At the Movies with Alan Gekko: The Mummy “99”

MPAA Rating: PG-13/Genre: Action-Adventure/Stars: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Kevin J. O’Connor, Jonathan Hyde, Oded Fehr, Erick Avari, Stephen Dunham, Corey Johnson, Tuc Watkins, Omid Djalili, Aharon Ipalé, Bernard Fox, Patricia Velásquez/Runtime: 124 minutes

It might come as a shock to hear a film reviewer like me admit this, but a slice of cinema doesn’t always have to be up for an Oscar (or any award for that matter) in order to be one that I view as a genuinely good film. For example there are horror films out there that a lot of my more “professional colleagues” have looked down and given either middle of the road or quite the scathing reviews to with 2021’s Willy’s Wonderland being an example that immediately comes to mind, but which I enjoyed with a passion and would gladly see again in a heartbeat. Along with that, there are quite a few action movies out there including 1996’s Broken Arrow, Con Air from 1997, 1993’s Demolition Man, and even 2012’s The Expendables 2 that yes are dumb, yes are definitely the dictionary definition for over-the-top, and yes they are flawed to the hilt and then some, but darn it all if they aren’t also a bonafide blast from start to finish. The reason I bring this up to you dear reader is because there is another film that definitely fits into both of these categories which I actually have quite the fair degree of appreciation for. That being the 1999 film, and slice of cinema I happen to be reviewing for you today incidentally, The Mummy. Indeed here is a film that I have no shame in telling you is very much not a thinking person’s kind of movie (unless you can find a way to secretly convince me that this is very much a deception on the film’s part in which case I am all ears). Along with that, this is also very much a slice of cinema that, upon first being released in May of 1999, was met with very much a mixed critical response and even now it still, as of this writing, currently sits at a more than a tad bit lukewarm 62% on the iconic (or infamous) website Rotten Tomatoes. Yet in the opinion of this reviewer, I must admit that not only do I feel that the aforementioned 62% score is a bit on the low side, but also that even if I did in fact turn my brain off for a solid couple of hours while watching this slice of cinema I was delighted to do so. I say that because, in case you hadn’t put two and seven together just yet, I really do dig the heck out of this movie and not just because this was another one of those movies that maybe 7-year-old Alan wasn’t supposed to see, but did through a combination of non-existent parental blocks on the TV and because dear ol’ dad didn’t quite take MPAA ratings as seriously as mom thought he should have. Rather, it’s because it might be dumb and it might have issues, but with the aid of fairly well-done work on both sides of the camera, The Mummy “99” is still one fun as heck cinematic horror-tinged adventure that you are sure to enjoy unwrapping time and time again.

The plot is as follows: A remake (albeit as loosely as one could get) of the iconic 1932 Universal monster film of the same name, the 1999 take on The Mummy begins unwrapping its narrative via a history lesson. It seems that in Thebes, Egypt in the long-ago year of 1290 B.C., a high priest in Pharaoh Seti I’s court by the name of Imhotep has been engaging in *ahem* “extracurricular activities” with Seti’s mistress Anck-su-namun. Unfortunately for our love-stricken Egyptian-Romeo and Juliet, we see that it’s not long before Seti discovers their romance and they are faced with having to deal with it in the most humane way possible: by killing Pharaoh right there on the spot. Things soon go from bad to worse however when not only does Anck-su-namun kill herself, but attempts by Imhotep to resurrect her at a location known as Hamunaptra wind up resulting in him being caught, tortured, and finally being buried whilst still alive with a swarm of flesh-craving scarabs for company, but not before being inflicted with a terrible curse that would make him quite the nightmare for anyone dumb enough to awaken him let alone the world at large. From there, the film jumps ahead to the year 1926 A.D. in the city of Cairo where we witness as a slightly clumsy librarian yet dedicated Egyptologist named Evelyn Carnahan is presented with a rather unusual trinket by her more than slightly slippery yet ultimately well-meaning brother Jonathan. One that soon reveals to contain a map that could lead to the fabled city of (you guessed it) Hamunaptra. We soon learn that, contrary to what he originally told his sister, Jonathan actually had taken the box from a more than slightly roguish American adventurer by the name of Rick O’Connell who claimed to have actually found Hamunaptra a few years prior whilst a part of a unit of the French Foreign Legion in a skirmish that didn’t exactly go so well. Since then however, we see that Rick has found himself in a nearby prison which is where Evelyn and Jonathan find and subsequently free him from courtesy of a bribe to the prison’s warden so that he may take them to the lost city. Yet by choosing to do so, we see that our group is doing more than just crossing paths with a group of fellow treasure hunters who are led by a frenemy of Rick’s named Beni. Rather, they are also about to find out that some things are best left right where they are especially when those things take the form of the long-buried Imhotep who, upon being accidentally set free, is now at long last able to seek his vengeance upon the world whilst also being reunited with his eternal lady love Anck-su-namun. Thus can our group, with the aid of a member of a secret group known as the Medjai, put this creature back under wraps where he belongs and before he is able to wreak some serious havoc on the world as we know it in the process? That I will leave for you to discover….

