Not as good or as funny as the 1st

Rating: 6/10 (11 May 2001)

A classic case of sequelitis. Take those aspects of the last picture that everyone liked, multiply by 10, cut character development to make room and viola, instant sequel.
I will admit to not liking Mummy the first time I saw it either. I was expecting a horror film and instead got a cut-rate Indiana Jones adventure-comedy. But after watching it again on DVD I developed an enjoyment of the film for what it was- a fun, light-hearted adventure romp with excellent special effects, witty humor, and engaging (if undeveloped) characters. I even was looking forward to the sequel.
Maybe it will take another viewing of this one as well, because on first viewing I found Mummy Returns to lack the fun of the first one. The humor is carried mostly by Rick & Evie's son Alex and Evie's brother Jonothan. While they have some good lines, they don't measure up to Kevin J. O'Connor's Benny of the first film in terms of comic relief.
The film is composed primarily of action scenes that simply lead into one another, many without much purpose other than to show off digital effects- Where did those pygmy mummies come from? and who controlled them?- and others simply a direct lift from the first film - Im-Ho-Tep blows a wall (this time of water instead of sand) at our airborne heroes, complete with his face which again "eats" the airship.
The hand-to-hand fights were well staged as were nearly all the action sequences (although we have seen the double deck bus into a bridge gag before in a James Bond movie). The only special effect I was disappointed with was the final Scorpion King. Why was a digital version of the Rock's face used instead of his real head?
Im-ho-tep himself is sadly under used, his place being taken by a couple of forgettable lackeys and the reincarnation of Anck-Su-Namun, along with the ever present threat of the return of the Scorpion King hanging over their heads.
An entertaining, if somewhat jumbled & unfocused summer diversion, but don't expect too much. Just as Mummy was a primer for Phantom Menace, Mummy Returns is just keeping theater seats warm until Pearl Harbor is released.