The Mummy Review
by John Carroll (flyers130 AT aol DOT com)October 14th, 1999
Brendan Fraser always seems to have his ups and downs. He can do well at the box office, as displayed in George of the Jungle, and he can also do bad at the box office, as displayed in Dudley Do-Right. Also, he can read the critics' praise, as we saw in Gods and Monsters, but they can also rip him apart, as seen in Blast from the Past. Now, coming out on video, we have The Mummy. Up or down?
Well, it is a mix of both. Brendan Fraser's performance is nowhere near Oscar worthy, but it is suitable for this action-packed film. His sharp wit and ability to make us believe he is an action star make his performance great in The Mummy. It was a box office boom and could have done even better if not for the debut of Star Wars Episode 1- The Phantom Menace. The movie, as a whole, is entertaining, but ultimately leaves you with a feeling of loss.
The film starts with the "background" of how the Mummy became, well, the Mummy. This part leaves you utterly confused. However, things will eventually fall into place. An Egyptologist, played by Rachel Weisz, finds a very ancient map. Things set into motion from here. But, the film basically seems dry until Fraser enters. This is when things start to happen. Fraser's performance is terrific for this particular genre. I had doubts about this film being an Indiana Jones rip-off, but Fraser sets himself apart. His performance proves that he is a very versatile actor, and shows Hollywood he can open a movie all by himself.
Speaking of that, the supporting cast really drags this movie down and probably would have been better off leaving Fraser all by himself. Rachel Weisz gives an adequate performance as the historical librarian, but other than that, the cast is basically there to stand in Fraser's awe. The supporting cast, consisting mainly of Weisz, Arnold Vosloo and John Hannah, is basically there for comedic support. Despite Weisz's adequate performance, she has no screen power. She basically stands there and adds the historical information to Fraser, maybe chipping a one-liner in once and a while. John Hannah is even worse. He is just the dumb goofball, supposedly the sidekick, and tells all the jokes. Sure, he does get a few good laughs in, but mostly, the jokes are just sad and feeble attempts at humor. Arnold Vosloo, who plays the Mummy in human form, probably gives the best performance of the supporting cast. Ironically, he has very few lines, none of which are in English. But, he does demand screen presence, unlike the rest of the supporting cast. The best moments of The Mummy are when Vosloo and Fraser are on-screen together, and unfortunately, that really does not happen until the end.
The graphics in this film are superb. When the Mummy is not in human form, it is generated with computer graphics from Industrial Light & Magic. The results are nothing short of beautiful. The computer generated graphics range from the minute scarabs all the way to the huge sand storm. Combine that with a entertaining performance from Fraser and a menancing job by Vosloo, and The Mummy turns into a wonderful popcorn flick.
All in all, most people will enjoy The Mummy. Sure, it does have some aspects of Indiana Jones in it, but they are few and far between and Fraser's performance will alleviate any doubts. Besides, I would rather see incorporated themes of a good movie like Indiana Jones, rather than a bad film like The Haunting. However, the supporting cast will leave a sour taste in your mouth, because despite the presence of Fraser and Vosloo, two actors are not enough to hold up a two-hour action film.
Two And A Half Stars Out of Four Stars
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