Movie : Mimic: Sentinel
Director : J.T. Petty
Starring : Karl Geary, Lance Henriksen, Rebecca Mader, Alexis Dziena
Year of release : 2003
The Plot
Marvin (KARL GEARY) is asthamatic. His respiratory illness confines him to his bedroom always. Limited by his environment, Marvin develops the hobby of taking pictures of the neighborhood with his camera from the window. He frames his photos on his bedroom wall. The pictures could be that of anyone - the ’garbage man’ (LANCE HENRIKSEN), the girl next building Carmen (REBECCA MADER), the father & son who always quarrels, the drug peddler on the street...He gradually begins to like Carmen who also happens to be his sister Rosy’s (ALEXIS DZIENA) best friend. One day, the neighbourhood boy goes missing. Detective Gary Dumars (JOHN KAPELOS) arrives to investigate. However, his interest veers more towards Marvin’s single mother than to the investigation. More disappearances follow but there are no bodies left behind or a single trace of murder. Alarmed Marvin begins to suspect the ’garbage man’ but keeps his doubts to himself. But one day, Marvin sees a murder happening inside one of the rooms of the opposite apartment through his camera. To his horror, the murderer is like no human he has seen before. Rather, it looked like a hideous gigantic roach. Marvin’s continued pressure gets on Gary’s nerves and finally the latter starts to patrol the neighbourhood. But he never comes back. Gary was killed by someone or something. Was it the ’garbage man’ again or was it the monstrous creatures which can also terrifying mimic a human? Either way, Marvin fears for the life of his family & Carmen. Will they survive?
The Review
Mimic: Sentinel aka Mimic 3 is the sequel to Mimic (1997) and Mimic 2: Hardshell (2001).
The slow pace of the movie till the end is quite unnerving. This may not be considered as a flaw because the deliberate gradual buildup towards something foreboding that the viewers are unable to predict begins to scare them. On one hand, we have Mark living safely & securely in his room while the disappearances & deaths seem to happen only on the ’other side’ - the street below or the building opposite. Mark’s room is always shown well lit while the streets or the opposite apartment is darker signifying a sense of impending evil. And most of the time, the viewers view the movie through Mark’s camera and this approach tends to make us feel - ’Okay, nothing will happen to us. The danger is only out there!’ But when, Gary Dumars disappear and the inquisitive Rosy ventures out to find what’s happening, we realise the safety web will break anytime. We begin to dread that the killer will come ’this side’. Mark is like a symbol of our feelings. The more he fears something terrible happening to him or his family, the more we feel that too.
And the haunting slow music score only adds to the entire situation of dread.
Karl Geary is wonderful as the asthamatic. His body language & expressions effectively potrays respiratory illness & horror. Also Lance Henriksen does a good job. The others in the cast are quite okay.
Watch out for the mutant roaches & the gore ! Their hidden presense, silent approach & sudden merciless attack raises goose bumps.
Final word
3.5/5 - not many will enjoy this slow-moving horror thriller. But for those who don’t mind a dark movie with some unignorable chills, bloody satisfaction guaranteed !