The Mummy


3.5/4

Starring: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Kevin J. O’Connor, Oded Fehr

Rated PG-13 for Pervasive Adventure Violence and Some Partial Nudity

I haven’t seen the 1932 Boris Karloff horror movie, but something tells me that the 1999 version of the story is quite different.  Take for example the most hyped scene in the movie, where a man’s face appears on a moving wall of sand.  I don’t think that they had those kinds of effects in 1932.

Be that as it may, Stephen Sommers’ adventure/horror flick is everything a good summer action movie should be.  It’s loud, contains plenty of action, a great storyline, likable characters, and plenty of funny humor.  Yeah, this is a fun ride.

In 1932, a klutzy librarian named Evelyn (Weisz) and her treasure-loving brother, Jonathan (Hannah) have come across a mysterious puzzle box.  It turns out that it contains a map that will lead them to Hamunaptra, the mythical City of the Dead, where the pharaohs hid the wealth of Egypt.  Their guide is Rick O’Connell (Fraser), an ex-mercenary who has been to the city.  While there, the curious Evelyn reads from the Book of the Dead, and accidentally resurrects Imohtep (Vosloo), the cursed priest who brings with him the seven plagues of Egypt.  Now, Rick and Evelyn must find a way to stop Imohtep before he takes over the world.

It’s that kind of a movie.  Like a pulpy serial from the 40’s, its lack of originality is a nostalgic asset, rather than an example of lazy screenwriters.  On the contrary, Sommers packs the movie with lots of great action sequences (including the aforementioned wall of sand), and Rick tosses out a number of witty one liners (so does Evelyn, for that matter).

But what really makes this movie special is that the characters are irresistibly likable.  Brendan Fraser is perfectly cast as the rugged rascal Rick.  He’s the rough and tumble hero with a hidden heart of gold, and Fraser has the talent and the charisma to pull it off.  Rachel Weisz got her big break playing the klutzy but spunky librarian Evelyn.  Although she doesn’t have a great set of pipes, she isn’t required to scream that much.  What Weisz does have is talent.  Evie is adorable; she’s smart and enthusiastic, and she’s handy in a tight corner.  John Hannah is hilarious as her treasure loving brother.  Jonathan is pure comic relief, but Hannah is a master dimwit.  Oded Fehr, Arnold Vosloo, and Iranian comedian Omid Djalli are solid in supporting roles, but the real scene-stealer is veteran character actor Erick Avari.  Although only present in a few scenes, Avari walks away with them as the curator who has a bigger part to play than we initially realize.

Stephen Sommers adopts the perfect tone for this movie.  It’s both a throwback to the jungle adventures of old (despite the fact that it’s set in the desert), and it’s also a legitimate entry.  The story is involving, and peppered with little tidbits of Egyptian history and inventive plot elements.  Because Sommers knows the line between serious and parody, it works as both.  He also has a keen sense of atmosphere, making some of the scenes (particularly when we first meet Imohtep) quite scary.

If there’s any flaw, it’s that some of the CGI is not convincing.  The shots of Imohtep when he’s rotted and decomposed are so obviously computer-generated that it takes us out of the moment.  Still, it’s a small price to pay for something this fun.  And for once, the sequel is just as enjoyable (although the third film, set in ancient China and only retaining Fraser and Hannah, is best ignored).

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