The Mummy Returns

Movie Name: The Mummy Returns
Year of Release: 2001
Director: Stephen Sommers
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Freddie Boath, Oded Fehr, Patricia Velasquez, Alun Armstrong, Dwayne Johnson, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Shaun Parkes, Bruce Byron, Joe Dixon, Tom Fisher, Aharon Ipale
Genre: Adventure, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
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Synopsis and Review:

After the success of the first Mummy film, a sequel was inevitable. "The Mummy Returns" was another huge hit, paving way for a few more subsequent films related to this mythology, one being a prequel, and one a final sequel, which did not feature all of the original cast. "The Mummy Returns" takes place in 1933, with Rick and Evelyn now happily married and with a young child in tow, the adventurous Alex. While exploring another site, they uncover the Bracelet of Anubis, which they bring to London. While in London, Evelyn is captured by an Egyptian cult, who once again resurrect Imhotep with the Book of the Dead. They want him to seize power over the late and mythical Scorpion King's army and ultimately rule the world. As Rick, Jonathan and Alex go in pursuit of Evelyn, eventually freeing her, but then lose Alex who in the meantime has the Bracelet firmly on his wrist. This bracelet gives directions to the desert where the Scorpion King was exiled. As they get closer to the final destination, and Alex leaves clues behind so his parents can catch up to him, Evelyn realizes there's something unique tying her to all this ancient History. It's up to them to save Alex and stop both Imhotep and the Scorpion King. 

Writer/Director Stephen Sommers expands the cast of characters and mythology around this universe with this sequel. In essence the film continues in the spirit of the previous one, but with a loftier budget, meaning more digital effects, which once again are more distracting than exactly an enhancement to the virtuosity of the storytelling. The film manages at its best, to capture some of the thrill and adventure of Steven Spielberg's "Indiana Jones" films, though this one never gets quite as dark as "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom", which also introduced a young child as a sidekick to the leading man. Alex and Jonathan (once again), are the comedic support, balancing the somewhat seriousness of the dashing Rick, and even Evelyn, who in this sequel becomes more stately and not so much the clumsy intellectual she was introduced as in the first feature. This is once again, a polished B-movie with no pretensions, but as the narrative introduces more characters, each battling for their relevance in the overall arc being showcased, the narrative itself becomes too indulgent, with too many characters wanting their prime spot, with not enough left for them to do. The introduction of the Scorpion King for instance, is very brief, and by the time he returns, it's nothing but a badly rendered digital creation. What has always been interesting about Spielberg's films, particularly his more entertaining endeavors, is how economically and succinct he can be with the narrative and showcasing his characters. Sadly in "The Mummy Returns", just adding more villains, more digital armies, didn't translate as more enthusiasm or a better film. The three leads continue to be just as enticing, as is the score from Alan Silvestri. The cinematography from Adrian Biddle is fantastic as is the production design from Allan Cameron. Watchable but ultimately forgettable.