Let the Summer of 2001 begin...

Rating: 9/10 (6 May 2001)

This is the first of the summer blockbusters, and like Gladiator last year, the summer is off to an impressive start. The Mummy Returns is one hell of a good time..if you appreciate spectacle, than this is the movie for you. It doesn't let you up for breath for one second, and takes all the Egyptian mysticism and beauty of the first film and cranks it all the way up.
I personally didn't like The Mummy when I walked out of the theater, but it grew on me with repeated viewings. This film has wowed from the very start. With assorted fun throwbacks to the original (the clumsy knocking over of pillars recollects the collapsing library, as well as forgetting a heiroglyphic at just the wrong moment), all the best characters return and become even more detailed. Look forward to the exciting backstory of Evie. The best parts about this one is the developed character of Ardeth Bay (why is Oded Fehr not a superstar?) and the truly evil Anck Su-Namun. The only real disappointment is The Rock as the Scorpion King. He opens and closes the film, and is the underlying story that propels the film, but he isn't much of a presence onscreen. Why they chose him for this role is a mystery, especially since he turns into CGI during his most dramatic appearance. Rock fans are advised to pass.
But anyone who misses the Indiana Jones films, was a fan of the original Mummy, or a fellow believer that they don't make good adventure movies anymore, this is a film for you. Bring someone to cheer with, The Mummy Returns is a grand adventure...