Product: The Mummy Returns [VHS] (2001)
Rating: 2.0
A few simple changes...
I'm sure there are enough reviews already that discuss the variably awesome to pathetic special effects, and the seriously lacking story and characters, so I'll go right to my few points:1. As a sequal, this makes no sense, there is no coherence or consistency between this movie and the first. Even the basic character types and motivations for the same characters changed drastically between the two films. For example: In the first movie, Imhotep is a super powerful destructive force of nature who causes various plagues, and has a pretty simple goal to destroy the world. In this movie, he is a thoughful, intelligent being with very few powers (and by the way, he has power over the DESERT SANDS, NOT WATER), who wants to steal the power of yet another supernatural being, or something like that, theplot really stinks as I mentioned above.2. I really hate it when something is hard for one character, but easy for another, if done only for the convenience of the plot. For example: In the first movie Imhotep, who is a priest, has great difficulty in bringing his lost love back to life, and in the end fails. It takes a large number of people performing a complex ritual to bring Imhotep back in this movie. And yet, Alex, who is about 10 years old, is able to bring his mother back to life with a single book in the space of about five minutes. Yeah, right.3. And most importantly, when is holywood going to learn that not every action movie has to have a huge special effects finale? Case in point: The Scorpion King is set up as a major player, a brutal warrior from the past who fights with cunning and strength. Imhotep is a powerful undead being, and Brendan Fraser is an experienced adventurer. It appears that they are all going to meet in the end and do battle for the ultimate prize. Had this happened, I might have ended up liking the movie. Instead, Imhotep loses his powers for no apparent reason, and ends up trying to win by feigning weakness. And, worst of all, the scorpion king has somehow become this stupid looking, poorly animatedm half-man half-scorpion thing. Not a real blow lands, nothing of interest happens within the scene. This isn't the titanic battle we were promised in the beginning, this is a cheap trick, and I for one felt sorely cheated.Well, I've said my piece. Feel free to disagree, apparently there are a lot of people out there who liked the movie, though I'd imagine they were primarily entertained by the bright colors and loud noises. It's people like you who cause Hollywood to churn out stinkers like this.Thanks a lot.