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Then, one day, there it was. The Mummy Returns in
all its two-DVD glory. Within seconds Barney was flipped off
the DVD player, the kids were thrown a couple of iceblocks
to vacate the premises, and it was time to settle in and watch
the sequel to the smash hit The Mummy.
Unfortunately, the middle of the day was not quite the right
time and we waited until after dark to fire up the system
and plonk on the couch. Then the nerves started. Would it
be as good? Would it be a let down?
The Mummy Returns is set almost a decade after The
Mummy and the now married O'Connells, Rick (Brendan Fraser)
and Evie (Rachel Weisz), are still very much in love and are
besotted with their son Alex (Freddy Boath).
Ratbag brother Jonathan (John Hannah) is still around and
together with most of the original cast, is there to make
life miserable for the adventurers.
This time around, the O'Connells face deadly dangers not
only from Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), the cursed chief priest,
but also a very powerful Scorpion King played by wrestler
The Rock. (Don't ask me what his real name is, I didn't even
know he was a wrestler!)
Thrown into the baddy mix is Alun Armstrong as a wayward
museum director and the mysterious reincarnation of Imhotep's
love interest - Anck-su-namun. And damn, wasn't she gorgeous?
Anyway, the O'Connells find a sacred scorpion amulate that
is said to be able to control the dead warriors of Anubis
and guess who is out to get hold of it? You bet, old baldy
boy Imhotep himself.
His minions raise him from the dead, kidnap the youngster
and so begins a race against time as Rick and Evie battle
evil incarnate to save their lad - and the world.
The imagery is excellent and the journey is a sprawling adventure
with - as you would hope - lots of room for comic moments
courtesy of Jonathan and young Alex.
Look, there are moments of the movie that I thought far too
over the top - such as the pygmy mummies and the exceedingly
badly done cgi-creation of the big, bad monster scorpion king.
Mrs Anthony, usually a fine judge of movies, did not reckon
them as being too bad and rated the movie as good as the original.
The transfer is excellent, however, there are a few examples
in low-light shots of dark-grey blacks. These annoy rather
than ruin the movie. The sound is spot on and will have you
watching your back at the scary scuttlings going on behind
you.
Now while this may get me offside with she-who-thinks-she-should-be-obeyed,
I don't reckon The Mummy Returns has the same freshness
and appeal of The Mummy.
It is a hugely enjoyable yarn, however, and the characters
gel very well and take you on an all-action adventure.
Did I mention the fact that a semi-clad Evie and a semi-clad
Anck-su-namun get to fight it out? Hmmmmm ... well they do.
Conclusion: Movie 85%, Extras 75%
Continued:
DVD details at a glance >
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