The Mummy

When I was growing up I used to watch the cartoon series of ‘The Mummy’ and I absolutely adored it. When they made a film by the same title I simply had to see it. It is without a doubt one of the best films I saw as a child. Obviously it’s not an incredible film when I watch it back now, but I liked it so much as a child that I enjoy it every time I see it again.

As the title suggests, the film is about a mummy. Specifically it is about an Egyptologist, Evy (Rachel Weisz), who is searching for the lost city of Hamunaptra and seeks the help of an imprisoned adventurer (Brendan Fraser) to get there. Her bumbling brother (John Hannah) tags along, and is often the source of a series of mishaps. While reading from The Book of the Dead she inadvertently resurrects an evil Egyptian mummy, Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) who begins to kill people in order to regenerate himself and then attempts to resurrect his former lover. Naturally, it is the task of Evy, Rick and Jonathan to destroy the mummy.

Now the film isn't exactly high brow and will not leave any form of lasting impact on you. I encouraged my girlfriend to watch it at the weekend and (to her credit) she did because both my flatmate and myself were praising it so highly. She couldn't see what all the fuss was about with the film. I guess it’s the kind of film that you watch when you are younger and because you enjoyed it back then you enjoy it later on because of its associations. Even if you haven’t seen it before then you can sit back and enjoy the film. It doesn't take much to get into it, and if you let yourself enjoy it then I can guarantee that you will.

One of the best things about the film is the interaction between John Hannah, Rachel Weisz and Brendan Fraser. It may just be the number of times I've seen the film but I cannot see anyone else managing to play these roles quite so well. The comedy moments between the three actors are timed to perfection, written very well and delivered humorously. I’m not going to delve into the intricacies of the acting though, because it’s obviously not incredible. It would spoil a very enjoyable film if you compared the acting abilities of these three to other performances they've done, and I think that if I don’t try to analyse it too much then it will be better for many people’s perception of the film (myself included). Actually, given the comedic nature of the film, the acting is very good and often lightens the mood of what would otherwise be a very dark and ominous film.

The special effects in the film are marvellous, given that it was released in 1999. As a child I found Imhotep very scary when he was in his various stages of regeneration, and I now particularly like the visual effects on his mouth. The scene where he is chasing the plane through the desert without actually moving is magnificently done given the year of production. A wall of sand rises up and takes the form of Imhotep’s face, which stretches beyond normal proportions and swallows the plane up. Equally impressive are the special effects on Imhotep’s skeletal priests and other subordinates. Watching it back now I almost forget how old the film is because the special effects impress me so much. I mean obviously 1999 isn't a million years ago, and Star Wars Episode I was released in the same year, but I didn't appreciate the graphics as much when I was younger. They do say that age makes you appreciate things more (probably) and this is definitely true in this instance.

There have been two sequels to The Mummy and a couple of spin-offs/prequels around the character of the Scorpion King, who appears in The Mummy Returns. However, and as is so often the case, these films are nowhere near as enjoyable as the original film. I have seen The Mummy Returns, and it is not a bad film, but I didn't even bother to watch the third film when it came out, and will only watch The Scorpion King if I find it on television at some point. Having now seen The Scorpion King I realise that watching it was two hours of my life I’m never going to get back.

The Mummy is a very enjoyable film, and the best audience is probably the early teenage boy. Personally, I enjoyed it when I was in my early teens, and really enjoyed it. You cannot take it too seriously, because you will be disappointed, but if you just sit back and watch it then you will find yourself engaging with what is a very entertaining and funny film.