The Mummy (1999) User Reviews

Great fun in the vein of "Indiana Jones"...

[MovieAddict2016 · 8/10 · 7 October 2003]

"The Mummy" is an adventurous yarn in the vein of "Indiana Jones." It's a lot of fun, very charming, and never tries to be more than what it is. What is it? An entertaining summer flick which is not only worth seeing, but perhaps even owning. It's one of those fun movies you can return to over and over again and never grow tired of doing so.

It's hardly a remake of the Universal classic of the same name. It's merely a new way to tell the story with the same basic idea - a murderous mummy is brought back from the dead. This time we have a hero and heroine who must stop him before he takes over the world, or something along the line of world domination.

The hero is Rick (Brendan Fraser), a thief thriving off the very basics out in Egypt circa 1930. Arrested and to be hanged, he is saved by the heroine (Rachel Weisz), who believes he may hold the key to helping them find an ancient Egyptian kingdom buried under the sand, if I recall correctly (though it has been a while since I've seen this). Little does she know what lurks beneath the sand near that old kingdom is none other than the remains of a man who was caught cheating on the king's wife years ago and mummified.

Now, after unearthing the remains of the kingdom, the expedition led by our heroes come upon an ancient "Book of the Dead," which, when read from, brings the ancient mummy back to life. Now he is out to kill, regenerate and bring back his old lover - pretty neat, huh?

I own "Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy," a great movie spoofing the classic film. "The Mummy" isn't exactly a spoof but it's very tongue-in-cheek. It knows it isn't an Oscar-winner, it knows it stands nothing against the older film, and so it goes for pulp thrills. I actually believe that this film is a bit classy in execution - compared to many other entertainments floating around nowadays it stands as one of the only films to return to the roots of the pure adventure films like "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981) so successfully did.

Brendan Fraser is a perfect choice for the lead star. Calm, but with ironic and sarcastic humor; cool, but a strong lead. I wondered what it would have been like if they had casted an actor in his role who would have taken it all more seriously. I bet the results would have been disastrous. Fraser knows that this is all good fun, and he's having a good time playing his role with comedy. Every once and a while you can catch a wink at the screen that lets us know that he knows what he's doing.

2001 brought a sequel to "The Mummy" named, of all things, "The Mummy Returns." I found it just as fun as this film though some critics begged to differ. Summer 2002 brought yet another "Mummy" film, this one a prequel called "The Scorpion King" - it was a following of a co-star of the first sequel. The Mummy was not in it at all. It was a horrible film that wasn't near as fun as this one. So I recommend you see "The Mummy" as soon as humanly possible. After that, see "The Mummy Returns."

Either way, you simply can't go wrong.

Not much Horror, Just a Good Movie

[mjw2305 · 8/10 · 25 January 2005]

Rick O'Connell (Brendan Frazer) leads the beautiful Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz) to Hamunaptra (The City of the Dead) where reading from a book brings Imhotep (Pharaoh Seti I's High Priest) back to life.

Once revived Imhotep has only one purpose in this world, to bring his love 'Anck Su Namun' back from the dead to join him, and will kill anyone who gets in his way.

Although based on a Horror Theme, there is little horror on show here, but there are plenty of Great Action Moments, some brilliant visuals and some good humour.

The dialogue is well written and punchy, this combined with some great characters bring the story to life and it turns out to be a terrific Film that is more Action/Comedy than Horror.

8/10

Great Adventurous Fun!

[BaronBl00d · 23 July 2000]

Certainly this Universal remake is more in the vain of Indiana Jones rather than the original Mummy. It is high on adventure and comedy, and wins because of it. The sets, scenery, special effects are all first-rate. The film is fast-paced from beginning to end and is very suspenseful. Stephen Sommers again shows his talent as a director for creating action-packed adventure with a high level of comedic overtones. The cast are all very good in their roles, yet none of them seem really to be taking themselves or the film too serious. Brendan Fraser is an affable hero, and Rachel Weisz makes a good heroine. Good support comes from John Hannah, Kevin J. O'Connor, and the mummy, Arnold Vosloo. Also a real treat was seeing Bernard Fox in a small role as an aging British pilot. Don't expect the old mummy of lore in this one, but sit down and have one heck of a ride...a rollercoaster of hijinks in the sands of Egypt.

