Incredible.

Rating: 10/10 (12 May 2001)

The Mummy returns is getting some bad critic reviews. This just convinces me more that critics don't know what the hell they're talking about. Before I saw this film on opening night, I watched The Mummy on DVD. Usually this just gets me hyped for the sequel only to have my hopes brutally destroyed once the film starts. But The Mummy Returns holds its own with the original. And very well.
The basic plot is this: Four thousand years ago, a powerful warrior called the Scorpion King (The Rock) led an army that was defeated after a seven year siege. He pledges his soul to Anubis, god of death, in exchange for another army to destroy his enemies, after which his soul is sucked into limbo to await his awakening. Supposedly taking place nine years after the first film, Rick O'Connel (Brendan Fraser) and Evelyn (Rachel Weisz)have married and have an eight year old son, Alex. Alex finds the bracelet of the Scorpion King, which sets off a chain of events culminating in the King's resurrection in 7 days. Whomever kills this warrior will gain control of his invincible army. So starts the race between the O'Connels and the villains, led my the reincarnation of Imhotep's girlfriend Anck-su-namun, who want to resurrect the mummy again as he is the only one strong enough to defeat the Scorpion King. Wackiness ensues.
I think many critics hate this film because they're expecting either a detailed plot or a horror film. This is an action movie, plain and simple. Things blow up, guns fire, and mummies roar like the damned. And it's FUN. The actor's performances are excellent, particularly Freddie Boath as Alex O' Connel who is 1000% percent better than that annoying and talentless kid in the last Star Wars film. The effects are excellent (with one exception, but I won't bitch about it here), Stephen Sommers' direction is flawless. I had a few minor gripes with the film, but nothing major and I didn't really even notice them until the second time I saw it. Mainly though, there's the sense of humor. Like the original, The Mummy Returns doesn't take itself too seriously, making many jokes about and even parodying it's predecessor once or twice. I do wonder how they will make The Scorpion King as a spin off vehicle for The rock, when he has ten minutes of screen time here, only two lines (in ancient Egyptian I might add) and plays the most undetailed, cardboard cutout character ever.
Face it people, action films will always be made, and this is how they should be done.