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Movie Review: "The Mummy"

© Debbie Ledesma

The summer movie season has arrived. One of the first movies out is "The Mummy." This is a fantasy movie similar to "Raiders of the Lost Ark." It is entertaining with a nice blend of adventure, humor, scares and action. The movie has flaws-many films do-but it has good elements too. Plot, special effects and setting give this movie a nice touch of fantasy to enjoy.

The plot revolves around cursed Egyptian high priest Imhotep, hidden treasure and saving the world. After a brief opening in ancient Egypt to set the story in motion, viewers are jumped to 1920's Egypt. From there, the plot moves at a quick pace like the "Indiana Jones" movies. There is little time for the characters to catch their breaths, but the plot is understandable and easy to follow. Special effects help the plot keep moving.

Computer generated images and other special effects in this movie are very good. Viewers are treated to excellent depictions of swarms of locusts, flaming hailstones, gigantic sand storms and marauding flesh eating beetles. The mummy slowly morphs from a walking skeleton to a normal human as he regenrerates. He turnes into a miniature sand storm whenever he escapes the heros. Some of the special effects are reminiscent of Ray Harryhausen films. The special effects help the setting.

In the beginning of the film, viewers are treated to impressive images of ancient Thebes with the pyramids, sphinx and Nile river in the background. We are treated to wonderful sites of the fictional city of Hamunaptra too. Creative sets blend in with the special effects for good scenes. Location filming in Morocco completes the setting, giving the movie a sense of wonder and reality.

The first big movie release of Summer 1999 is an entertaining movie fantasy lovers will enjoy. It moves quickly, with a lot of action and touches of humor. Parents can take older children to this movie. There is no profanity. Scary scenes have little blood and gore.

For another review of the movie check out Science Fiction Weekly #108 at "http://www.scifi.com/sfw". There is a review with pictures at "http://www.anotheruniverse.com/movies/re...".

Until next week.