Movie Plot – The Mummy: During an archaeological dig in the ancient city of Hamunaptra, an American serving in the French Foreign Legion accidentally wakes up a mummy who wreaks havoc as he seeks the reincarnation of his long lost love.
Director: Stephen Sommers
Writers: Stephen Sommers, Lloyd Fonvielle, Kevin Jarre
Cast: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo
Some Nostalgia
I remember watching the Mummy multiple times when I was a kid. The adventure film was by director Stephen Sommers. Since then, it’s one of my favorites adventure films. Two franchises made me want to become an archeologist as a kid, which I never became. The other franchise was the Indiana Jones movies.
I was eight years old when The Mummy came out, and yes, this wasn’t really a movie for my age back then. However, I still saw, even though I was scared of the Mummy guy and the scarabs. Especially the scarabs, those freaked me out.
The Mummy does an excellent job of hiding all the violent scenes in their own way. They do this, for example, by using shadows where you can clearly see what is happening. However, this technique does not reveal any blood.
It’s still entertaining!
The story of The Mummy is simple. The tough Rick (Brendan Fraser) takes Evy (Rachel Weisz) and her stealing brother Jonathan (John Hannah) in search of a hidden treasure in Hamunaptra. But during their search, they awaken an ancient creature that not only brings the plagues of Egypt, but also causes death. It is up to the trio to stop the mummy (Arnold Vosloo).
The Mummy is a glorious and sometimes exaggerated action film in which beautiful special effects and convincing CGI provide a lot of viewing pleasure. Well, I mean, the CGI was great for its time. However, I believe it could have been slightly better. Also, there is room for a lot of humor for which both protagonists Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are responsible. The chemistry between the two actors feels real, even if it’s love at first sight.
What truly did it for me was the sense of adventure. It’s maybe not the adventure that the protagonists were hoping for, but the film is directed in a light-hearted way. There is a place for some humor here and there. Jonathan, for example, is purely added for comic relief. You might think that’s a bad choice. However, it seems to make the film more fun.
Brendan Fraser plays the third-rate Indiana Jones here as Rick O’Connell, a mercenary and adventurer with lots of bad luck and a big mouth. He has a very amusing sidekick in Kevin O’Connor as Beni, a rat-like opportunist.
The Mummy
What it’s all about, of course, is the Mummy as the title already gave it away. The problems that Rick and Evelyn are facing have their origins some three millennia earlier. Pharaoh Seti I (Ipalé) is killed by his mistress Anck Su Namun (Velasquez), who has a clandestine affair with his high priest Imhotep (Vosloo). Unfortunately for the lovers, they don’t manage to escape. Anck Su Namun commits suicide and Imhotep gets the worst punishment imaginable: he is cursed and mummified alive in a sarcophagus, accompanied by carnivorous scarabs. The downside of the curse is that if Imhotep were ever to be revived, he would bring all the plagues of Egypt with him and cause death and destruction. Not really a bright idea if you ask me.
Of course, that’s exactly what happens. In 1923, Rick, Evelyn and Jonathan go in search of the treasures found in Hamunaptra, the city of the Dead. Once they arrived, it’s Evelyn who accidentally brings Imhotep back to life, and he soon goes in search of a new body (via the unfortunate Americans) and a woman’s body to bring his beloved back to life. Then a race emerges to stay out of the hands of the increasingly powerful Imhotep and find a way to defeat the unbeatable high priest.
Just to be clear. This version of ‘The Mummy’ has almost nothing to do with the horror classic from 1932 or even horror.
Conclusion
The Mummy is certainly not a masterpiece, yet the film gives enough action and light entertainment to entertain the viewer for two hours.
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