Toy Story meets The Terminator in this sci-fi oddity from New Line Cinema boss Bob Shaye, who was apparently so taken with this tale of a time-travelling rabbit – the Mimzy of the title - he decided to step behind the camera for the first time in 17 years. Spielberg won't be lose any sleep over that one, though perhaps he should: while the script throws in endless gubbins about telepathy, palmistry and Tibetan philosophy, it can't hide the blatant lifts from Close Encounters, ET and Batteries Not Included.
Mimzy ends up with a pair of precocious Seattle siblings who find that prolonged exposure to this fluffy plaything turns them into mini-geniuses. Unfortunately it also brings the Department of Homeland Security - woodenly represented by Michael Clarke Duncan - down on their heads, cueing the inevitable race against time to send Mimzy home. Cliches notwithstanding, this trippy fantasy always keeps you watching, even if it is with open-mouthed bemusement.
