The Mummy (1999)
Director: Stephen Sommers
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah
Synopsis:
An American adventurer is hired by an aspiring Egyptologist and her brother to take them to the lost City of the Dead, said to house great treasures but also a terrible curse.
Impressions:
Before the failed Dark Universe, there was another, more successful revival of the Universal Monsters that opted for big action and a bit of an old pulp serial tone. The goal is to go on a fun adventure rather than explore the dark depths of horror or get hung up on a bid to be taken more seriously than the material warrants. The comic relief may not always land with you, but the sense of humor generally works. Brendan Fraser is quite good in the lead role and he has a good dynamic with Rachel Weisz. There's plenty of action to be had, lots of gunplay (mostly ineffective given what they're up against), a little swashbuckling, dark magic and more. The early Aughts CG can be a bit dodgy in places, but with ILM doing a lot of the effects, we do get some rather memorable scenes. It's all good fun and well worth a watch.
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