GREAT ENTERTAINMENT!!

[jesse_beach · 7/10 · 22 March 2002]

This was one of the "low-brain-but-so-damn-entertaining"- type of films. "The Mummy" was an action packed adventure flick with great humor and nice special effects (The Mummy itself could have been better though). I enjoyed every moment with this one. There was no boring parts and Brendan Fraser makes a great performance as the Indiana Jones wannabe (HEH! JOKE!!). Lot of big time effects nice action, very funny jokes and nice GROOVE!!

7/10

One of my all time favorite movies

[ricsim78 · 10/10 · 1 January 2008]

First off, everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but most of the low ratings I am seeing are criticizing "The Mummy" because of it's "weak plot" or someone even said that this movie could have been written by the person's dog!

Does anyone realize that there is different movie genres? If you go to see "The Mummy" and expect to see "The Departed", "The Godfather", or "Shawshank Redemption" then yes, of course you will be disappointed. This is not a drama, it's an action/adventure movie!

Everyone has commented on the fun of this movie, that is what this movie is all about! Personally, I think the story is very good, and interesting. There is a lot to like here: it has elements of action, adventure, comedy, fantasy, mythology, horror, and tells a pretty well made tale (seriously, how many movies manage to pull all of these things off? And pull them off well!). And, it manages to do all of this in style, with amazing special effects and action sequences. No, it's not perfect (what movie is?) but this movie kills most movies in the same genre! I have never seen a movie that can contain so many different elements while still being coherent. This movie is a technical marvel is many aspects!

Rachel Weisz is great and looks beautiful as well playing as Evelyn. Yes, she is something like a "typical damsel in distress", but she brings humor, intelligence, and a strong will to the part. It's hard to integrate so many qualities into a believable character, but she does it well.

Brendan Fraser as Rick O'Connell: After seeing him in so many goofy movies, playing an equally goofy character, I thought he was always going to be cast in lame movies such as "Encino Man" and "Monkeybones". He was the reason why I had doubts I would like the movie because I could not picture him being more than a one-dimensional actor (able to pull goofy-charismatic off only). Not only does he act the part with stride, but he nails every aspect of his character: He is cool, yet has humor and he really surprised me with how much depth he can add to a role that really doesn't need it! Rick O'Connell wields his dual guns with flair, and I will never doubt Fraser again! I just hope they keep him utilized more and more like this. I was really impressed with him most because he surpassed all expectations!

Everyone else did their parts extremely well, they always stay in character, and add to the elements of the story.

This movie has a lot to offer, and lots of different ways to get your interest, especially if the Ancient Egyptian mythology fascinates you. This movie does have elements of horror: it will most likely scare younger kids more than adults, but putting yourself in the characters places you would be quite afraid.

Imhotep is very scary, mostly because of all the different abilities he possesses, as well as forms he can take.

I could not recommend this movie enough, especially if you have a HDTV and have the High Definition version, you will be blown away! Just don't expect a character driven drama, you're not looking for that with this either!

Still great in 2022

[dimkinys · 7/10 · 11 September 2022]

Just wanted to say - this movie still holds up in 2022. Even though this is coming from a 90's baby, with nostalgia and memories from our childhood in mind, this is still such a great movie.

Acting is good, wonderful cast. Both protagonists and antagonists really made you feel specifically about them, sowing no doubt in your mind who is who. But, it does feature some tropes from the era - the music, the "let's stand still and look at people being devoured" , the over the top action sequences and Michael Bay style explosions, and many more .

But, would definitely recommend this movie to anybody up for a good couple of flashbacks and a generally good watch!

Fun adventure film

[bjones · 9/10 · 6 July 1999]

Here, the makers took the original stock horror film and turned it into an Indianajonesesque adventure in the tradition of Raiders of the Lost Ark. The most visually rich part of the film was the opening scenes set in ancient Egypt. I would love to see an entire film built around that. The sets and costumes were brilliant.