Now right off, it should be said that the work done by the various departments behind the camera do a wonderful job of making this slice of cinema as entertaining and fun as it can be even though it might be lacking a wee bit in terms of intelligence. This starts with the work done in both the director’s and the writer’s chairs respectively by Stephen Sommers (1998’s Deep Rising and 2004’s Van Helsing among others) and he doesn’t do a bad job here. Indeed perhaps the key thing that Sommers does really well here is he manages to blend together incredibly well action beats that are sure to leave you on the edge of your seat, moments of horror that (PG-13 rating aside) can be legitimately chilling, comedy that is genuinely funny rather than annoying or groan-inducing, and a story that (as dumb as it gets and boy does it) actually puts a fair amount of focus on the characters before anything else into a movie that is actually able to keep all of these elements fairly well balanced and prove to be consistently entertaining from beginning to end. To be sure, there are going to be those who take issue with the fact that this film is, if I’m being honest, more than slightly campy, and I definitely get that. As far as I’m concerned though, that just helps add, rather than detract, from the overall fun factor present to the movie as a whole especially because it’s clear that everyone involved in the making of the film is both in on the joke and wants the audience to be as entertained as they undoubtedly were bringing it to life for them. Along with the work done at the helm and on the page by Sommers, this slice of cinema also contains undeniably skilled work from Adrian Biddle and the cinematography department. Indeed not only does Biddle’s work here aid the film immensely in the establishment of the exciting yet also otherworldly atmosphere that it operates with, but he also manages to merge together the work done by the practical effects and CGI departments with the live-action footage in a manner that feels genuine rather than glaringly shoehorned in any way to say nothing of being able to conjure up a feeling of grandeur and exhilaration that helps make the movie that much more enjoyable. Lastly, this section would most assuredly be lacking if I didn’t take some time to focus on the beautiful work done by the iconic Jerry Goldsmith in terms of this film’s musical accompaniment. Indeed not only does Goldsmith’s work here fit incredibly well with what is being depicted on screen at any given moment be it humorous, romantic, thrilling, or even terrifying, but it really does make you feel like you have been transported back to the time and place the film is set in whilst also making you feel like you too are on this truly extraordinary adventure alongside the characters as well. Suffice it to say that when you also incorporate into this distinct brew fairly skilled work from the editing department as headed by Bob Ducsay (2011’s Season of the Witch, 2012’s Looper, and the 2014 Godzilla among others) and visual effects work especially in terms of the effects used to bring the creature to life before he turns into Arnold Vosloo that, even to this day, still manages to hold up surprisingly well it’s clear that the work done behind the camera definitely is able to do what it can to make this as fun, thrilling, and even scary at points for viewers as it is ultimately able to be in the best way possible.

