Where's the beef?

Rating: 5/10 (12 May 1999)

Obviously, advertising for the Mummy promises state-of-the-art special effects and edge-of-your-seat action. I entered the theater with re-newed faith in the movie industry, as the last film I caught was 'The Matrix.' What did I find?
First of all, the special effects in the Mummy showed a complete lack of imagination. How many times can they show a moving skeleton? How many times can scarabs appear in swarms out of nowhere? Or bees, or locusts? The mummy himself was pretty cool when he first came to life, I admit, but they could have done even more with his appearance, since you get to see him up close many times.
Aside from the effects, the central problem here is plot, or rather lack of one: a cookie-cutter storyline, down to the last scene where the hero kisses the girl and they ride off into the sunset (though on camels here instead of horses). I'll admit it was funny, very funny in parts, but I didn't go in expecting a comedy. Movies like 'Scream' and 'Nightmare on Elm Street' could pull off making you laugh, and placing you at the edge of your seat at the same time. This movie completely fails at that, and comes off as a complete Adventure-movie spoof. Even 'Tremors' was better at creating tension. Because 'The Mummy' seems to be continually making fun of itself, you never feel the wonderful suspense that made movies like 'Speed' and 'T2' superior action flicks.
All in all, I'd say the movie's greatest strengths come from the comedic writing, and Brendan (who is in no way responsible for this movie's shortcomings, by the way) continually beating the s**t out of this little twerp that keeps showing up at key turning points in the film.
If you must investigate the Mummy's curse, I suggest a matinee.