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 THE LAST MIMZY
by Jane Louise Boursaw
MPAA Rating: PG for
some thematic elements, mild peril, and language.
Suggested Ages: 9+
Released in Theaters: March 23, 2007
Reel Rating: 3 out of 4 Reels
Should you bring the
kids? Yes, but this sci-fi family thriller has a few scary scenes, so
it's best for kids 9 and older. For more info, see "Bringing the Kids"
below.
THE STORY: On
a vacation at the beach, Noah Wilder (Chris O'Neil) and his sister, Emma
(Rhiannon Leigh Wryn), find a mysterious box inscribed with odd markings.
Inside are various devices the children think are toys, including a glass
snail, an ornate seashell, and a scruffy stuffed rabbit.
As the children play with
these "toys," they get smarter and smarter – to the point where their
teachers proclaim them geniuses. Studying spiders for a school project, Noah
learns how to use various frequencies to make the arachnids change the shape
of their web. The result? A web that looks like the Golden Gate Bridge and
is just as strong.
Meanwhile, Emma learns she
can glimpse the future, thanks to laser beams produced via "spinners" –
small rock-crystals courtesy of the box. Needless to say, all this is a
little unnerving for the grown-ups in their lives. Especially when Emma
tells her parents (Joely Richardson and Timothy Hutton) that the stuffed
bunny is named Mimzy and that "she teaches me things."
Apparently, Mimzy is a
visitor from the future who must return to her time with something to rescue
humanity from itself (global warming, disease, and just general meanness). A
scientific scan indicates the bunny is part electronic and part organic. And
when a blackout shuts down the city, the government traces the power surge
back to the Wilders' home.
What's more, Noah's science
teacher, Larry ("Dwight" on The Office) has been having strange
dreams that are somehow connected to the children's experience. His New
Age-y girlfriend, Naomi (Kathryn Hahn) is mystified by the whole thing.
The Last Mimzy is
based on a 1943 sci-fi story by Lewis Padgett, "All Mimsy Were the Borogoves,"
a phrase from Lewis Carroll's poem, "Jabberwocky". It's directed by Bob
Shaye, founder and co-CEO of New Line Cinema and executive producer of,
among other films, The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
 BRINGING THE KIDS:
PRESCHOOLERS (ages 2-5):
Could they have stuffed any more new-age themes into this movie? Let's
see…telepathy, palm reading, levitation, crystals, time travel…nope, I think
that about does it. Seriously, although the main characters are kids,
preschoolers won't understand what's happening, and this movie is too darn
scary for them anyway. Stick with Sesame Street or Postcards From
Buster. Or maybe a Baby Yoga class for you and your little one.
GRADE-SCHOOLERS (ages 6
- 10): This movie is ok for 9- or 10-year-olds, but younger kids might
find some scenes frightening -- like the FBI storming the Wilders' home a la
Waco (so much for the Patriot Act). Also, some scenes involving the box's
objects get a little creepy – like the magical spinners, laser beams that
allow Emma to see the future, and one especially frightening scene at the
end. And the whale noises coming from the box are downright annoying after a
while. When it comes to spirituality, grade-schoolers might find anime
flicks like Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle more
appealing.
TWEEN / TEEN (ages 11+):
One of the messages of this movie is that we're systematically trashing the
earth and if we don't watch out, we'll annihilate it with our horrible
habits. I dunno. Is it really that bad? Al Gore and others would have us
believe it, but I'm not so sure. I guess I have more faith in humanity than
that. At any rate, older kids will like this movie because it doesn't talk
down to them. And the special effects are good, too.
SCORE: 3 out of 4
Reels.
JANE'S REEL RATING
SYSTEM:
One Reel – Pathetic. Even
the Force can't save it.
Two Reels – Tolerable.
Coulda been a contender.
Three Reels –
Thought-provoking. Something to talk about.
Four Reels – Wow! The stuff
dreams are made of.
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