Review: The Mummy (1999) Is The Best Adventure Film That Isn't Indiana Jones
- May 31, 2017
- 2 min read
The movie that took Brendan Fraser from obscure actor blockbuster star, The Mummy remains thoroughly entertaining adventure movie almost 20 years after it released. It's not Spielberg and Fraser is no Ford but it's a damn good time all the same.
Rick O'Connell (Fraser) escapes death at the city of Hamunaptra, a place that no one believes exists. On his return to Cairo he gets himself into trouble, the punishment for which is death. When he's rescued by Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) he agrees to lead her and her brother to the city in exchange for the treasure that is rumoured to be there. But when they unwittingly unleash an ancient evil unto the world, the race is on to stop the reborn Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) from consuming everything they know.
Blatantly inspired by Indiana Jones, The mummy feels like the sequel that Spielberg never made, though having seen what passes for a modern Jones sequel, I'm glad it isn't. While it is neither the smartest, nor the most competent of films, it makes up for it by being a brilliant combination of high stakes adventure and low budget horror. Between outrageous action sequences and man eating insects, it really has to be seen to be believed.
Fraser is excellent as the roguish adventurer, delivering catch phrases with aplomb and battling the undead with everything from handguns to household pets. Weisz is also pretty entertaining though the real highlight is the title character. Arnold Vosloo devours scenery, sometimes quite literally, and is a joy to behold. Imhotep is more complex than he first appears, driven by an intense love rather than acting out of little more than pure spite.
The Mummy is an undeniably enjoyable film. While it may not be the original, it's definitely the best. It's a blast to watch and I sincerely doubt any Tom Cruise led money machine will be able to even touch it's greatness.
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