THE MUMMY RETURNS: A Review (spoiler free)

Posted by MK from 1Cust167.tnt2.sherman-oaks.ca.da.uu.net on May 03, 2001 at 23:53:25:

Wednesday I attended a press screening of the second installment of the Rick O'Connel adventures. It is a fun movie. The enlarged budget is evident. Loads of riveting action, lavish sets and countless CGI (computer generated imagery) effects. No doubt it will be a blockbuster and will be one of the top grossing films of the year.

That is the good news. News of the less favorable kind includes: Weaker script, more slapstick and CGI effects.

Most often sequels suffer from less compelling stories then the originals. The Mummy Returns is no exception. The tale is not as tall and you don't really care about the characters.

Teenagers may be immune but the thirty something’s and above will find the tongue is so firmly in the cheek it kills the plausibility all together.

Likewise CGI characters that look like the latest computer game might be "awesome" for those too young to remember life before Nintindo (or Pong for that matter), but this fedora clad reviewer would prefer living tangible characters. Can you say Jar-Jar?

I can't help but mention a pet peeve. I really hate it when they don't stick to the period. Rachel Weisz hair was SO nineties. If she were really in 1933 wearing that much make-up, she would have been picked up for prostitution. I am willing to bet she was feeling jealous of Patricia Velazquez (the painted girl from the original). I am not even going to mention their clothes or slang. But it is hard to believe Arnold Vosloo (Imhotep) was born 3000 B.C. when his small pox vaccination scar is sticking out like a sore thumb.

Now you might be thinking I hated the movie because I’ve picked on some of the elements. Not True! I enjoyed the chases and heroic feats. The film score was Williams-esque. The water wall was very cool. O’Connel even wore a fedora for almost a full minute. I had a good time watching it and so will you. Chances are though you too will have these nagging thoughts on the way home.

The bottom line is: I am glad somebody is making action adventure films even if they’re less the great. Well...at least until Indy 4 :-)

Follow Ups:

Adventure! Romance! Danger! Vaccination scars! Inby 01:40:42 5/04/2001 (6)
- Planet of the Apes (spoiler!) graml 08:33:06 5/04/2001 (5)
  - Spiderman (spoiler!) Fall Guy 13:27:45 5/04/2001 (4)
    - Tomb Raider (spoiler!) Brett (Maverick) Lambert 11:59:34 5/07/2001 (3)
      - Pearl Harbour (spoiler!) Brett (Maverick) Lambert 12:00:27 5/07/2001 (2)
        
        Disney's Atlantis (spoiler!) bud-arc 15:16:23 5/10/2001 (1)
        
        Jurassic Park 3 (spoiler!) bud-arc 15:19:07 5/10/2001 (0)

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: Wednesday I attended a press screening of the second installment of the Rick O'Connel adventures. It is a fun movie. The enlarged budget is evident. Loads of riveting action, lavish sets and countless CGI (computer generated imagery) effects. No doubt it will be a blockbuster and will be one of the top grossing films of the year.

: That is the good news. News of the less favorable kind includes: Weaker script, more slapstick and CGI effects.

: Most often sequels suffer from less compelling stories then the originals. The Mummy Returns is no exception. The tale is not as tall and you don't really care about the characters.

: Teenagers may be immune but the thirty something’s and above will find the tongue is so firmly in the cheek it kills the plausibility all together.

: Likewise CGI characters that look like the latest computer game might be "awesome" for those too young to remember life before Nintindo (or Pong for that matter), but this fedora clad reviewer would prefer living tangible characters. Can you say Jar-Jar?

: I can't help but mention a pet peeve. I really hate it when they don't stick to the period. Rachel Weisz hair was SO nineties. If she were really in 1933 wearing that much make-up, she would have been picked up for prostitution. I am willing to bet she was feeling jealous of Patricia Velazquez (the painted girl from the original). I am not even going to mention their clothes or slang. But it is hard to believe Arnold Vosloo (Imhotep) was born 3000 B.C. when his small pox vaccination scar is sticking out like a sore thumb.

: Now you might be thinking I hated the movie because I’ve picked on some of the elements. Not True! I enjoyed the chases and heroic feats. The film score was Williams-esque.  The water wall was very cool. O’Connel even wore a fedora for almost a full minute. I had a good time watching it and so will you. Chances are though you too will have these nagging thoughts on the way home.

: The bottom line is: I am glad somebody is making action adventure films even if they’re less the great. Well...at least until Indy 4 :-)

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