The Mummy Returns

The Mummy Returns

Promotional poster
Directed by Stephen Sommers
Produced by Sean Daniel
James Jacks
Written by Stephen Sommers
Starring Brendan Fraser
Rachel Weisz
John Hannah
Arnold Vosloo
Oded Fehr
Patricia Velásquez
The Rock
Music by Alan Silvestri
Cinematography Adrian Biddle
Edited by Bob Ducsay
Kelly Matsumoto
Production
company
Alphaville Films
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release dates
  • May 4, 2001
Running time
 130 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Arabic
Budget $98 million
Box office $433 million[1]

The Mummy Returns (simply known as The Mummy 2), is a 2001 American fantasy adventure film written and directed by Stephen Sommers, starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr, Patricia Velásquez, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The film is a sequel to the 1999 film The Mummy.

The Mummy Returns inspired the 2002 prequel/spin-off film The Scorpion King which is set 5,000 years prior and whose eponymous character, played by Dwayne Johnson (The Rock), was introduced in this film. It was followed by the 2008 sequel The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.

Plot

In prehistoric Egypt, the Scorpion King leads his army on a campaign to conquer the world. They are defeated while attacking Thebes and exiled to the desert of Ahm Shere; his men die of heat exhaustion. After vowing to give Anubis his soul for the power to defeat his enemies, an oasis forms to hide the Scorpion King's pyramid and he is given a legion of jackal warriors in Anubis' image. The Army of Anubis sweeps across Egypt, but once their task is finished, Anubis claims the Scorpion King's soul and his army.

In 1933, Rick and Evelyn O'Connell explore a ruined mortuary in ancient Thebes with their son, Alex. They find the Bracelet of Anubis. In London, Alex puts on the bracelet, which shows him a vision directing him to Ahm Shere. Alex has seven days to reach the oasis, or the bracelet will kill him when the sun's rays shine on the Scorpion King's pyramid.

Evelyn is captured by an Egyptian cult who resurrect Imhotep; they wish to use his power to defeat the Scorpion King, giving him command of Anubis' army to take over the world. The cult, led by Baltus Hafez, the British Museum's curator, includes a warrior named Lock-Nah and Meela Nais, the reincarnation of Imhotep's love Anck-su-namun. The O'Connells set out to rescue Evelyn, accompanied by her brother Jonathan and the Medjai Ardeth Bay.

Hafez attempts to sacrifice Evelyn; a fight ensues between Rick and Imhotep. Imhotep calls on the help of mummified soldiers to kill Rick and the others. After freeing Evelyn they flee on a bus with the soldiers in pursuit. After defeating them, Alex is kidnapped by Lock-Nah. The cult travels to Egypt. The O'Connells pursue along with Rick's associate from his past adventures, Izzy, a pilot, who provides the group with transportation.

The bracelet gives Alex directions to Ahm Shere that Imhotep follows. At each location, Alex leaves clues for his parents, who follow in Izzy's dirigible. Imhotep uses the Book of the Dead to give Meela Nais the soul of Anck-su-namun, but by doing so he allows Evelyn to unlock the memories of her previous life as Princess Nefertiri, the bracelet's keeper and Pharaoh Seti I's daughter. Lock-Nah finds Alex leaving clues, so Imhotep makes a wall of water that attacks the dirigible. The O'Connells crash in the jungle of Ahm Shere. Izzy stays with the dirigible to repair it. The O'Connells attack the cult, and both groups are attacked by pygmy mummies. Rick retrieves Alex while Ardeth Bay kills Lock-Nah. They escape the pygmies, who kill the cult except for Baltus. Imhotep and Anck-su-namun are unharmed.

Rick and Alex make it to the pyramid before sunrise. The bracelet detaches from Alex's arm. Ardeth regroups with the Medjai in case Anubis' army rises. Anck-su-namun stabs Evelyn, killing her. Rick pursues Imhotep. Baltus puts on the bracelet and revives the army. Anubis takes Imhotep's powers, wanting Imhotep to fight as a mortal. Rick finds Imhotep summoning the Scorpion King and they fight. The Medjai engage the army as the Scorpion King interrupts Rick and Imhotep's fight. Imhotep tells the Scorpion King that Rick was sent to kill him. While Rick and the Scorpion King fight, Baltus is killed. Jonathan and Alex steal the Book of the Dead from Anck-su-namun and use it to resurrect Evelyn, who confronts Anck-su-namun while Alex and Jonathan go to help Rick.

The scepter Jonathan has been carrying extends into a spear that can kill the Scorpion King. The Medjai defeat Anubis' army, but have only defeated the vanguard; the full army charges toward them. Rick kills the Scorpion King, sending him and his army back to the Underworld. The Scorpion King's death breaks his oath with Anubis, causing the oasis to be sucked into the pyramid. Rick and Imhotep hang above a pit that leads to the underworld. Evelyn risks her life to save Rick, but Anck-su-namun abandons Imhotep, who chooses to fall to his death. Anck-su-namun falls into a pit of scarab beetles. The O'Connells reach the top of the pyramid, which is sinking into the desert. Izzy arrives with a modified dirigible and saves the O'Connells.

