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By
WADE GOSSETT
I'm usually leery of films
that mix mysticism with science -- the two are
definitely not only incompatible, but two
diametrically opposed and antagonistic ways of
viewing the world. It's bad enough that we don't
get enough hard sci-fi films; it is an insult when
mystical baloney infests what is supposed to be a
sci-fi flick.
However, I'll grand The Last Mimzy an enthusiastic
pass. Based on the classic sci-fi short story
"Mimzy Were the Borogoves," by Lewis Padgett (a
pseudonym for the husband-and-wife writing team of
Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore) it effortlessly
blends ideas about Tibetan mandalas with a solid
time travel plot. And, it manages to be a movie
that both kids and grown-ups will enjoy
thoroughly.
Confidently directed by Robert Shaye, the plot is
about Noah and Emma, a young brother and sister
(Chris O'Neil and Rhiannon Leigh Wryn) who
discover a strange box on a beach containing what
they think are toys. By manipulating the
alien-looking objects, they become smarter,
capable of hearing everything, and communicating
telepathically with each other and even insects.
They also become aware that humankind is dying
because of its excesses and carelessness. One of
the toys is a stuffed rabbit, that Emma names
Mimzy and seems capable of communicating with her.
Joely Richardson and Timothy Hutton co-star as the
parents.
The film works on multiple levels, but it is
primary a successful suspense thriller that will
keep viewers involved throughout. You'll often
find it compared to ET in many a review, but the
adults here are hardly as stupid as the ones in
Steven Spielberg's film. Still, there are elements
of similarity, and as you may have guessed Mimzy
is an alien of sorts with a certain agenda. The
two child leads are excellent -- and Rhiannon
Leigh Wryn is especially darling. The special
effects are convincing and the direction and
editing exemplary.
This is an Infinifilm DVD and it is packed with
extra features: Using the Infinifilm capability,
the viewer can view additional information along
with watching the film, but there are also more
traditional making-of featurettes (on story
adaptation, casting, production design, special
effects, editing, and music), a commentary track
by director Shaye, three interactive games, the
theme song by Roger Waters, and the theatrical
trailer. For those who want to immerse themselves
even deeper, the DVD comes with DVD-ROM features.
It's increasingly pointless to comment on a DVD's
image, since the technology has been fine-tuned
and invariably DVDs look great. However, I'd like
to note that The Last Mimzy looked particularly
sharp on my large HD set. Another plus for this
fine film. |
