The Mummy Returns (2001)
Director: Stephen Sommers
Starring: Brandan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo
Primary genre: Adventure
Secondary genre: Horror
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The unexpected (and massive) success of “The Mummy” in a year where “Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace” (1999) and “The Matrix” (1999) dominated both at the worldwide box office and pop culture gave away to an immediately greenlighted sequel by Universal Pictures.
Thus, without the constraints of a slow burn horror flick in which the original was based, this sequel gave director-writer Stephen Sommers the ability to go big, like really big and create a world that sees undead warriors, cults, cursed relics, thieves, living reincarnations and sacred guardians roaming free. Sommers seems to abandon the mystic atmosphere and “Indiana Jones” vibe of the first one to create a full blown blockbuster extravaganza with technically ambitious for the logistics of 2001 sequences. The opening segment alone under Alan Silvestri’s bombastic score (replacing Jerry Goldsmith’s more classical, exotic and sweeping sound) captivates the viewer and indicates what Sommers has in store for us.
Going big though does not necessarily equals greatness and Sommers considers that hammering the audience with several (albeit not repeated) action sequences, special effects, and a breathless momentum will keep the eyes glued to the big screen. Most of the time he succeeds by throwing in a fun double decker bus chase and several hand to hand combat sequences between all the mummy squashing and slicing. However, by the time we reach the CGI heavy finale (that was rushed post-production for the release date), it all feels too much and bearing to parody.
Nevertheless, Sommers is smart enough to give his world scope and purpose despite its hectic feeling and convoluted subplots that really do not appeal to anyone. In a clever twist, the mummy is resurrected ten years after the last film by a reincarnation of his lover and her cult of followers (although we are not sure why they are following her) but this thread is not explored at all. Even worse Vosloo again is not given any material to work with besides a vague plan of world domination which denigrates his character from tragic to one-dimensional. As for the much anticipated debut of Dwayne Johnson, he has only 2 minutes (!) of screentime; a wasted opportunity for the charismatic ex-wrestler to have a showdown between our hero and villain replaced by a last minute implemented CGI monstrosity that has since then become legendary.
The cast is usually what keeps things floating besides the excessiveness of it all with some nice callbacks to those appealing humorous moments of the first film and an evident chemistry. Fraser, (especially) Weisz and Hannah are on top form, Oded Fehr has now a more substantial role and his own action sequences and the addition of a child actor will not detract from the plot.
“The Mummy Returns“ is bigger, louder and faster but not necessarily better. It is solid entertainment though that will distract from the necessities of life without requiring you to think or comprehend the visual clues. Lovers of Egyptian Archaeology, fantasy-adventure hybrids and blockbusters can apply within. The rest, you know what you are getting
Overblown but fun sequel of the 90’s classic
+Bigger scope
+Excellent opening sequence
+The mummy is back!
+Some spectacular effects
+Fast paced
+Cast
-Some dodgy special effects
-Stock characters
-Johnson has 2 minutes of screentime
-Bombastic score
-Pointless subplots