The Last Mimzy (2007) starring Chris O'Neil, Rhiannon Leigh Wryn, Joely Richardson, Timothy Hutton, Rainn Wilson, Kathryn Hahn, Michael Clarke Duncan, Kirsten Alter directed by Robert Shaye Movie Review

The Last Mimzy (2007)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Rhiannon Leigh Wryn and Chris O'Neil in The Last Mimzy (2007)

A Mimzy Whimsy

Whilst on holiday 10 year old Noah (Chris O'Neil) and his younger sister Emma (Rhiannon Leigh Wryn) stumble across a mysterious black box on the nearby beach which contains a curious collection of toys and a toy rabbit called Mimzy. Having taken the box and toys back home they hide it in their room but that is when the fun tarts as Noah becomes smarter than ever and Emma not only learns to levitate items but is able to communicate telepathically with the Mimzy. Whilst their busy parents (Timothy Hutton and Joely Richardson) don't notice the change in their kids others do including Noah's teacher Larry White (Rainn Wilson) and FBI Special Agent Nathaniel Broadman (Michael Clarke Duncan). The question is what do these toys in a box have to do with the changes in Noah and Emma?

Watching movies like "The Last Mimzy" make me feel old as once upon a time, and I don't mean just when I was a child, this sort of fantasy adventure would have captivated me but now I found it hard going. It is why I am going to say upfront that if you are at an age where you have begun to struggle with modern family adventures then you might struggle with this as well.

Joely Richardson and Timothy Hutton in The Last Mimzy (2007)

So what is wrong with "The Last Mimzy"? Well in truth for its intended young audience and probably parents who are in truth younger than I am there isn't anything massively wrong with it as it is harmless entertainment with some messages tucked in there. In fact I will say that it feels like "The Last Mimzy" is trying to be "ET" for a new generation and it might come close for that new generation. But for me it just struggled to get me involved in what was unravelling before my eyes.

The reason why I found it un-involving starts with the characters of Noah and Emma as I found them the most uninteresting children going and certainly didn't succeed in making me feel anything for them. In fact it felt at times like Rhiannon Leigh Wryn had been cast to bring the same sort of cuteness which Drew Barrymore brought to "ET". But it is not just the uninteresting characters which kept me at arms length as the actual story itself left me wanting as it came across as bitty, lacking the flow to make it work. I wouldn't be surprised if "The Last Mimzy" was longer when filmed but was hacked down to bring it closer to a running time more acceptable for young children and in fairness those young children probably won't notice that the storyline has gaps.

There is another side to "The Last Mimzy" which of course is what are all these toys from inside the box about. Well firstly they allow for some special effects which will keep young minds amused whilst also attempting to fuel their imagination which is always a good thing. But this is where "The Last Mimzy" also tries to bring some meaning to everything that happens but because of that storyline lacking flow it ends up feeling a little ham fisted.

What this all boils down to is that "The Last Mimzy" just didn't do it for me and found it a struggle to get in to because of various issues. But this feels like a movie trying to be "ET" for a new generation and maybe it works better for the new generation it was intended. But despite it not being for me "The Last Mimzy" is not terrible.


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