THE MUMMY (1999)
Tagline: Adventure Is Reborn.
(The Undead, Horror, Adventure) [PG-13]
You better think of something fast, because if he turns me into a mummy, you're the first one I'm coming after.
Back when this was being promoted I first saw the TV spot for it during the Super Bowl. I honestly thought finally after 10 freakin years we were finally getting a 4th INDIANA JONES movie. I was wrong. The ad turned out to be for this thing and it sparked its own series with spin-offs.
In this one, Evelyn Carnahan (played by Rachel Weisz) decides it’s a fantastic idea to open The Book of the Dead. This sparks a chain reaction that leads to a mummy rising from beyond…of course. The mummy’s main goal is to find his lost love, but as a secondary bonus, he also pretty much wants to rule the world. Can this moron Evelyn and a crusty soldier named Rick O'Connell (played by Brendan Fraser) join forces with those sworn to protect all that is good and holy?
First off, I kind of wish this thing hadn’t made Evelyn so incredibly stupid, because outside of that this movie is essentially a masterwork of adventure. In the vein of INDIANA JONES and great adventure flicks before it, this thing is just over the top epic. I try to watch it at least once every few years.
Acting-wise I think that Brendan Fraser pretty much put himself on the map as a big-name actor with this movie. While his career has had its up and downs, it’s not because of Fraser’s inability to nail a role. He almost died and had to be resuscitated after he stopped breathing during a scene where his character is hung. I did not like Rachel Weisz in this and find myself not really fond of her in anything. John Hannah plays Jonathan Carnahan who is basically the comedic element in this movie. He does a really solid job in this one and in the series as a whole. This is also one of Arnold Vosloo (who plays the mummy) better roles and Oded Fehr crushes it as Ardeth Bay. Oded is probably best known for his role as Carlos Olivera in the RESIDENT EVIL series.
Cinematically this is shot really well and even the CGI isn’t terrible. The score has a grand scale to it and the sets are just mesmerizing. I also love that part of this movie was shot in Glen Canyon, Arizona. Apparently, the effects team was told the mummy had to have “no gore”, but they managed to make his really freaky looking anyway.
Overall I really liked this movie. It is probably not as good as either of the 2 sequels, but I still have to give it a 6 out of 7. The fact that it still holds up over 2 decades after it was made is a testament to the effort the crew put in. If you are all out of INDIANA JONES, this series is a wonderful addition to the world of adventure.
GRAPHICS ARE THE PROPERTY OF UNIVERSAL STUDIOS AND ARE USED FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY.
Please check out the link below by clicking on the picture. Because no one should die buttonless.
Comments
Post a Comment