A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: The Mummy

Date Viewed: 5/16/99

Details:

Brendan Fraser

John Hannah

Arnold Vosloo

Rachel Weisz

Director: Stephen Sommers

Score: +

The Review: Classic tale of boy meets girl, boy loses girl, girl becomes mummy, boy becomes mummy... This action/adventure remake of the 1932 movie begins with what at first glance seems like a History Channel retread of ancient Egypt, complete with matte backgrounds and pristine pyramids -- that is until the shapely mistress of the Pharoah appears, dressed only in black mesh body paint. Segue to the post-War Egyptian desert, with Brendan Fraser as an Indiana Jones type in the midst of a battle that ends rather oddly. Segue to a Cairo antiquities library with Rachel Weisz as an endearingly klutzy librarian and Egyptologist who happens to read heiroglyphics fluently.

It has all the hallmarks: a mythical city (Hamunaptra: is this supposed to rhyme with Hymenoptera?, but it's the wrong order for beetles) with a mysterious past, alleged treasure, and (of course) yet another curse; an ancient mechanical key (ignore desert welding of its joints) with a hidden manuscript (and pay no attention to the brittleness of 3000-year old papyrus); hotshot American cowboys in search of gold (the venture capitalists of the 20's); wise-cracks and bravado left and right. Ultimately well-balanced between action, tragedy, humor, mythology, romance (actually two romances), a touch of horror and a touch of gross (but not too much), and a (very small) dollop of pseudo-archaeology.

Good special effects, not just for the mummy, but also geological and meterological. One example of its quirky touch is watching a supporting character, when confronted by an advancing and rather menacing mummy, rapidly scan through all the numerous religious talismans hung around his neck, reciting prayers and spells in various languages. And I guarantee you will never look at a beetle the same way again.

Take an Egyptologist with you, and have them tell you if the heiroglyphs adorning the ending credits are real or gibberish; I vote for the latter, but am prepared to be surprised. Rousing score by Jerry Goldsmith.

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