REVIEW: THE MUMMY
Review by: Joy Wyse, the SILVER screen critic
In the first scenes of the movie, when the Pharaoh's mistress appears, you get the impression that this is not a movie for children. But, you'd be wrong. Her `dress' is alluring, but it's only provocative, not revealing. For a few seconds, you think that she and her lover could be the `good guys' but they are not. This guy is NOT the Pharaoh. She is slain for being unfaithful, and her organs are removed and placed into five jars. Then, her lover becomes the Mummy of the title when he is wrapped in gauze and put into a sarcophagus, with a jugful of roaches, and buried.
Does this sound like a movie for kids? Well, it is. Throughout the movie I kept thinking that my nine-year old grandson will love it. There are interesting moments as they dutifully explain the mummification process. It is not a great film by any account, but I'll bet that it will become a favorite with young boys (and girls) all over. When my children were that age, they totally enjoyed a movie where the good guys battled skeletons. I think that it was `The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad' or such. I really didn't think that it was a very good film, but they talk about it to this day. The Mummy is that kind of film. It makes you think of `Raiders of the Lost Ark' and Brendan Fraser is very reminiscent of Harrison Ford instead of being a cartoon character like George of the Jungle.
When movies such as the original Mummy and Frankenstein were made many years ago, you knew that such events couldn't really happen, but they scared you to death. Too many films today show shootings, explosions, and other mayhem to `entertain' you, but unfortunately, they could happen. That really scares me. The Mummy is a fun, scary movie. You know that something is going to jump out at you, but you enjoy it. The woman behind me let out a scream that embarrassed her, but she was scared!
You won't recognize most of the actors by name, but you'll remember seeing them `somewhere'. They are all excellent in their roles. They also reminded me of old-time actors like Peter Lorre, and J. Carroll Nash. It is well worth your time. Take your kids and grandkids, and let yourself just be entertained without analyzing the production values.
SEE YOU AT THE MOVIES
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