Especially tantalizing is the strictly painted-on attire of Patricia Velazquez as Anck-Su-Namum; what a stunning visual; but it completely upstages her performance. I have heard people talking about it. Some have mistakenly guessed her top was a mesh costume of some sort; not true, it is entirely - and only - paint.

But Velazquez isn't the only thing to turn heads in the film, Rachel Weisz is appropriately attractive, though not as startling; her character is as solid and believable as she is lovely.

The newcomer, Oded Fehr as Ardeth Bey, set quite a few female hearts aflutter; in our party, at least. The internet was lit-up searching for more photos of this guy.

At first, I didn't particularly care for Brendan Fraser as the primary character (he's too well kept and cutesy for a rugged guy-type for me), be he grows on you. He seems to be developing into a versatile actor who will be around for a long time. His work here is good too.

The special effects were the real star of the film, and they were visually rewarding and complimented the story in the right way in the right places. How Arnold Vosloo dealt with those in his role as the mummy Imhotep should be acknowledged. He must have had to imagine quite a bit of what he was interacting with to pull it off, and he does so with great style and substance for this type of role. He was nothing short of excellent.

In fact, most of the remaining characters were well chosen. Jonathan Hyde and Kevin J. O'Connor added to the film in important ways, too. Together, everyone painted an enjoyable film, delivering exactly what it promised; fun, action, and adventure.

Very likable horror adventure.

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 8 September 2009]

The Mummy is a fun and likable horror adventure, that doesn't take itself too seriously. True, there are a few discrepancies in the script, it is a tad overlong and Kevin J.Connor's Beni mayn't be to everyone's tastes, but it is a solid film of its genre. The visuals are absolutely stunning, every scene with the Egyptian desert is enough to take your breath away, and the costumes are very nice too. The music by the one and only Jerry Goldsmith is a very creepy and atmospheric score, and just goes to show what a talented composer Goldsmith was. I will admit some of it is quite scary, and that is an understatement, I do confess being scared of the film when I saw it for the first time when I was 9(I'm 17 now), and there are some scenes that still scare me now. It is no wonder because Arnold Vosloo's Imhotep was a masterstroke, very, very frightening at times, especially when the Mummy disguises himself on the ship, and takes off his cloak to claim his first victim. The other performances are fine, with a dashing Brendan Fraser and a stunningly beautiful Rschel Weisz. John Hannah, if you forgive his accent, was on the whole fine. Overall, a fun and likable horror adventure, flawed yes, but guaranteed to give you entertainment and perhaps nightmares. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Actual quote - "Rescue the damsel in distress, kill the bad guy, save the world."

[Anonymous_Maxine · 7/10 · 9 January 2003]

This version of The Mummy (one of the several titles within film lore that seems to have been made and remade for decades) is pretty much exactly what you would expect from a modern adaptation of an old horror classic, especially given the types of films that are released these days. The action and special effects of the 1932 classic have been massively increased, and the new film turns more to shocking special effects, often cheesy comic relief, and sparkling scenery, away from the slow, creeping tension of the original. As a result, we get a fast moving feature that places a lot of emphasis on its special effects and it's good-looking stars. Thankfully, the movie knows when to laugh at itself, but it trips because it doesn't know when to stop.

The film starts roughly 3000 years in the past, with the Egyptian priest Imhotep being put to a rather vicious death for getting a little too friendly with the Pharaoh's mistress. Naturally, he is mummified alive, sealed in a coffin with a lot of flesh-eating beetles (the sounds of which make up some of the creepiest stuff in the whole movie), only to be accidentally resurrected by a lot of bounty hunters a few millennia later. This is where the cast comes in, Rick (Brendan Fraser), Evelyn (Rachel Weisz), and her brother Jonathan (John Hannah).

Rick is the hero of the movie, the guy who has been there and done it all and just wants to get his money and get out. He's kind of like a cross between the single-mindedness of Han Solo, the bad one-liners of James Bond, and the adventure experience of Indiana Jones, except that he comes across more as a muddy conglomeration of characters like those rather than an original character of his own. He goes through his part upset by the fact that other people seem to be constantly be holding him back from some faraway goal, the importance of which they can probably never be expected to understand.

