The Mummy
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The Mummy |
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03.06.1999: |
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| Genre: | Adventure |
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| Director: | Stephen Sommers | |||||||||||
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| Contents:
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Jonathan (John Hannah)
is an Brittish egyptologist. One day he finds a three-thousand-year old hexagonal relic.
On seeing it his sister Evelyn (Rachel Weisz), who is a librarian, realizes that
there is a map in it. And this map can only show one thing: "Hamunaptra", a
village in the sand, where pharaohs and priests are said to be lying as mummies next to
their treasures. And there is said to be a book of greater power than anyone can think of.
This book fascinates Evelyn. She has to get it although it is said that
"Hamunaptra" kills anyone who gets in. When by an
"unfortunate coincidence" the map gets lost in the flame of a candle, Evelyn and
Jonathan try to find the original owner of the relic. Ariving at "Hamunaptra" - of course not by a direct route - the group realize that they are not the only ones searching for the grave treasures. Three Americans cross their path again and again. Some time later these Americans make the big mistake, so that the old curse can become truth: The priest Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) was mummified alive three thousand years before, because he had tried to revive the personal lover girl of the Pharaoh. If he were ever revived, he would combine the whole seven Egyptain plagues. He would use the bodies of those who revived him for his personal reconstruction. After this he would get a human victim to revive the lover girl. And then he would be the evil himself and noone could ever stop him... The egytologists realize this great danger when it is too late. The action part of the movie begins... And only two things have any effects against the mummy! |
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| Criticism: | How long we had to wait! And
now we get a great movie. A well made film with action, fear and archaeology (and this
time there are no "Nazis" to be the "baddies" - who would have thought
it?). In 1939 the classic film "The Mummy" was made with Borris Karloff - a horror strip with cult status. Over sixty years later Stephen Sommer now tries his remake. And he uses all the trick techniques of the modern cinema. Realistic and alive scenes are created. That you can see some very "unnatural" computer effects in the beginning of the movie is only one exception. An unlimited number of grave beetles and artistically half-decayed animated mummies can fascinate just like Imhotep who can turn himself into a sandstorm - this is George Lucas' animation.
More than once the movie uses the long-known fear of insects - especially of carnivorous giant insects which move from one point to another in a breath-taking tempo. But there are no bloody scenes or brutal shocks. Sometimes the mummy seems to be friendly and a litte bit awkward (Imhotep gets its eyes from a halfblind human...). Most of the time you can enjoy the great sound and music atmosphere of this movie. Because of this the impressive special-effects with sandstorms and trembling earth become very effective. Although it seems to be impossible, there are some myths and legends about occurrences in Egypt similar to those in this film. And in fact "The Mummy" walk nearly parallel to history - even if the discussions of the "Oldegyptains" sound a little bit confused (but noone's talking it today anymore). Finally you can say that Stephen Sommer's "The Mummy" is a well made movie. From this day on any film in this genre will be compared not only with "Indiana Jones" but with this movie, too. "The Mummy" gets the "CineClub-Movie-Award"! |
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This film was evaluated by: Texts: Photos: |
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It's the former soldier Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser,
photo) - but only some minutes after they find him, the Egyptains want to hang him...
The leading actors John Hannah, Rachel Weisz and Brendan
Fraser (see also photo on the right) put on a very good performance. The latter
particularly seems to identify himself with his role.
