The Mummy (1999), starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, was one of the biggest hit movies of the late nineties. The film raked in millions in box office returns and received great reviews. Audiences loved The Mummy’s original, fresh take on an old Hollywood genre – so much so that it spawned a whole The Mummy film series.
Keep reading to find out more about this blockbuster and why it kept moviegoers coming back for more. Find out if this action-adventure film is worth the watch, and whether you should check out the sequels too!
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All About The Mummy (1999): Full Movie Overview
The Mummy is partially based on a 1932 movie with the same title. Shot in Marrakech, Morocco, the film is about Rick O’Connell’s journey to the city of the dead, Hamanuptra.
A man named Jonathan Carnahan stole a box from him which led Rick to Hamanuptra three years ago. In exchange for Rick’s freedom from prison, Rick offers to accompany Jonathan and his sister, Evelyn, so he can bring them to the city.
While there, they accidentally awaken Imhotep, a high priest who was cursed for trying to resurrect his lover. Imhotep’s return brings the ten plagues to Egypt, and he attempts to sacrifice Evelyn for another chance to bring his lover back to life. The film follows the three’s quest to make Imhotep mortal again and banish him from the world of the living.
The Mummy Cast And Their Roles
Brendan Fraser is The Mummy’s leading man. He plays adventurer Rick O’Connell, an American who served in the French Foreign Legion before getting imprisoned. He’s one of the few men to have visited Hamanuptra and returned alive.
Rachel Weisz plays Evelyn Carnahan. She’s a librarian and aspiring Egyptologist, and when she reads a page of the Book of the Dead, she accidentally reawakens Imhotep. She’s not much of a fighter, but she’s smart and brave. Her initial disdain for Rick fails to dampen their mutual attraction, and the second The Mummy film reveals that they end up getting married. One of her funniest lines in the film has her drunkenly saying, “What’s a place like me doing in a girl like this?”
Jonathan Carnahan is played by John Hannah. A little snooty and not very athletic, his character is in some of the movie’s funniest, most memorable scenes. Though he’s treasure-crazy and a slightly skilled thief, he’s not too good at negotiating with other people.
Imhotep was played by Arnold Vosloo for the first two movies. He’s the main antagonist, but does not return for the third The Mummy film.
Why Was The Mummy So Popular?
The Mummy first screened in the summer of 1999, and it was an immediate hit. The film made $USD43-million on its first weekend, which was a remarkable figure at the time. It ended up becoming the sixth highest-grossing film of the year, raking in $USD415-million worldwide.
Most critics credit the movie’s success to the talent of The Mummy’s actors: they had great comedic timing and added some much needed levity to the film! And while The Mummy’s characters played heavily on stereotypes, the dialogue was so well written and snappy that it hardly mattered!
Even 20 years later, this movie is still scary! There are some terrifying mummification scenes and some horrific moments with flesh-eating scarabs.
How Many Mummy Movies Are There?
There are three films in the series. The second film, The Mummy Returns, was released in 2001. The original cast returned for this sequel to fight off the returning Imhotep and a new antagonist, the Scorpion King. Though it got mixed reviews, it was another huge hit that earned $USD433-million worldwide.
The third film, The Mummy: Tomb of The Dragon Emperor (2008), had Rick, Evelyn, and their son Alex fight a resurrected Dragon Emperor and his terracotta army. Maria Bello replaced Rachel Weisz as Evelyn in this sequel, and while the film still earned an impressive $USD401-million, plans for a fourth film were scrapped after this movie’s release. It may have had something to do with the fact that both the second and third film received mixed reviews.
A reboot of the first film was released in 2017, starring Tom Cruise and Sofia Boutella. The plot was completely different and the first film in Universal Pictures’ revival of the Universal Monsters series, but it received largely negative reviews for lacking the heart and fun of The Mummy original film.
Conclusion
Though the sequels did deliver some thrills and funny moments too, they don’t come close to the rollicking good humour and action of the original. If you’re a fan of monster movies or the adventure genre, you should definitely watch The Mummy. The script is still as funny and lighthearted as ever, and the effects have surprisingly withstood the test of time!
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