As ShockYa reported in our interview with “Mimesis” director Douglas Schulze, “Mimesis” inolves taking horror to the next level by bringing in the fan’s involvement and love for the genre. In fact, Schulze said he got the idea for “Mimesis” from two convention-goers having to be detained by security for terrorizing other patrons. This intensity is directly expressed in the film, as it involves a group of fans acting the film out in real life, right down to killing kidnapped victims.
“Mimesis” stars Allen Maldonado as Duane, a fast-talking, cock-sure type of guy who’s attending a horror convention with his best friend and horror fan Russell (Taylor Piedmonte). When a mysterious girl named Judith (Lauren Mae Shafer) gives them invites to an exclusive party, everything goes terribly wrong; Duane and Russell, along with fellow party-goers Karen (Jana Thompson), Keith (David G.B. Brown), Karl (Gavin Grazer) and his family, are drugged and trapped in a farmhouse surrounded by a flesh-eating troupe of “zombies,” led by the ringleaders Gordon (Courtney Gains) and Patrick (David Gries). Exploitation film legend Sid Haig also stars as Alfonso Betz, a legendary horror director in the film’s universe who has also been trapped by the gruesome kidnappers. In short, these party-goers are now part of a real-life version of “Night of the Living Dead.”
At first glance, one might think that the film is a basic remake of “Night of the Living Dead,” but don’t think that way about this film! The film is actually horrifying in its own inventive way because the idea of fans taking horror into their own hands hasn’t really been explored in the horror genre, I don’t think. Just the idea of people eating others just to fulfill some kind of thrill is disgusting and extremely creepy. The script is written with intelligence and skill, which allowed for some great gross-out moments, really scary reveals and hardcore deaths.
What’s also great is that even though some of the trapped people do end up dying, the remainder of the group, led by Duane, end up getting the upper hand. I was worried that the film would end exactly like “Night of the Living Dead,” but I’m glad it didn’t.
If I had one criticism, it might be how slow motion is used in the film. I think it’s being used as a device to secure the audience into knowing this is its own film and not simply a remake. I also think it’s being used to increase the tension and fear. But at some points, it gets in the way of the flow of action. Other than that, “Mimesis” is an inventive and original look at the world of horror.
