My Favourite Movies: The Mummy

Way back in 1999 when I still went to the cinema at every opportunity I took a chance and saw this movie. Maybe it was because even after all that time I still had fond memories of Raiders of the Lost Ark which this film seemed to be channelling. Maybe it was because it just looked like fun, lots of fun.

The story takes place (mostly) in Egypt at some point between the World Wars. Trying to get enough practical experience to be accepted as an archaeologist is Evelyn Carnahan (played by the delightful and delicious Rachel Weisz) who is presented with a very unusual puzzle box with what appears to be a map of the lost city of Hamunaptra reputed to be the location of untold treasures. Forced to join forces with the ex-soldier who found the map (Richard O’Connell played in brilliant over-the-top fashion by Brendan Fraser) they begin an adventure that no one could have imagined – especially the staid Evy who steadfastly refuses to believe in the supernatural. But that is exactly what they find in the aptly named ‘City of the Dead’. Locked away for 3000 years is the mummy of Pharaoh’s high priest Imhotep (played by Arnold Vosloo who spent most of the movie frowning at those around him) who is accidently resurrected and is very, very annoyed. Setting an ancient curse in motion he plans to bring his ancient lover back from the dead and rule over mankind for ever – unless Evy, her light-fingered drunken brother (played by John Hannah as comic relief), O’Connell and the mysterious Arab warrior Ardeth Bay (played by Oded Fehr) can stop him in time.

It’s funny that sometime film critic Jonathan Ross described this film as ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark meets The Terminator’. It certainly had elements of both – though far more from Raiders to be honest. It certainly had that sense of Saturday morning matinee fun that pervaded almost every scene in Raiders. The Mummy is most definitely a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously, indeed it doesn’t take itself seriously at all. The plot is far from original, the dialogue is cheesy and the plot, such that it is, is so full of clichés that you could watch it a second or third time and make a game out of finding them. I’m sure that the SFX was pretty good for the time but has become very much to be expected over the last 14 years so none of it will raise any admiring eyebrows. The chemistry between Fraser and Weisz is great fun to watch. They certainly had a lot of fun together playing would-be lovers. The comedy elements provided by Hannah and Omid Djalili is mostly slapstick but still amusing and the bad-guy weasel (played by Kevin J O’Connor) is suitably slimy and objectionable. Of course the fact that the film has no great depth makes it supremely easy to just sit back and enjoy the adventure. You certainly don’t have to think about anything. The elements that are even slightly odd or potentially difficult to swallow are explained by a cast member in ‘the-know’ to those less fortunate (which probably means that they are on the shortlist to being an ex-cast member). In this movie what you don’t know will most definitely kill you as will tripping at the wrong moment! The main reason why I still like (and watch) this film after 14 years is, as I keep saying, it’s unapologetically fun, fun, fun. If you treat it as such I’m sure you’ll be in for a good time too.