The Mummy Review
by John Beachem (jabii AT aol DOT com)June 19th, 1999
A review by John Beachem
* * * *
CAST
Brendan Fraser - Rick O'Connell
Rachel Weisz - Evelyn
John Hannah - Jonathan
Kevin J. O'Connor - Beni
Arnold Vosloo - Imhotep
As a summer movie, The Mummy does not disappoint. It's a great, popcorn movie that's a blend of comedy and action, and which is for all intents and purposes, a poor man's Indiana Jones. As a horror movie living up to the original, it falls more than a bit short. The movie opens with a rather corny, though appropriate telling of how the mummy came to be. We're then taken to Egypt in 1923, where the French Foreign legion (led by Brendan Fraser after his commander turns tail and runs) is fighting a band of Desert raiders. The foreign legion is crushed, and we're taken to Cairo, where we meet Evelyn and Jonathan. Siblings who've found a map to the city of the dead. they then proceed to wake the mummy, and the fun begins.
First of all, don't go into this film expecting a ghoulish horror movie. For the most part, the movie is actually an action/comedy. Secondly, this film has no deep, meaningful messages. This is pure movie going fun. As for acting, I must commend Brendan Fraser. Normally I'm not a large fan of his, but his comic abilities really shine here. Rachael Weisz and John Hannah both do respectable jobs, and Arnold Vosloo is quite menacing as the title character. Though the fact of the matter is, the mummy is usually shown as a CGI creation.
The only real problems I had with the entire film, were the lack of horror, and the fact that the movie never really figured out what kind of movie it wanted to be. I frankly went in, expecting a Horror movie with comic bits thrown in. While I still got a good, fun movie, it just wasn't what I was hoping for personally. The other problem, is that the film switches from being deadly serious at parts, to mocking itself at others, and then back again. Perhaps being warned in advance of the lack of horror will help readers to enjoy the movie more. I simply hope that when the sequal is made (and I guarantee they'll make one) the writers figure out what sort of film they're trying to make.
* * * * * - One of the greatest movies ever made, see it now.
* * * * - Great flick, Try and catch this one.
* * * - Okay movie, hits and misses.
* * - Pretty bad. See it if you've got nothing better to do.
* - One of the worst movies ever. See it only if you enjoy pain.
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