Date: Fri 21-May-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: MELISS

Quick Words:

Mummy-Fraser-Karloff-Playing

Full Text:

NOW PLAYING: Perhaps New "Mummy" Should Have Been Left Under Wrap

There's a moment, late in the film The Mummy, in which Brendan Fraser, playing

a dashing hero, clashes swords against a legion of zombie-like mummies; it's

an exciting, spirited CGI-effects sequence reminiscent of Jason and the

Argonauts and its signature scene in which Jason crosses blades with a group

of skeletons brought to life by the wizardry of stop-motion effects legend Ray

Harryhausen. It's one of the rare moments in The Mummy in which memories of a

previous film don't overshadow this current one. In fact, this film may have

you making many other comparisons to previous pictures, but too often The

Mummy will end up on the short end.

Based on the 1932 flick of the same name, The Mummy follows the exploits of

former Foreign Legion soldier Rick O'Connell (Fraser) as he leads a group of

explorers (some seeking fame and wealth, others seeking scholarship and

insight) to the legendary Egyptian city Hamunaptra, "City of the Dead," to

find long-sought bounties and uncover countless historical treasures.

Unfortunately, they also inadvertently uncover a 3,700-year-old curse and the

mummy who comes along with it.

The Mummy , written and directed by Stephen Sommers, makes the right move by

cranking up the villainy a notch: instead of the usual, Charmin-covered baddie

with a limp, we get a sinewy, menacing monster of potent power. This mummy

(Arnold Vosloo) can morph into sand, usher up perilous plagues (locusts, solar

eclipses, fire storms, and the like), revive legions of his undead pals, and

suck the life out of ill-fated humans to rejuvenate his body. He also boasts a

legion of flesh-eating scarabs that give new meaning to the phrase, "Don't let

the bed bugs bite."

Yet, one may walk away from a viewing of The Mummy without being completely

convinced it was a worthwhile effort. Despite show-stopping visual effects, a

game cast and the distinction of having a Boris Karloff classic as its source

material, The Mummy isn't a wholly satisfying movie. Diverting? Yes.

Entertaining? Mostly. But that's not good enough because you'll get the sense

that it could have been much better, and much of the blame may lie at the feet

of writer-director Sommers.

While it may be harsh -- and not just a bit cruel -- to label Sommers as a

hack, all evidence, including this current hit film and previous efforts, Deep

Rising and The Jungle Book , points to his going more than a little tone deaf.

I'm not talking about his ability to carry a tune. It's his inability to hit

the right balance within his movies of self-seriousness, self-deprecation,

irony and wit. More often than not, every note instead comes across as pure

camp, and it defeats whatever else he's trying to accomplish. In the case of

The Mummy , his technical proficiency is undercut by his inability to get all

the ingredients of his film to gel under the right tone.

Thus, The Mummy suffers because it's not frightening enough. The camp factor

and jokiness of the characters keeps us from feeling any real danger during

the movie. Given the mummy's considerable powers, he should have been an

intimidating figure, but with all due respect to Vosloo and his CGI

counterpart, there is very little presence to this villain. Though facing a

considerably lethal opponent, we rarely felt that our heroes, including

O'Connell, Evie (Rachel Weisz) and her brother (John Hannah), are in serious

jeopardy.

That, ultimately, is the problem with the film's tone. Certainly The Mummy

makes for a relatively entertaining two hours, but you get the sense the same

could be said for the characters within the film. They seem to be having too

much fun, and the lack of perceived danger on their part cuts back on our fun.