Evelyn is there mainly with scientific interest (until she meets the hottie hero and romance is added to her To Do list) and her brother Jonathan is there for pure financial gain, as is the movie's director and crew and production team. There is also a tagalong character named Beni who I can only satisfactorily describe as a greedy rat, someone you would expect to meet on the wet streets of New York in the 1940s or something. He is a constant double-crosser who never has anyone's but his own best interest in mind, and so naturally ends up working for the resurrected Imhotep. His weird eye-makeup and pathetically whiny little voice make him a perfect candidate for the throwaway antagonist, who Rick tries vainly to save in a climactic scene near the end of the film.

The interesting thing about the plot comes up when you consider when exactly Imhotep became the bad guy. Really, all he did was fall in love with the wrong girl, and then when he was brought back to life, obviously he wanted to bring her back, too. One of the first things that I learned in film studies is that the audience should know as soon as possible whether they are meant to like or dislike a character, because first impressions are difficult to overcome. With that in mind then, when exactly was it that he went from the poor love-struck protagonist from the first act of the film to the monstrous antagonist during the rest of the movie?

My best theory is that first and foremost, he's killing people to bring himself and his love back to life. Granted, more killing would not justify the death of himself or of his loved one, Anck Su Namun, but considering the fact that all he did was fall in love and also considering the way that he was put to death, his reaction upon achieving life once more becomes a little more understandable. Second, what exactly does a resurrected protagonist look like? I must admit that there is something a little too daunting about trying to come up with a likable mummy, but Imhotep is certainly a man who has seen more than his share of suffering.

The special effects are hugely impressive despite the fact that they are obviously special effects (the art of invisibility was not achieved very well here). When Imhotep is slowly regenerating, there are scenes showing his body and face that are impressive in their spectacle, but not impressive in not looking animated. As a whole, The Mummy is exactly what you might expect it to be, except that it was released amidst so much excitement and hype that it really should have taken itself more seriously and been more of a thinking film. It would have, under those circumstances, been immensely more respectable and might have joined its predecessor as a movie classic. It is a successful update of the Mummy theme (which has become almost a genre in itself), but there is a lot of fluff in the film that simply doesn't belong.

Silly Fun

[catmommie · 8/10 · 12 May 1999]

Citizen Kane it ain't, but if you're looking for good, silly, H. Rider Haggardesque fun, this is the film for you. While it hasn't replaced the Universal classic in my affections, let's face it, the venerable original creaks a little. I mean, Karloff's Imhotep only moves two feet per hour -- geez, how will I ever escape him? Arnold Vosloo's Mummy is considerably more fleet, and frankly (from the dirty old lady's perspective) is pretty darned buff for a dead guy. A modern affectation, sure, but I like the idea of a mummy with a great butt.

Brendan Fraser looks good, has a fabulous voice, and a whole boatload of goofy charm. Hey! Call me shallow, but that's pretty much all I'm looking for in a screen idol. John Hannah was acceptable, if not inspired, as the wastrel brother. Rachel Weisz is gorgeous, and acquits herself well in the role of "Heroine in an Adventure Film;" i.e., she screams and gets rescued a lot.

OK, I lie. The modern "Heroine in an Adventure Film" is SPUNKY, screams, and gets rescued a lot.

And as to Oded Fehr, who plays the mysterious desert guardian of the mummy's tomb (a role traditionally assayed by Welsh character actors) -- I and the rest of the ladies in my party indicated, through a series of incoherent grunts and some unattractive drooling, a strong desire to see much, much more of him. And we mean that both literally and figuratively. Powers that be, please take note.

A couple of small caveats: the bug quotient in this film is much higher than I usually tolerate. It puts you right off your Milk Duds. And where in the hell did those camels come from?

So if you're in a mood for brainless entertainment, I recommend that you set your intellect on stun, rush to the nearest cineplex, buy the large popcorn (WITH butter), and settle in for a couple of hours of colorful, loud, over-the-top fun.

Catmommie

Good simple entertainment.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 7/10 · 6 May 2007]

At the time of its release, both the public and critics were screaming and shouting that this movie for being to much of an Indiana Jones wannabe. Now that this storm has settled down, I hope that more people will be able to take this movie for what it is; pure simple entertainment.

