A fun adventure

Rating: 8/10 (13 July 2016)

In the prologue; we high priest Imhotep is having an affair with the Pharaoh's mistress; he catches them but the pair murder him. Shortly afterwards they are caught; she takes her own life but Imhotep isn't so lucky; he is condemned to the worst punishment imaginable; he interred with hundreds of scarabs which eat him alive. His sarcophagus is buried beneath a statue in the city of Hamunaptra; the city of the dead.
Three thousand years later in 1925, long after Hamunaptra has disappeared into the sands and become almost mythical, American adventurer Rick O'Connell finds it once again. Back in Cairo Jonathan Carnahan gives a strange box to his sister Evelyn; it contains a map to the location of Hamunaptra. It turns out he's stolen it from Rick who is now in gaol awaiting execution! Needing his help Evelyn and Jonathan buy his release and they head to Hamunaptra. They aren't the only people going there though; a group of American treasure hunters have learnt of its location as well. What none of them know it that Imhotep is still there waiting for somebody to release him from his grave. Once released he will be a treat to all the world!
Given that this film is rated '15' here I assumed it would be a bit more gory or contain other offensive material but to be honest I thought it was less scary than the 'PG' rated 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'Â… it might frighten younger children but I'd say it was suitable for everybody else looking for an exciting adventure/monster movie. The story is simple enough, without unnecessary twists and the monster, when we finally see it is suitably creepy without being too scary. There is plenty of action from start to finish and some great special effects. The cast do a solid enough job in a way that makes it clear that we aren't meant to be taking it too seriously. Brendon Fraser is fairly impressive as Rick and Rachel Weisz is good as Evelyn. They are ably supported by the likes of John Hannah, Jonathan; Arnold Vosloo, Imhotep and Omid Djalili as the gaoler who accompanies then. Overall I'd recommend this; it was a lot more fun than I expected.