CGI Overkill

Rating: 6/10 (23 May 2001)

I went to see this with my older brother (he's 22, i'm 19)because we both liked the original for it's sense of old-fashioned action adventure (for a new generation). So we figured this would be about the same, but more of it. We couldn't be more right. Even though i do like the film's light- heartedness, the special effects are what (for me anyway) really ruined the film. Almost every single shot contains that damn CGI (i'll take stop-motion animation anyday). Not that i hate CGI, but it has to be functional, here it all seems too forced to be natural, heck, even the backgrounds of ancient Egypt looked fake, whereas in the Mummy they looked great. The action in the film was inventive and pacey, but again ruined by all that CGI rammed down your throat (you don't know where to look). Overall i'd say this is an enjoyable film, great for a Friday or Saturday night with your mates and spectacular fun for the kids, but for me the sometimes great, sometimes terrible CGI was way too much and the ending was disappointing too: they promised so much with it, but in the end all we have is a badly animated scorpion king.
*** out of *****