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Derek Malcolm's rating
Rabbit made of miraculous stuff
By
Derek Malcolm
29 Mar 2007
Bob Shaye, whose chief claim to fame recently has been his blazing row with Peter Jackson over the finances of the last Lord of the Rings movie, returns to direction after more than a decade away with this children's film.
Based on the Lewis Padgett story Mimzy Were The Borogoves, the story follows two Seattle siblings, Emma and Noah (Rhiannon Leigh Wryn and Chris O'Neil) as they find a black box on the beach which contains a stuffed rabbit called Mimsy.
The clearly miraculous rabbit causes Emma to levitate and Noah to become a scientific genius.
But their new powers, which astonish their parents (Timothy Hutton and Joely Richardson), lead to the local homeland security official blaming them for a widespread electrical blackout.
The Last Mimzy is choppily made, as if several different hands got at the editing - and has two or three themes that aren't worked out properly. Perhaps it was trying for an up-to-date ET. One to set the kids in front of - and miss yourself.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (1)
Just saw this on a long flight and found it charming. The story is intriguing and the circularity of the narrative not immediately apparent until the end. Special effects thankfully muted, and the childrens' acting delightful. The plotting and characterisation of the adults (apart from the teacher and his dotty transcendental girlfriend) is poor - their lack of interest in the kids bizarre, and the parts involving Homeland Security just ridiculous. However it was a fun and engrossing film - albeit in the setting of an airplane.
- Nick, Cambridge, 08/08/2007 14:33
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