The Mummy

Stephen Sommers has a very spotty record with me. I love Deep Rising and it is one of my favorite movies, but I loath G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and was lukewarm on Van Helsing. His Mummy series are his most successful so I have finally partaken in the first film and it a lot of fun actually.

I love the sense of adventure that the movie has. It knows its cheesy and ridiculous and it swims around in it without a care. The wide sets, the battles, and all the supernatural mummy shenanigans add to the overall fun tone the movie has going for it. The comedy doesn't overtake the movie and it doesn't become too serious. A perfect balance between the two. The sets in the movie are very impressive in terms of scale. The effects are silly looking and very fake at points though.

The cast is well-rounded all around. Kevin J.O. Connor is awesome as always as the slimmy Beni. The team of Weisz, Fraser, and John Hannah actually work great together. Neither of them hog screentime or get massively annoying. Their banter is fun to watch and Fraser can actually hold up as a hero in this movie. The supporting cast have some recognizable faces and they contribute to the fun.

Plot (8/10): Mummies are always an interesting topic for a movie and it is a fun adventure story stemming from it. I would say its like Indiana Jones, but with mummies.

Acting (8/10): Fraser actually has a hero quality to him here. Weisz and Hannah were convincing as brother and sister and Vosloo was a good villain. J.O. Connor is always a joy to watch.

Action (7/10): Decent action here. Some good shootouts and swordplay on display. The effects aren't up to snuff, but the practical mummy effects were great.

Direction (7/10): It certainly has an epic scope to it in terms of scenery. Love the music and the Egyptian desert landscape.

Eye Candy (10/10): WOW! Rachel Weisz looked gorgeous in this movie. Props for the half naked Egyptian lady in the beginning also.

Overall, it is a fun blockbuster with a good blend of adventure, action, and comedy.