The Mummy Returns

A film review by Bobbi Sinha-Morey

Instead we are given a brief summary in the beginning of the Scorpion King and his underground army. From there the special effects take over and carry the plot along. However, they are remarkably well done to the point that they have a mesmerizing effect on you. Without a doubt my favorite scene is when Imhotep churns up the mountainous waves of water to chase after the hot weather balloon Rick (Brendan Fraser), his wife, and brother-in-law try to escape in. A likeness of Imhotep's face is seen on a wall of water and the effect leaves you spellbound.

Otherwise the story lacked adequate characterization. Rick's little boy, Alex, for instance, is a central character who is intended to remind you of Macaulay Culkin.

For the record, one of the very first scenes we see him in is when he thwarts the efforts of three thieves. What are we supposed to think? I say cut the kid out of the movie altogether and let him star in part ten of "Home Alone." As it is, he hasn't half the talent of Macaulay Culkin, nor does he have the personality the other actors do.

Brendan Fraser, for that matter, who is a seasoned actor by now, comes across as the best actor in the entire cast. John Hannah, who plays his brother-in-law Jona-than, is the second best actor, yet he is the one who has the most character. Here and there we get to see small bits of it come through such as his love for artifacts and humorous moments when he is haphazardly trying to drive a bus. More or less, he seems to bumble his way around. The other characters, Rick and his wife Evelyn, seem to only come across as stick figures. They play the part of the worried parents when their son is kidnapped and simply go through the motions their parts dictate rather than growing in any way.

However, I have to honestly admit that the best thing about the whole movie is Arnold Vosloo who is so extraordinarily handsome he even tops Yul Brynner in the looks department. His skin and sensuality are electrifying. He had a few romantic lines, but alas, they were flat and emotionless. If only the tender kiss he had shared with his raven haired inamorata could've been a little longer. Essentially, you couldn't have chosen anyone better for the part of Imhotep the mummy.

What made the movie suffer most were the cliches it was built upon and how some of the moments were overdone. Shooting mummies from the second floor of an English double-decker bus was one of them. Another is when you see a million odd looking dwarves (mummies?) scampering all about like rhesus monkeys inside a forest. And the hordes of black bugs annoyed me every single time. If they had at least put the effort into making the Egyptian girl look like a beautiful mummy then the movie would've been more worthwhile. I was hoping for some lovely footage of mummies in all their horrifying aspects, yet it was scant. Otherwise there is no getting around the good close-ups of The Army of Anubis and the Scorpion King you see at the end.

All in all, this is a movie aimed more for kids than it is for adults. In fact, some of the action packed scenes even remind you of the video games children like to play. More or less, "The Mummy Returns" is designed to keep the whole family entertained. Even if adults don't like it that much the kids will be sure to love it.

Copyright 2001 Bobbi Sinha-Morey