This is certainly a movie that entertains. It's clean and simple and makes no attempt in putting in any realism or much originality for that matter.

It's obvious that Stephen Sommers, just like with his other movie "Van Helsing", was attempting to revive the old adventure genre from the '30's/'40's. And just as with "Van Helsing" was the case, it doesn't do this very successfully. Modern movie-making and '30's/'40's adventurous storytelling just don't go together well anymore. The movie is perhaps more of a spoof than an homage at times. And although I certainly enjoy and admire Stephen Sommers attempts, I just don't think these sort of movies will ever make a large impact, or revive the genre from the old days. But I certainly wouldn't mind seeing more simple big blockbuster movies from Stephen Sommers in the future.

The movie is loosely and I mean very loosely based on the 1932 "The Mummy", starring Boris Karloff in the title role. The movie mostly chooses its own approach and simply uses the concept of the mummy for an overblown entertaining movie with a simple story.

But entertaining this movie surely is. The movie is filled with fun characters, lots of over-the-top action and a perfectly adventurous feeling all over it, due to the movie its settings and traveling elements.

The characters are perhaps the foremost reason why the movie works out so entertaining. All of the characters are extremely simple and stereotypical but that works really well for such a movie like this one, that obviously doesn't take itself too serious. On top of that the movie is also really well cast. It was the movie that introduced the world to Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah and Arnold Vosloo, though his career never really got off the ground. Brendan Fraser shows how well he can handle the comical sequences but he also is convincing as the action hero of the movie, mainly because he has the right looks for it. Rachel Weisz plays a more light and naive kind of role and it actually is hard to believe that she is mostly playing now more demanding roles in movies such as "Constant Gardener" and "The Fountain". John Hannah is perfect as the more comical sidekick of the movie and also Arnold Vosloo impresses as the villainous mummy. Also the supporting roles of the movie are very entertaining, such as the stereotypical cowboy-type Americans and Kevin J. O'Connor as Beni, who also provides some comical notes. The characters are also made more entertaining by some fine and fun written dialog.

But there isn't much else to the script really. The movie purely is an excuses to show off some new special effects and let the mummy cause all kind of mayhem across Egypt. Yes, its incredibly simple but perhaps also all the more entertaining because of that.

The sequences with the movie definitely are the highlights of the movie, as he unleashes all the biblical plagues across Egypt. The special effects are convincingly looking for the mummy and his neat tricks, though it's definitely true that by todays standards the effects are all quite slightly below average.

The settings of the movie are nice, though some are obviously fake, and they help to give the movie its adventurous feeling. The movie obviously had an high budget and it shows in its action sequences and special effects. The musical score by Jerry Goldsmith is also fine and truly uplifts the movie. Jerry Goldsmith has made a couple of epic scores for some not so epic movies.

Good simple quality entertainment. Just sit back and enjoy!

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

$150M on effects and $20 on plot??

[SgtBaker · 3/10 · 22 May 1999]

Man, what a turkey. Let me see... $150M on special effects and $20 on plot and acting. I'm not going to waste a bunch of time commenting on this movie except to say that it was one of the worst pieces of junk I have ever watched. The acting was terrible, the plot was horrible, the dialog was stupid... the special effects, however, were very good.

A Modern Classic!

[daria84 · 1 April 2003]

This movie is meant to be a classic. It is so ingenious and good that makes you watch it over and over again!

I actually watched this movie 6 times in the theaters, and then I bought the video and I lost count of how many times I have seen this movie.

It is about an Egyptian high priest Imhotep, who was caught having an affair with the Pharaoh mistress and consequently was punished with death and a curse. Then many centuries later, adventurer Rick O'Conell discovers him with Evy, and archeologist, Jonathan, her greed brother, and a group of Americans seeking for fame an glory.

