The Mummy Returns (2001)
Director: Stephen Sommers
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah
Synopsis:
Rick and Evelyn, now married with a son, uncover an artifact that could trigger the end of the world.
Impressions:
You know, while I've seen the first movie a few times, I don't think I've sat through all of this one until now. While it does some of the things I don't like in sequels like frequent "remember last time" references, other things work well, such as Rick and Evelyn having comfortably settled into their role as a married couple. None of that nonsense of contriving conflict to try to recapture the dynamic before they became a couple (looking at you, National Treasure). Young Alex can be a bit annoying at times, often deliberately, but as far as child characters go, he's pretty good overall. I thought Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje as Lock-Nah stood out on the villain's side, as one of the biggest conventional physical threats while also having some good comedic beats as the harried minder of the mischievous Alex. It's also worth noting that this is the Rock's first big film role as the Scorpion King, though it's actually a fairly small role if you don't count the PS2 cutscene that is the finale. (While said PS2 cutscene looked rough at the time and certainly hasn't gotten any better 25 years later, I will credit the animators for managing to somewhat subtly get in some of the quirks of the Rock's facial expressions.) The movie is a bit more convoluted than the original and not quite as much of an easy pick-up-and-watch, but you should find plenty of satisfying action and a solid continuation of the first film. If you liked the first movie, you'll want to see this as well, so give it a watch.
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