When 1999's The Mummy first came out, I thought the trailers looked terrible, like a cheap Indiana Jones knock-off, so I didn't see it. In the 26 years since its release, general opinion on the film seems to have improved so much that the Tom Cruise Mummy movie was called a remake of the 1999 film, not the 1932 film of which the 1999 was supposed to be a remake. So I tried to watch it last night and fell asleep during big chunks of it. I can't say I was impressed by what I saw but I can't call this a fair review. I guess this is just an account of an experience.
I don't really know why Brendan Fraser's been getting such a motivated pity campaign in the past five years or so but he's not an especially bad actor and he's fine in this movie. Rachel Weisz is cute. With her being a ditz and he being so macho, it oddly feels more regressive than the Indiana Jones movies or the original Mummy. But those in a relationship with a male dom and female sub might vicariously enjoy the chemistry between the characters. It's cute. More annoying is Weisz's brother played by John Hannah who was up to some extremely broad slapstick in the moments I was awake for.
The real problem with this film is its cgi. It comes from that period in the late '90s, early '00s when people generally somehow couldn't quite perceive the flaws of cgi yet, which doesn't seem to age as charmingly as limited practical effects. It always feels sort of thin and soulless. The Pyramids of Mars holds up a lot better.
Anyway, maybe next time I have a go at it I'll be awake the whole time and write a proper review. I did kind of appreciate the free-flowing pulpiness of the screenplay.
The Mummy is available on Amazon Prime in Japan.
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