Stars: Brendan Fraser, John Hannah, Rachel Weisz, Arnold Vosloo, Freddie Boath, Oded Fehr, The Rock

Director: Stephen Sommers

Summary: Flanked by fabulous computer-generated battle scenes that would make BRAVEHEART proud, THE MUMMY RETURNS is a fast-paced sequel that surpasses the 1999 original, both directed by Stephen Sommers. Virtually the entire cast has come back for another exciting go-round, this time trying to prevent Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) from gaining control of the Bracelet of Anubis and taking on the Scorpion King (the Rock) for control of the world. But to gain that power, Imhotep and his vicious true love, Anck-Su-Namun (Patricia Velasquez), must get to the Oasis of Ahm Shere before Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser), his wife Evie (Rachel Weisz), their son Alex (Freddie Boath), the mysterious Ardeth Bay (Oded Fehr), and Evie's brother Jonathan (John Hannah, who provides much of the comic relief). Set in 1933, THE MUMMY RETURNS combines elements of the STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES films in letting loose a scintillating thrill-ride of a movie, chock-full of terrific special effects and marvelous locations (Morocco, Jordan, London), erupting in a spirited tale of flight and fantasy, sword and sorcery. The addition of Freddie Boath to the cast increases the suspense as well as the comedy--his scenes with the evil Lock-Nah (fiercely played by OZ veteran Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) are among the best in the film.

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The Mummy

If you're expecting bandaged-wrapped corpses and a lurching Boris Karloff-type villain, then you've come to the wrong movie. But if outrageous effects, a hunky hero, and some hearty laughs are what you're looking for, the 1999 version of The Mummy is spectacularly good fun. Yes, the critics called it "hokey," "cheesy," and "pallid." Well, the critics are unjust. Granted, the plot tends to stray, the acting is a bit of a stretch, and the characters occasionally slip into cliché, but who cares? When that action gets going, hold tight--those two hours just fly by.

The premise of the movie isn't that far off from the original. Egyptologist and general mess Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) discovers a map to the lost city of Hamunaptra, and so she hires rogue Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) to lead her there. Once there, Evelyn accidentally unlocks the tomb of Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), a man who had been buried alive a couple of millennia ago with flesh-eating bugs as punishment for sleeping with the pharaoh's girlfriend. The ancient mummy is revived, and he is determined to bring his old love back to life, which of course means much mayhem (including the unleashing of the 10 plagues) and human sacrifice. Despite the rather gory premise, this movie is fairly tame in terms of violence; most of the magic and surprise come from the special effects, which are glorious to watch, although Imhotep, before being fully reconstituted, is, as one explorer puts it, rather "juicy." Keep in mind this film is as much comedy as it is adventure--those looking for a straightforward horror pic will be disappointed. But for those who want good old-fashioned eye-candy kind of fun, The Mummy ranks as one of choicest flicks of 1999. --Jenny Brown

The Mummy Returns

Proving that bigger is rarely better, The Mummy Returns serves up so much action and so many computer-generated effects that it quickly grows exhausting. In his zeal to establish a lucrative franchise, writer-director Stephen Sommers dispenses with such trivial matters as character development and plot logic, and charges headlong into an almost random buffet of minimum story and maximum mayhem, beginning with a prologue establishing the ominous fate of the Scorpion King (played by World Wrestling Federation star the Rock, in a cameo teaser for his later starring role in--you guessed it--The Scorpion King). Dormant for 5,000 years, under control of the Egyptian god Anubis, the Scorpion King will rise again in 1933, which is where we find The Mummy's returning heroes Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, now married and scouring Egyptian ruins with their 8-year-old son, Alex (Freddie Boath).

John Hannah (as Weisz's brother) and Oded Fehr (as mystical warrior Ardeth Bay) also return from The Mummy, and trouble begins when Alex dons the Scorpion King's ancient bracelet, coveted by the evil mummy Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), who's been revived by... oh, but does any of this matter? With a plot so disposable that it's impossible to care about anything that happens, The Mummy Returns is best enjoyed as an intermittently amusing and physically impressive monument of Hollywood machinery, with gorgeous sets that scream for a better showcase, and digital trickery that tops its predecessor in ambition, if not in payoff. By the time our heroes encounter a hoard of ravenous pygmy mummies, you'll probably enjoy this movie in spite of itself. --Jeff Shannon

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Year:	2001
Release Date:	April 3, 2006
Runtime:	129 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	824 237 7
Label:	Unleash The Beasts
Keywords:	Returns, Mummy, General, Horror, Occult, Sci, Fi
Genre:	Horror/Occult