2003)

An insurance company's worst nightmare

The film here began the franchise that would take the death-trap idea and turn it into a full fledged formula and a no brainer. "Final Destination 2" is a very quick experience with very little getting in the way to think about as it's mostly laid out on the table and goes for straightforward entertainment that meanwhile causes the audience to do nothing more than aim for the bottom of the popcorn container. Compared to the first, this essentially amped up the deaths and the dark humor by even taking a poke at itself, and then steps even further away from reality and never lets the viewer forget they're watching a movie in the meantime.

"I saw it...there were bodies everywhere...there were logs. I saw it...it just happened," says Kimberly (A.J. Cook) to the officer after getting a premonition of a pileup to come on the interstate and taking the initiative to block the way with her car for those about to turn onto the road. Sure enough massive explosions and metal grinds on metal as the people behind her, that were initially annoyed with the delay, now think they're some of the luckiest people on Earth to narrowly escape death. Or so they think. They're taken to the police station for statements with one thing leading to another and they're reminded of the flight 180 incident. They maintain their denials and laugh it off while then attempting to go about their lives...except an inexplicable shadow keeps following them with accidents just a awaitin' to happen. This doesn't even try and hide the fact that it could be mere coincidence, as Death is furious this time around for missing loose ends that also tie into the survivors of Flight 180. The story is about as simple as Kimberly and the earlier officer quickly suspending their disbelief to figure out the clues for their and hopefully everyone else's survival. Including more paralyzing, I-feel-what-they-feel visions occurring and some surprise meet ups with past characters from the first: one defensive but then ready to help, the other sums up an opinion with: "Such fire in you now. People are always most alive just before they die."

Apart from some misplaced jokes, there's no prancing around, as the ground work is gone through fairly quickly and then this goes right for the throat in inventive over-the-top gory ways that would make a front page news article every time. They still manage to pull out some surprises as to which direction it's coming from and then when it happens it's shown in all of its juicy, not-for-those-on-a-full-stomach glory. The characters with the least background development usually means they're going to be victims, and then the ones gone into more are going to survive the longest. It's a horror movie in the slasher vain and this isn't really trying to invent anything new, just capitalizing at this point at what they already have. It's the type of movie where you know exactly what you're going to get and that part makes it somewhat superficial but at the same time still easy fun. The highly elaborate traps that would excite the most morbidly curious engineer, are set up for the audience to see them getting it beforehand because lets face it: the gorier the merrier and no one cares for their well-being and safety. It's sadistic and it unabashedly knows it. "FD2" can almost be looked at like a lynch party where the onlookers have froth at the mouth and venom spewing out, and aren't leaving without some blood being shed.

Rating: 6.5/10

Director: David R. Ellis
Stars: A.J. Cook, Michael Landes, Ali Larter, Tony Todd
Link: IMDB