This movie is great, the cast is so good, I never heard of any of them before this movie, except for Brendan Fraser who was in the super famous "George of the Jungle" movie. Anyways the performances are vey convincing, Brendan Fraser is great as handsome hero, Rachel Weisz is great as Evy, a clumsy but very intelligent egyptologist, John Hannah delivers the humor in this movie as Jonathan, the good-for-nothing guy who only cares about money, I have to mention Oded Fehr too, he was pretty good as the mysterious and attractive Ardeth Bay, the leader of the Mejais who is in charge to put the mummy back in his grave, and how can I forget the Mummy himself, Arnold Vosloo, who was, without any doubt, the best one in this movie. His performance is so good as the evil and sexy high priest Imhotep, he doesn't make you hate him, he makes you feel sorry for him! That is what I call "acting skills".

The plot is good, it's not a cheezy-horror flick or something like that, and the dialogues are awesome too :) Let's not forget the direction, Stephen Sommers does a great job. And special mention to the music, by Jerry Goldsmith, it was one of the best parts of this movie.

You get a lot of "candy eye" in this movie, for guys and girls, for guys you get Rachel Weisz and in the beginning of the movie you see the Venezuelan top-model Patricia Velazques as the unfaithful Anck-su-namun; and for girls you get Brendan Fraser, Oded Fehr and of course Arnold Vosloo.

Anyways I highly recommend this movie, THIS IS A MUST-SEE. ***** out of *****

One amazing Egyptian Adventure!

[FilmFanInTheHouse · 7/10 · 5 September 2007]

The Mummy (1999, Dir. Stephen Sommers)

An English librarian called Evelyn Carnahan becomes interested in starting an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Hamunaptra. He gains the help of Rick O'Connell, after saving him from his death. What Evelyn, her brother Jonathan and Rick is unaware of if that another group of explorers are interested in the same dig. Unfortunately for everyone, this group ends up unveiling a curse which has risen the dead High Priest Imhotep. Now 'The Mummy' is awake and it's going to take a lot more than guns to send him back from where he came from.

There has been many adaptations of 'The Mummy', but none really have appeared within the new age of digital technology. What we've got here is an amazing adventure through Egypt. The special effects are very good and looks very frightening at times. Are the right actors have been chosen for the roles. You can really see a sinister side of Arnold Vosloo and can really enjoy the comic side of John Hannah. There are some amazing scenery in the film, and some wonderful jokes. It's not the great film, but is still a movie which everyone would enjoy over and over again.

"He took my eyes!" - Mr. Burns (Tuc Watkins)

The sands will rise. The heavens will part. The power will be unleashed

[marco-67 · 10/10 · 25 May 2003]

The Mummy is the best mummy movie ever to be made. This movie will blow your mind by its action, romance, adventure and music score. I loved The Mummy because it's one of those roller coaster rides were you just jump on and never let go. The Mummy is a remake of the 1932 mummy which starred Boris Karloff who played imhotep. The Mummy is about an expedition of treasure seeking explorers in the Sahara desert in 1925. They stumble upon an ancient tomb, the hunters without knowing set loose a 3,000 year-old inheritance of terror, which is personified in the vengeful reincarnation of an Egyptian priest who had been sentenced to an infinity as one of the living dead. I love watching this movie in 1999 at the big screen. This movie made me love Egypt a lot. I guarantee this movie a classic. Do not compare this with the 1932 movie. Thanks to director Stephen Sommers which he did a wonderful job on this fantastic film. If you want to see this movie do not watch the 1932 one watch the 1999 one because it will blow you away. Last things to wrap this up Spectacular special effects, Roller coaster adventure, Funny moments, Out of the world music score, Superb acting and wonderful cast. This movie is a 10/10 stars.

Bit Overlong, But Still The Word Is 'Fun'

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 1 April 2006]

It seems like a long time ago when this came out, but I remember it being the first DVD I had ever bought sight unseen, meaning I had never seen the film in the theater. I was pleased. I got what I had hoped for: a fun, special-effects extravaganza.

In fact, if you read a number of reviews, you see the word "fun" more than anything. That best describes this film.

This was an Indiana Jones-Jason And The Argonauts combination adventure story. It's cartoon-like in nature with an absurd swashbuckling hero, outlandish action scenes and the occult theology that filmmakers love so much. (The Mummy has God-like powers, even producing Old Testament plagues.)

However, the film isn't all good news. It's too long by about 10-15 minutes and there is simply too much action and too much noise. The film needs more lulls.

