Death is only the beginning. (The Mummy (DVD))

Member Name: Fiver29

Product:	The Mummy (DVD)
Date:	28/04/09 (60 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun, Entertaining

Disadvantages: None

I can't believe that this film will be 10 years old in a couple of weeks (7th May), because it's still one of my favourite films. In fact I love the entire series of Mummy films.

The series started with The Mummy, which begins by showing an Egyptian priest, Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), having an affair with the Pharaoh's mistress Anck-su-namun, when discovered she promptly kills herself. Naturally the Pharaoh is none too pleased, and condemns Imhotep to Hom Dai, which involves having his tongue cut out, being eaten alive by scarab beetles, and being cursed to an eternal life (in a dead kind of way) of suffering from his wounds. He's then buried under the statue of Anubis.

Fast forward a 700 years or so, and we meet Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser), who's and American fighting in the French Foreign Legion, and they just happen to be fighting at Hamunaptra, Imhotep's burial place. After defeating the odds and surviving, O'Connell ends up in prison.

Enter Evie Carnahan (Rachel Weisz) and her brother Jonathan(John Hannah). Jonathan is in possession of a map to Hamunaptra, and Egyptologist Evie (who wants to show the Banbridge scholars a thing or two) wants to go there. Johnathon admits he stole the map of O'Connell, and they have to rescue him from prison and save him from being hung, before setting off on the journey.

Unfortunately for the threesome, another Egyptologist Allen Chamberlain (Jonathan Hyde) is also on the hunt for Hamunaptra, and are determined to get there first. If that wasn't enough, the Medjai, who are lead by Ardeth Bay Oded Fehr, want to keep both parties away, as they have spent the last 700 years making sure Imhotep is never released.

Both parties arrive at the city, and start digging in different areas. Evie and co manage to unearth the body of Imhotep, whilst the American group find the jars containing the organs of Anck-su-namun. Two books are also found, the Book of the Dead, and the Book of Amun-Ra, Evie manages to read from the Book of the Dead, which brings Imhotep to life. Thus begins Imhotep's rampage and determination to take human form once again, and bring Anck-su-namum back to life.

As I said earlier, I really enjoy this film, and it's one that I can watch over and over and never tire of, which I don't say about many films these days.

The casting is good in the film, I think all of the actors suit their characters, and they play them to perfection. Fraser is a good actor anyway, but he seems to be in his element as Rick O'Connell, and he works well with Weisz, they complement each other nicely, and adding the hapless Jonathan into the mix, makes for a great group dynamic.

On a purely shallow note I would like to have seen more of the fully formed Imhotep because Vosloo does a great job, just his part is just too short. And what's wrong with wanting a bit of eye candy whilst watching a film lol.

The effects are very good, particularly the regeneration of the mummy, and the scarabs beetles under the skin! Despite that sounding quite gruesome, there is nothing scary about the film, and this is reflected in its 12 rating, although I think I would have given it a PG rating personally.

As usual with my reviews, I can only say I'm sure there's a wonderful soundtrack, but it went right over my head, and I cannot recall any tracks that stand out.

I've seen this film more times that I can recall, and my children have seen it several times as well, and we enjoy it everytime. It's a fun film that doesn't take itself serious, it has some funny moments, as well as a couple of serious moments. I've no doubt there are plenty of historical inaccuracies, and gaffs, but it's a film, not a documentary and should be watched as such.

Summary: If you haven't seen it, give it a try.