Alongside the fairly solid work done behind the camera, this slice of cinema also benefits immensely from a collection of enjoyable performances in front of the camera by an extremely well-chosen cast of talented individuals. Without a doubt in my mind, this starts with the work done by Brendan Fraser as Rick O’Connell and he is terrific here. Indeed as O’Connell, we see Fraser give us a character who is very much this film’s answer to Indiana Jones in that he, in the same vein as Indy, is very much a resourceful and charming tough-as-nails adventurer who is more likely to shoot first and ask questions later though not without firing off a few dryly witty remarks in the process. At the same time, we see that Fraser also does a terrific job of providing Rick with a few moments of surprising vulnerability as well including a really sweet moment where he gives Evelyn a gift he “procured” from another expedition in the area that really help to show that there is a heart to the character under the tough guy act he presents the world with. Indeed it’s a terrific performance and easily one of the most iconic characters that Fraser has portrayed during his career. Alongside Fraser, this film also has a wonderful turn from Rachel Weisz in the role of Evelyn “Evie” Carnahan. Indeed Weisz does a magnificent job at giving us a character who may start out as this incredibly intelligent yet somewhat clueless and a bit on the clumsy side young woman, but who gets the chance to become a more than capable and certainly brave adventurer in her own right courtesy of the extraordinary adventure at the heart of the film that she and the others get caught up in.  Besides Fraser and Weisz, we are also treated to a terrific performance from John Hannah (no not the animal expert; that would be Jack Hanna) as Evelyn’s brother Jonathan. Yes, this character is undoubtedly the cowardly and slightly sniveling comic relief here, but Hannah does a terrific job at really making this guy someone who is still likable and can be brave should the situation call for it.  Lastly, I definitely feel that this section would be woefully lacking if I didn’t take some time to praise the work done by Arnold Vosloo as the titular creature. Yes the character is one that is rooted more in being a physical presence more than anything, but even so Vosloo does a terrific job at giving us a character that, despite doing what he does out of an eternal love (or obsession depending on perspective) for his beloved, has become less a man and more in the vein of a vengeful and powerful force of nature that is not to be trifled with. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in delightful work from such talents as a delightfully and unapologetically sleazy Kevin J. O’Connor as Rick’s frenemy Beni “Wrong Side of the River” Gabor (when you see the movie then you’ll get the reference), Oded Fehr, Erick Avari (who was a delight as Cecil Anderson in the 2002 Adam Sandler movie Mr. Deeds), Stephen Dunham, Jonathan Hyde (Van Pelt/Samuel Parrish in 1995’s Jumanji and Westridge in the first Anaconda movie from 1997), noteworthy character actor Corey Johnson, and the iconic Bernard Fox (Col. Crittendon in Hogan’s Heroes and Dr. Bombay in the TV show Bewitched) among others it’s clear that everybody in this cast is very much aware of the kind of movie they are making and as such they all give performances that are absolutely fun and engaging to watch no matter how much or how little in terms of screentime they are given in the grand scheme of things.

All in all and at the end of the day is The Mummy “99” a perfect and flawless slice of cinema by any decent degree of the imagination whatsoever? Well let me see if I can put it to you this way: this is a movie about a mummy that is rudely awoken who then proceeds to try and take over the world. What do you think? At the same time however, is this the worst slice of cinema on any of the individual resumes for the creative talent involved in the making of it be they either behind or in front of the camera? Honestly, and thankfully for my younger self, I wouldn’t say that either. To be sure, this slice of cinema might not be perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but darn it all if it isn’t a lot of fun! Indeed here is a film that is a wonderful example of what could best be described as the kind of movie that requires you to do only one thing. That being to sit back, turn your brain off for a couple of hours, relax, and enjoy the gleefully ridiculous yet undeniably entertaining ride that this slice of cinema chooses to take you on. Indeed the work done at the helm by Stephen Sommers is genuinely delightful, the visual effects are (for a 90s film) undeniably impressive and still do to a fair degree manage to hold up despite a solid 25 years having come and gone since this film first came out, the cinematography is incredibly well-done, the soundtrack is truly majestic, and the work done by the cast of talent in front of the camera (with particular regard to the performances given by Fraser, Weisz, Vosloo, Hannah, and O’Connor) are all perfectly in synch with the overall tone and spirit of the movie. Suffice it to say then dear reader that if you are looking for a “prestige film” from 1999 that was recognized by the Oscars and other award-giving organizations then I think The Cider House Rules might be more your cup of tea. On the other hand, if you are looking for a popcorn film that is just genuinely fun from start to finish then you should definitely give this a try. I promise you won’t regret it. Now if you’ll give me a second: I thought I heard a strange noise outside and I really hope it’s not Imhotep wanting to talk with me about my review for this movie again. Not that I don’t enjoy talking with the guy, but I really am tired of calling his mummy because he keeps scaring me by putting scarabs on my lawn. Make of that what thou will dear reader. On a scale of 1-5 I give The Mummy “99” a solid 3.5 out of 5.