The Curse of an Addicting Action Film.

Rating: 10/10 (27 May 2010)

The first time I saw 'The Mummy', I was terrified. Of course, I was only 9 years old then (and very much a chicken obviously). Now that I am 20 years old and have seen the film without a hint of terror, I'm very much glad I got over my childish fear of flesh-eating bugs and sat through this amazing movie's entire length. It's too good a film not to watch.
The movie starts out in ancient Egyptian times, sometime around 2000 years B.C. Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) is the trusted High Priest to Pharaoh Seti I, but he's got a thing for Seti's soon-to-be wife, Anck-Su-Namon (Patricia Velasquez). They have an affair behind the Pharaoh's back and plot to take over the rule with a devious, murderous ambition. When Anck kills herself after she and the High Priest brazenly kill Seti, Imhotep tries to resurrect his love, only to be captured by Pharaoh's watchdogs, the Med-jai. Imhotep is mummified alive, the victim of the dreaded Hom-Dai, and sealed up inside the base of an Anubis statue in Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead. Anyone who disturbs him risks releasing his wrath on the world.
Flashforward to Cairo, Egypt in 1926, and we have librarian Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz) and her booze-loving brother Jonathan (John Hannah). They happen upon a map that leads to the fabled Hamunaptra, which is hidden in a 'puzzle box' that Jonathan swipes off an unsuspecting American. This American is Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser), an ex-legionnaire who has been locked up in a Cairo prison for 3 yearsand someone who just happens to have been to Hamunaptra. Evelyn pays for O'Connell's release, and she convinces him to take her and Jonathan to the City of the Dead. After all, it could be the find of the century! The three of them, along with O'Connell's former buddy Beni (Kevin O'Connor) leading his own party of 3 rowdy American cowboys, excavate through the City and unfortunately happen upon Imhotep's tomb. At the same time, the American tomb raiders and their snooty Egyptologist Dr. Chamberlin find the famous and powerful Black Book of the Dead, which if read correctly will bring the dead to life. Evelyn sneaks it away from Chamberlin and reads itraising Imhotep from the grave and unleashing his fury. It's now a life or death struggle as the unfortunate individuals try to escape Imhotep's vehemence. I'll let you find out for yourself what happens, should you so choose to watch the movie.
This is one action movie that I could watch over and over. The dialogue, the costumes, the music, I pretty much love everything about this movie. I'm very big into Egyptian mythology, so there's one more reason why I adore this film. Even though the real Imhotep wasn't a homicidal, back-stabbing High Priest to Seti (he was actually an engineer and architect) and the Book of the Dead isn't really a book at all (rather, it is a set of papyrus scrolls laid to rest with each mummified individual), the story behind this particular Imhotep really sucked you into him. The other characters are excellent as well. I think Evelyn is my favorite movie heroine: she's got brains and a little brawn behind her, and she's not a stereotypical damsel-in-distress or sword-wielding assassin chick. She carries herself well. Jonathan is a riot, Rick is the kind of guy you would love to have as a body guard, and Imhotep himself is the most diabolical former priest to ever be resurrected. My personal favorites are the Americans: Daniels, Henderson and Burns, Daniels being my favorite of them all (Corey Johnson is one of my 5 favorite actors). Beni adds the right amount of comic relief and Jonathan Hyde's Chamberlin is perfect for the obnoxious, know-it-all professor. The plot's easy to follow, and the special effects are pretty damn good.
There's nothing better than a good action movie, and 'The Mummy' is definitely among the best. I highly recommend seeing it (and its sequel, one of the few sequels I actually like). It's alright if you know nothing of Egypt and its rich, mythological past; once you get sucked in, you won't want to be pulled out.
My grade: A+, 10/10