A second look: THE MUMMY RETURNS

Rating: 9/10 (5 October 2007)

My Take: A ripping old-fashioned adventure with excessive special effects galore, but a lot of fun.
Sequels have always been a part in Hollywood entertainment, most especially summer blockbusters. What we have here is a sequel, once again, to a surprise blockbuster hit. The film was THE MUMMY, which became one of the biggest hits in 1999. With more than a million bucks for another movie, writer/director Stephen Sommers is back for THE MUMMY RETURNS, with bigger plans, bigger budget and, of course, bigger special effects.
THE MUMMY RETURNS has the usual trappings for a summer movie. Big special effects mainly. This one has more special effects than the first film. We get to see more than just mummies coming to life, or sand taking form of the large gaping face of a monster. This time, director (Sommers) brings out everything his imagination has brought up. The story seemed to be more than a decoration, rather than the special effects, which suddenly turn up as one of the films main target. It has special-effects over story and intelligence, but what do you expect from a summer action movie (a sequel, no less). I enjoyed THE MUMMY RETURNS, like all summer flicks, for what they are.
Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are back as Rick and Evy, who's out to defend the earth, once again, from the mummy Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) who is resurrected to fulfill a prophecy, to slay the legendary Scorpion King (played briefly by The Rock), and gain control of the Army of Anubis and gain full immortality.
The film has overtones of a horror story, but really is a big, bustling action movie. Obviously inspired by the INDIANA JONES series, like the first film, this film boasts a lot of daredevil action stunts, some totally unbelievable. A large suspension of disbelief is required, but the action sequences, as are the special effects, are so wildly exciting and silly (embracing the slight absurdity of a n old B-movie serial) that they are simply destined to please the eyes, and that's what they do, in spades.
Best of all, it's that great new summer action movie, yet it embraces elements from the past. Like the first movie, it ain't art, but it's a well-written strictly old-fashioned adventure, providing chills, action and a lot of laughs. Sommers and his crew truly understood what the original such a hit. It wasn't a brilliant piece of movie-making, and neither was it a realistic lesson in archeology. It was big-time fun. Though it needed the most skillful special effects money can buy, THE MUMMY RETURNS proves that the good old times of action adventures are not extinct. In a time when very few of these kind of movies are being made, it's nice to see one done right. (and if you ask me, that's everything a long-time fan of INDIANA JONES, like me, could ever ask for). I think THE MUMMY RETURNS is just as good as the original.
Sure it's a purely silly action-adventure of B-movie quality. Sure it aspires to be mocked. But that's just it, no matter how silly and overblown this movie is, it never forgets to laugh at itself and just have fun with it.
Rating: ****1/2 out of 5.