The Mimic is a 2017 South Korean fantasy horror film about a woman that encounters a mythical creature that can mimic humans.
Written and directed by Jung Huh (Hide and Seek), the movie stars Jung-ah Yum,
Hyuk-kwon Park, Jin Heo, Rin-Ah Shin, Yu-sul Bang, Lee Joon-hyuk, Hae-yeon Kil, Yul Lee, Ju-won Lee, Soo-Yeong Park, Susanna No and Ji-Hoon Jung.
Plot:
A woman, whose son has been missing for some time, moves to the countryside with her husband, daughter and sick mother-in-law. One day, when out walking near Mount Jang, a mysterious mountain where a mythical creature that mimics the voices of humans supposedly exists, the woman meets a seemingly lost, and mute, young girl by a cave.
The girl reminds her so much of her son that she takes her in, until such time that she can locate her parents or guardian. It is not long before the girl begins to mimic the voice of her own daughter and strange and sinister events start to happen around the house…
Reviews:
“The Mimic is South Korea’s most successful domestic horror for four years. It’s not hard to see why. Huh Jung mixes myth with grief to produce a slick, stylish and superior slice of Asian horror. Yum Jung-ah impresses in the lead role, whilst events feel all too worryingly plausible.” Backseat Mafia
“… Jung Huh’s effective employment of atmospheric imagery and audio frosts the film with a fine sense of subtle fear. Even in using traditional takes on old horror tropes, Huh finds artistic ways to balance new ideas as he shapes The Mimic into one of Korea’s finer supernatural chillers.” Culture Crypt
” …far more than a simple ghost story, and it’s precisely its multi-layered human elements which give it the ability to scare and get under the skin. Huh Jung takes a concept which in other hands could have been daft or schlocky, and crafts something far more haunting and accomplished, the film standing as one of the best genre efforts from Korea of the last few years.” Eastern Kicks
“The story is much more in the eerie feeling than in the dialogue. Of course, the storyline itself does require some dialogue and actual storytelling, but it’s not that much. As for the main plot, I found the story to be both engaging and truly heartbreaking [for the little girl].” Heaven of Horror
“The script is not quite strong which most probably needed a bit more work done on. Director Huh Jung has only made two horror features, with The Mimic being the latest one. It might be getting some very mixed reviews at the moment, but it will surely go down as a cult horror film in the future.” The London Tree
“Director Huh’s latest may not quite live up to the promise shown in his debut (not to mention his well-regarded shorts) but anyone who’s been hankering for a decent new Korean horror film should find plenty to sink their teeth into here as The Mimic is probably the best commercial Korean horror film since 2009’s Possessed.” Modern Korean Cinema
Buy DVD: Amazon.co.uk
” …a strong horror entry from an industry that’s carved out an impressive niche in the genre of the last few decades. It’s a film that’s tailor-made for broad appeal but comes with some genuine scares, slick photography, and a terrific cast.” The Reel Bits
“Huh makes fantastic use of soundscapes and intriguing use of mirrors, but even the high-quality photography and committed performances can’t quite overcome the hollowness of his mythology, robbing his dark fairytale of its essential power.” Windows on Worlds
YouTube reviews:
Trailer:
Release:
The film was released in South Korea on 17 August 2017. Rent or buy via Amazon Prime
Original title:
Jang-san-beom
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