In 1290 BC, Egypt was under the reign of the great pharaohs. A pharaoh’s mistress, Inoxsuma, was commanded by law not to be touched by another man. When the pharaoh’s bodyguards discovered that Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), the High Priest of Osiris, and Inoxsuma were together, Inoxsuma killed herself to wait for her lover, Imhotep, to bring her back to life. Before Imhotep could perform the ceremony, the pharaohs placed an evil curse on the High Priest to be mummified and remain sealed in the sarcophagus for time and all eternity.
Later in 1923 AD, descendants of the pharaoh’s bodyguards kept watch over the city of the dead to ensure that the creature remained undiscovered. But during a battle between the Tuaregs’ and the Foreign Legion, Rick O’Connell (Brandon Fraser) discovered a hidden Egyptian burial site while fighting for his life. When the creature showed a brief presence, the Tuaregs fled, leaving Rick at the mercy of the desert.
Two years later, Jonathan (John Hannah) has stolen a box containing a map of Hamunaptra, the pharaohs burial ground, from a man in prison who is about to be hung. Jonathan meets up with his sister, Evelyn (Rachel Weisz), a librarian with an extensive knowledge of Egyptian History. Appreciating the rarity of the find, she goes in search of the man in prison: Rick O’ Connell. With her quick wit, she is able to negotiate a percentage of the treasures for his life.
Rick, grateful to be alive, teams up with Evelyn and Jonathan to return to Egypt in search of the mysterious Hamunaptra in hopes of finding a gold book named Rama. During the journey, they meet up with a group of Americans in search of the dead city. In friendly competition, a wager is made concerning which group will make it to Hamunapta first. The Americans believe that they will arrive first because Benny (Kevin J. O’Connor), an old acquaintance of Rick’s in the Foreign Legion, has been there before and is escorting them back. During the journey of the Tomb, they release the evil curse, bringing back the vengeful high priest.
In an exciting journey of mystery and suspense, The Mummy is an adventurous historic thriller. Although the movie plot tends to be predictable to the end, the graphics and special effects are extraordinary. John Hannah (Sliding Doors) did a great job as Jonathan, the clumsy, awkward, and self-centered brother. His performance was strong and kept the audience laughing. Brandon Fraser (George of the Jungle) as Rick made the ideal charming hero who won the heart of Evelyn. The couple made a picturesque pair, but the romance lacked spark. Rachel Weisz (Swept from the Sea) as Evelyn was clever, but clumsy. It was only toward the end of the movie that the strength of her character became apparent.
All in all, The Mummy was fun and entertaining, definitely worth watching.
+ linda mattson
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