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Written and directed by Stephen Sommers, The Mummy is a jump scare thriller featuring Brendan Fraser at his peak. Fraser stars opposite Rachel Weisz who you may recognize from The Favourite. The Mummy is filled with cutting-edge 1999 CGI that holds up better than you might expect. The story is not all that complicated, and most moves are predictable, but it is still an enjoyable watch.
Indiana Jones may not be the first film to focus on raiding ancient temples, but it sets the standard for me. The Mummy feels heavily influenced by Indiana Jones, but it may not be intentional. Both films can trace inspiration from far older sources. Like Indiana Jones, The Mummy is far more violent than you would expect. If you hate bugs this film will make you uncomfortable multiple times. I cringed at more than a couple of scenes.
Brendan Fraser carries the film well and injects a perfect dash of goofiness to ensure the film doesn’t become overly serious. Rachel Weisz takes a strange arch in her storyline. At times she is a classic damsel in distress. She is never the treasure hunter and tries to be the learned scholar. She is beyond a skeptic and has no appreciation for the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians. It is an odd combination when you consider her complete story.
I enjoyed this movie in 2021. It may have been my first complete viewing and while the CGI is dated, the film still feels relevant. It is not George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, but it took enough lessons from them to be well packaged. If you are in the mood for an adventure film and don’t mind jump scares along the way, this is for you. It is far and away better than the 2017 film of the same name that failed to start the universal monster cinematic universe. If you want to have even more fun, visit Universal Studios and go on the ride.