Brendan Fraser is pretty good as the Indiana Jones figure and Rachel Weisz, a new face at the time, makes a solid impression in her debut. The DVD offered a sharp picture which highlighted a number of jaw-dropping scenes. It's pure escapist fun and not meant to be anything else.

I can watch this on a loop and not get bored

[priscillasco · 10/10 · 18 August 2019]

Great special effects for its time. Great cast. Great story, photography, direction, production. Most likely had a great crew.

Funny movie, without presumption.

[AleFish · 7/10 · 11 May 2001]

The Mummy is a funny movie, without presumption. The cast is well-chosen, the script is ironic and The Mummy with Karloff (obvious comparison) is enough far: more dramatic and evocative. A different thing!

It's not Indy

[themarina1 · 7/10 · 9 August 2004]

This movie wasn't exactly Indiana Jones but it did have it's moments.

Rachel Weisz plays the meek librarian who wants to be an archaeologist and, in an interesting turn of events, finds herself hunting for lost treasure with the help of her always in trouble brother (played by John Hannah) and the treasure hunting American (Canadian Boy Colin Fraser).

This movie provides some great special effects. Add in some hilarious moments and lots of action (fighting mummies and skeletons)and you have yourself a great little action movie. Thoroughly enjoyable indeed as long as you're not expecting Indy.

8/10

As bad as it gets

[msz · 1/10 · 2 June 1999]

I am frustrated. Frustrated that more movies like this will come out of Hollywood and reap in tons of money. It just makes me sad. The basic answer on a negative critique on "The Mummy" seems to be: "Hey, what did you expect? It's a fun movie." It's not. It's bad filmmaking at it's worst. It's not entertaining - and I was looking for shallow entertainment. It's not funny - the jokes are lame and the scenes that should've been serious are jokes too (which are also lame). The script doesn't even try to present a coherent or consistent plot - it's just a series of badly written, acted and directed scenes, held together by plot holes. Three days before I've seen "The Mummy", I started reading William Goldman's "Adventures in the Screen Trade" and I think it gives a really good overview of the inner workings of the American film industry. However, "The Mummy" told me more about Hollywood filmmaking (and the power of marketing and the average moviegoer) than this wonderful book - and it makes me sad.

I love this movie so much!

[0U · 20 February 2020]

A real romp of an adventure/horror genre with a wonderful aesthetic that works perfectly and he period setting is pure genius at creating an immersive world. Performances are terrific with Weisz and Fraser having a blast and a great dynamic. The CGI does look a little outdated and of course brings the overall film down but the humour and the overall tone is balanced brilliantly.

The quintessential late 90s popcorn movie

[Fluke_Skywalker · 7/10 · 8 September 2014]

Sometimes even movies we enjoy can fall out of our mental queue over the years and become forgotten. And so it was with 'The Mummy' until I spied it in the grab bag of has-beens and never-weres that is the Walmart BluRay bargain bin.

Like 'Independence Day' and 'The Mask of Zorro', 'The Mummy' is a prime example of the best popcorn entertainment of the late 90s. Featuring just the right blend of action, humor and romance, and refreshingly agenda-free, it's the perfect lazy day escape.

As an additional note, the copy I bought was the "Ultimate Edition" BluRay. The special features are anything but, however the picture and sound quality are absolutely first rate.

It's not horror you know - it's just real good family fun.

[hitchcockthelegend · 8/10 · 31 May 2011]

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

Change of Setting!

[spookyrat1 · 7/10 · 23 April 2019]

There's no doubt the movie business can be an unpredictable affair at times. In 1998 Stephen Sommers wrote and directed a disaster/monster feature with fairly rich comic undertones to it. It was called Deep Rising and it tanked (despite this writer liking it) fairly spectacularly, though it has gone on over the years to achieve a degree of cult status.

Now for some writer.directors that commercial failure may have represented the kiss of death. But in this case, not for Stephen Sommers. A year later Universal Pictures almost doubled his budget from Deep Rising and let him go and make what was almost the same sort of film again. Go figure. At any rate their intuition proved to be correct. Sommers remake of The Mummy, turning it from a horror film into a tongue-in-cheek action adventure proved this time to be a commercial master stroke and franchise starter. Sommers and Universal had an international hit on their hands.

