Three years ago, entomologist Dr. Susan Tyler genetically created an insect to kill cockroaches carrying a virulent disease. Now, the insects are out to destroy their only predator, mankind.
A disease carried by common cockroaches is killing Manhattan children. In an effort to stop the epidemic an entomologist, Susan Tyler, creates a mutant breed of insect that secretes a fluid to kill the roaches. This mutant breed was engineered to die after one generation, but three years later Susan finds out that the species has survived and evolved into a large, gruesome monster that can mimic human form.Written by
Steven Dretzke <stevend@unicomp.net>
The scene where Mira Sorvino and Jeremy Northam walk in the hall with all the sick kids lying in their beds was actually directed by Ole Bornedal, one of the producers on the film. See more »
Goofs
Near the end when Dr. Peter Mann is running from the female Mimics, he does end up in the larva room and gets the idea using his lighter and the gas to neutralize the upcoming threat with fire. When his Lighter does not function anymore and he loses it in the water he gets the idea to use sparks created by the pickaxe, which worked quite easily. However whilst all the gas pipes where metal and you hear the sound of metal hitting metal, there happened to be no single spark while he hit a dozen holes in them. See more »
Quotes
Dr. Gates:
[to Susan]
So... you think your little "Frankenstein" has gotten the better of you?
See more »
Alternate Versions
Guillermo del Toro released a director's cut in 2011. It runs for 112 minutes. See more »
Just like the giant cockroaches in the movie mimic their predators (humans), director Guillermo Del Toro mimics David Fincher's style in "Seven": gimmicky opening credits, excessively dark photography, constant rain, claustrophobic atmosphere. Nonetheless, it is his superior craftsmanship and visual sense that elevates this otherwise standard, conventional monster movie into an above-average standard, conventional monster movie. He is helped, of course, by a capable cast (Mira Sorvino holds her own as the lead), and by the impressively designed creatures, which look much better than the monsters in some more recent horror films. (**1/2)
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Just like the giant cockroaches in the movie mimic their predators (humans), director Guillermo Del Toro mimics David Fincher's style in "Seven": gimmicky opening credits, excessively dark photography, constant rain, claustrophobic atmosphere. Nonetheless, it is his superior craftsmanship and visual sense that elevates this otherwise standard, conventional monster movie into an above-average standard, conventional monster movie. He is helped, of course, by a capable cast (Mira Sorvino holds her own as the lead), and by the impressively designed creatures, which look much better than the monsters in some more recent horror films. (**1/2)