Product: The Mummy Returns [VHS] (2001)
Rating: 4.0
Everything for the Mummy Fan
I greatly enjoyed "The Mummy" when it was resurrected several few years ago. I can recall many late hours spent watching Zacherlee and Shock Theater, entranced by the antics of a whole slew of monsters, with The Mummy being one of the most memorable. In those days movies still had to have plots and spooky atmospherics to do what we do with special effects and a truckload of gore today.What made the new "Mummy" fun was not just the updated effects. It also had just the right tongue-in-cheek attitude. Let's face it, mummy movies are high camp. Abbott and Costello figured it out first, but it took decades before Universal Pictures discovered the same secret. Now, as in the original film series, we are offered a sequel, once again called "The Mummy Returns."Set 10 years later than the time of the first movie, Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) and Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz) have married and have an 8-year-old son, Alex (Freddy Boath). They have returned to Egypt seeking the Bracelet of Anubis, an ancient artifact associated with the legendary Scorpion King of Egypt's fabled past. In doing so they trigger an adventure that will have them chasing all over the Egyptian map. For, not far from the O'Connell dig, a group of nefarious cultists are once again resurrecting the mummy of the evil Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), the real star of the first movie.Imhotep's has plans for the Scorpion King (The Rock) and his minions which require the bracelet. He would also like to even the score with the O'Connells, who foiled his first return. When Alex inadvertently puts on the Bracelet of Anubis, and is kidnapped, he triggers a chase scene that stretches from England to Abyssinia. Imhotep and his beloved Ankh-so-namun (Patricia Velasquez) use every dirty trick in the book in their plan to conquer the world. Before Alex (and life as we know it) is rescued, our doughty heroes will be treated to every kind of adventure and mishap, including reincarnation, dirigible rides, pigmy zombies, and the Scorpion King himself.The actors are perfectly in character, capturing the thrill and fun without any sense of overacting. The effects are gorgeous. The DVD does a wonderful job of capturing the film, modifying it to fit the television screen without excess or glaring distortion. As on would expect, there is a host of bonus features, including interviews, outtakes and countless explanations of the effects. Several games and the required screen savers and wallpaper are all provided. Great fun for all.