What changed? Superficially heaps, but intrinsically, not a great deal. Both films deal with monsters, The Mummy less mysteriously. The obvious differences are the settings. Deep Rising is water-bound; largely set on a disaster-afflicted cruise liner amidst a storm tossed ocean. Being set in the burning sands of the Eygptian desert (with Morocco substituting), The Mummy does appear worlds apart.

But really Sommers just cleverly tinkers with his Deep Rising template, refines a few odds and ends and voila! ... finds out he has a hit on his hands.

The Mummy ramps up the humour quotient and eases back a little on the gore/horror elements of Deep Rising. Kevin J. O'Connor moves from being a comic side kick in DR to being a comic villain in TM. John Hannah, comfortably fits into the comical shoes of Jonathan Carnahan, the new bumbling side kick. Arguably the main reason for the The Mummy's success lies in the lead pairing of Brendon Fraser and Rachel Weisz. They have real onscreen chemistry and Weisz, as airy, but also feisty and smart librarian Evelyn Carnahan, proves she has the comedic talents to match those, we already knew of Fraser. Unlike Deep Rising, where the leads didn't meet up till the second half, Sommers wisely ensures this time that Fraser and Weisz team up early in the film, so we can all more fully enjoy those rom-com sparks flying.

About the only character actually keeping a straight face and playing an orthodox but very convincing villain, is South African stage actor Arnold Vosloo who is Imhotep, The Mummy, aided in his role with some well executed CGI. effects.

The Mummy is fast-paced from beginning to end, provides plenty of thrills, spills and laughs along the way, along with more than a touch of romance. It's lot of fun, quite charming and never pretentious. But ultimately, it reminded me of the fine movie lines that exist between hits and misses.

Fun, fun, fun

[bowmanblue · 8/10 · 8 January 2015]

Okay, before I begin the review proper, I must warn you that I'm probably going to be using the word 'fun' a lot to describe 'The Mummy.' Because that's all it is – fun. A lot of people liken it to the Indiana Jones movies and I can see where they're coming from. Then again, an equally high proportion of the audience detests how the two movies are likened to each other. No, I'm certainly not saying that The Mummy is anywhere near as good as the Jones trilogy (notice how I'm leaving out the Crystal Skull out of that statement!), but it is similar.

The Mummy is one of those 'family fun' kind of movies – an adventure which should most likely be screened on a Saturday afternoon for everyone to cheer along to. Brendan Fraser takes the lead and is at his best when he's acting big and dumb, but, in doing so, he's also completely lovable and easy to root for. Rachel Weisz is his 'love interest' and, apart from being able to read/speak the ancient texts, doesn't do that much for the portrayal of women in cinema, as she spends much of her time in need of rescue (you'll have to watch the sequel if you want to see her kicking some a$$!). John Hannah is her on-screen brother and he's the main 'comic relief' of the film – a part which sometimes goes horribly wrong if it's handled incorrectly. However, fortunately, despite being the coward of the bunch, he's funny enough not to be annoying (and even fires a gun or two near the end if you watch closely).

So, our blundering trio of heroes only go and wake up an ancient mummy when they're raiding a tomb in Egypt. And he's not happy. Not only does he want to 'borrow' the bodily parts of those who woke him up, but he also wants to take over the world – typical, huh? The creature itself is actually CGI for the most part. I guess they couldn't get an actor who was decomposing to play the part. However, when he's fully formed, he's played by Arnold Vosloo, who does the job to act menacing (even when he doesn't say a word of English).

So, expect gun fights, undead creatures chasing our heroes, the odd car chase and pretty much everything else you'd come to find in a PG action/adventure movie. Yes, nothing here is that new, but when something's handled correctly that doesn't matter. It's still a fun a film that should please everyone. Basically, there are two ways of watching The Mummy – you can either nitpick the whole thing and pull it apart, or you can simply gloss over any of the plot holes and simply enjoy it from what it is – the filmic equivalent of Brendan Fraser himself – big, dumb, silly fun, fun, fun.