The Mummy

Trying to cram action, adventure, fantasy, romance, comedy and horror into a single should not have worked, especially not in a Universal Monsters reboot, but 1999's _The Mummy_ is so much damn fun, that they manage to pull it off with aplomb. _Final rating:★★★½ - I strongly recommend you make the time._

It's not horror you know - it's just real good family fun. The Mummy is directed by Stephen Sommers, who also co-writes the screenplay with John L. Balderston. It stars Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo & Kevin J. O'Connor. Jerry Goldsmith scores the music and cinematography is by Adrian Biddle. Plot sees Fraser as ex-Foreign Legionnaire adventurer Rick O'Connell, who teams up with Egyptologist Evelyn Carnahan (Weisz) and her cowardly brother Jonathan (Hannah), to try and stave off the apocalypse born out of the unleashing of the mummified remains of High Priest Imhotep (Vosloo). It's true to say that "Indiana Jones" raised the bar for action/adventure films in the modern era, the kind involving treasure, artifacts and mystical perils. It's arguably true enough to say that with "Raiders of the Lost Ark" the standard has been set so high it's unlikely to be bettered. There's been a number of similar films to have come along post "Indiana Jones", films that have one thing in common, that the critics are scornful towards them whilst the box office has kerchinged with the sound of cash being spent by the cinema going public. "The Mummy" is one such movie. Universal rework their own 1930's creeper to deliver a high energy, effects laden adventure full of wit, stunts and eye candy fun. Yes it's "Indiana Jones" lite, but so what? We may be lacking an intellectual script, but for sheer guts, construction of set-pieces and interesting story, this delivers wholesome family entertainment. Cast are fine, Fraser comfortably files in for square jawed heroics and Weisz is suitably posh, spunky and sexy. Hannah revels in playing a wastrel type, while Arnold Vosloo is enjoying himself greatly. However it's ultimately the effects that win out, explosive and eye poppingly enjoyable, Sommers and his team have not pulled any punches in their willingness to entertain all the adventure film loving family. 7.5/10

***Indiana Jones Horror Story*** If you think "The Mummy" (1999) is a remake of the glacial, ultra-serious classic of the same name, think again. This version is just as much an action/adventure (and comedy) as it is horror; and not 'horror' in the sense that it's scary, but rather horrific. Also, be ready for quite a few laugh-out-loud parts. Everything magically works, granting the viewer a highly entertaining romp. Brendan Fraser is perfect as the Indiana Jones wannabe. Rachael Weisz is so cute it's hard to take your eyes off her (WATCH OUT for her opening library scene). Arnold Vosloo is great as the mummy Imhotep and Oded Fehr is memorable as Ardeth Bay, the Magi guardian of the City of the Dead. John Hannah offers some comedic amusing moments as Eve’s brother and Kevin J. O'Connor is perfect as a selfish, disloyal, greedy little weasel. "The Mummy" is not great ponderous art as in, say, "Apocalypse Now" or "2001: A Space Odyssey," but it is great adventure and horrific fun. On that level, it's filmmaking of the highest order. The movie runs 2 hours, 4 minutes, and was shot in England, Morocco and Glen Canyon, Arizona. GRADE: A-