Back in 1999, as the world went crazy with excitement awaiting the release of “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace” and worried about the possible end of the world thanks to the dreaded Y2K bug, a little remake of the Universal Monster classic “The Mummy” was released to little excitement and what seemed like a release date that could kill it up against the new Star Wars film. They couldn’t have picked a better time to drop the film though. Sure, it’s box office pailed in comparison to Star Wars, but Episode I’s massive box office actually helped “The Mummy”. You see, many people simply couldn’t get tickets to see Episode I so they went to “The Mummy” instead. Selling out theaters was good for both films as it turned out.
Looking back, the people who ended up being stuck seeing “The Mummy” instead probably lucked out. “The Mummy” was a fun and charming film and it made the Universal Studio monsters feel relevant once more. “The Mummy” was once again a cool property.
One of the most cleaver aspects of the remake was changing the film from a pure horror film to an adventure film in the vain of Indiana Jones with some horror aspects sprinkled in. This gave the film a fresh feeling while still telling the same story as the original. Setting the film in the 20s also set the film apart from other action fare and gave it a unique feel.
The cast was led by Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz and the two share a quirky and awkwardly cute chemistry. Fraser plays Rick O’Connell who is essentially the Indiana Jones of this film. Fraser looks imposing yet has a goofy charm and has good comedic timing. Weisz plays Evelyn as the sweet book worm who longs for a more adventurous life. Arnold Vosloo also makes for a great villain as the mummy Imhotep.
“The Mummy” is a rare remake where one could make a valid argument that it is better then the original film. It is rare for any film to balance multiple genres without overdoing one or the other. “The Mummy” achieves such a balance.
Grade: A-
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