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THE LAST MIMZY 3 Stars –
Challenging Robert Shaye’s ingenious tale of
“The
Last
Mimzy”
is
paradoxically
complex. Presented in the genre of a children’s story
where
a
young
brother
and
sister
are
the
central
characters,
the
issues
however
are
mature.
From
the
science
of
time
travel
and
genetic
engineering,
to
the
environmental
message
that
humans
are
poisoning
ourselves,
to
the
religious
message
that
truth
comes
through
the
symbols
of
Buddhism,
the
film
has
a
clear
set
of
agendas
and
requires
a
mature
mind
to
sift
through
these. Nevertheless, “The Last Mimzy”
is
a
compelling
tale
of
a
warm
and
loving
family. It is a tale of discovery and adventure in which
the
future
of
humanity
depends
on
the
actions
of
two
young
children.
It
is
a
tale
of
national
security
and
alien
fears.
It
is
a
tale
of
faith
and
belief
and
sacrifice. It is a tale well told. The heroes of our tale are Noah and Emma Wilder (Chris O’Neil
and
Rhiannon
Leigh
Wryn). The young children of David and Jo Wilder (Timothy
Hutton
and
Joely
Richardson),
Noah
and
Emma
are
outcasts
from
their
classmates.
This
common
feature
of
a
children’s
story
sets
them
up
for
a
natural
isolation
when
they
discover
a
special
box
on
the
beach
while
on
Spring
break
on
an
island
in
the
In the future, humans have so poisoned the world that they
must
wear
protective
suits
which
give
them
the
appearance
of
aliens.
The
poisoning
is
so
extensive
that
it
has
mutated
human
DNA
into
a
terminal
illness. This is the first of the themes and creates the need for a
savior.
Rather
than
the
Christian
message
that
the
human
struggle
is
caused
by
a
spiritual
failure
and
our
Savior
must
transform
us
spiritually,
in
this
message
children
are
being
told
that
the
problem
is
environmental
and
our
savior
must
transform
our
genes. And the savior of this tale is a brilliant scientist
in
the
future
who
creates
an
artificial
life
form
called
“Mimzy” who is sent to us to save us. This hasn’t been the first time. Mimzy explains to Emma
that
there
have
been
many
“Mimzys”
sent
back
into
history,
but
no
one
was
able
to
figure
out
why.
This
is
the
last chance people in the future have. This is where the tale ties into the Tibetan Buddhism and the
Sacred
Geometric
drawings
called
Mandala. Teaching the children is Noah’s intuitive jr. high science teacher Larry White (Rainn
Wilson)
and
his
Buddhist-meditating
girlfriend
Naomi
Schwartz
(Kathryn
Hahn).
Explaining
that
the
Mandala are believed to be maps of
the
universe,
the
implication
is
that
these
drawings
created
to
focus
a
persons
meditation
somehow
provide
the
path
to
healing
the
future. Though we won’t spoil the way all of this comes together, it
is
an
endearing
tale
which
catches
the
imagination
and
implants
the
film’s
agendas.
It
is
a
tale
of
a
savior
and
a
faith
to
save
us,
but
that
is
both
its
strength
and
its
challenge. Discussion:
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