Cast

Actor Role
Brendan Fraser Rick O'Connell
Rachel Weisz Evelyn Carnahan O'Connell/Princess Nefertiri
Arnold Vosloo Imhotep
John Hannah Jonathan Carnahan
Oded Fehr Ardeth Bay
Patricia Velásquez Meela Nais/Anck-Su-Namun
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson The Scorpion King (Mathayus of Akkad)
Freddie Boath Alex O'Connell
Alun Armstrong Baltus Hafez
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Lock-Nah
Shaun Parkes Izzy Buttons
Bruce Byron Red
Joe Dixon Jacques
Tom Fisher Spivey
Aharon Ipalé Pharaoh Seti I

Reception

Box office

The Mummy Returns has earned the gross profit (the worldwide box office minus the budget) of $335,013,000, which, taking inflation into account, is a few percent lower than The Mummy‍‍ '​‍s gross profit ($335,933,000). On its opening day, the film earned $24,134,667. The film grossed $202,019,785 in the United States and Canada box offices and $230,993,489 elsewhere, totaling in $433,013,274 worldwide.[2]

Critical

The Mummy Returns has received mixed reviews from critics. It currently holds a 47% "Rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 139 reviews.[3] Metacritic reported, based on 31 reviews, an average rating of 48 out of 100.[4]

Roger Ebert, who awarded the first film three stars, gave the second film only two, saying that "The mistake of The Mummy Returns is to abandon the characters, and to use the plot only as a clothesline for special effects and action sequences."[5] James Berardinelli of ReelViews gave the film two and a half stars (out of four), calling it "hollow, lightweight entertainment—not unpleasant, but far from the summer's definitive action/adventure flick.[6]

Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times gave the film a positive review, praising its "constant plot turns, cheeky sensibility and omnipresent action sequences."[7] Todd McCarthy of Variety praised "the nonstop action of the final hour", saying that it "bursts with visual goodies."[8]

Joe Morgenstern of the Wall Street Journal gave the film a negative review, saying that it "has all of the clank but none of the swank of the previous version."[4] Charles Taylor of Salon.com was also not impressed, calling The Mummy Returns "everything the first Mummy was fun for not being."[9]

Awards and nominations

Award Subject Nominee Result
Saturn Awards Best Fantasy Film Nominated
Best Makeup Aileen Seaton, Nick Dudman and Jane Walker Nominated
Best Special Effects John Andrew Berton, Jr., Daniel Jeannette, Neil Corbould and Thomas Rosseter Nominated
Best Young Actor Freddie Boath Nominated
Young Artist Awards Nominated
Kids' Choice Awards Favorite Male Movie Star Brendan Fraser Nominated
Teen Choice Awards Choice Actor Nominated
Choice Sleazebag Dwayne Johnson Won
Choice Drama/Action-Adventure Nominated
Golden Trailer Awards Best Title Sequence Nominated
Golden Reel Awards Best Sound Editing - Effects & Foley Leslie Shatz, Malcolm Fife, Ann Scibelli, Jon Olive and Jonathan Klein Nominated
Empire Awards Best British Actress Rachel Weisz Nominated

Soundtrack

The Mummy Returns: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by Alan Silvestri
Released May 1, 2001
Genre Soundtrack
Length 01:13:26
Label Decca Records
The Mummy soundtrack chronology
The Mummy The Mummy Returns Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic
Empire
Filmtracks
Tracksounds

The Mummy Returns: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released on May 1, 2001 by Decca Records.

It contains the score composed and conducted by Alan Silvestri, although it misses material heard during the climactic action sequences. Also featured is a version of the song "Forever May Not Be Long Enough" by the rock band Live, which slightly differs from the song's album version.

No. Title Length
1. "The Legend of the Scorpion King"   4:55
2. "Scorpion Shoes"   4:24
3. "Imhotep Unearthed"   4:22
4. "Just an Oasis"   1:25
5. "Bracelet Awakens"   1:28
6. "Evy Kidnapped"   5:55
7. "Rick's Tattoo"   1:59
8. "Imhotep Reborn"   2:42
9. "My First Bus Ride"   7:45
10. "The Mushy Part"   2:42
11. "A Gift and a Curse"   5:32
12. "Medjai Commanders"   2:03
13. "Evy Remembers"   4:03
14. "Sandcastles"   3:22
15. "We're In Trouble"   2:18
16. "Pygmy Attach"   3:31
17. "Come Back Evy"   3:29
18. "The Mummy Returns"   7:44
19. "Forever May Not Be Long Enough" (Performed by Live) 3:47

References

  1. ↑ http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mummyreturns.htm
  2. ↑ "The Mummy Returns (2001)".
  3. ↑ "The Mummy Returns". Rotten Tomatoes.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "The Mummy Returns". Metacritic.
  5. ↑ Roger Ebert. "Review". Chicago Sun-Times.
  6. ↑ James Berardinelli. "Review". ReelViews.
  7. ↑ Kenneth Turan. "Review". Los Angeles Times.
  8. ↑ Todd McCarthy (May 3, 2001). "Review". Variety.
  9. ↑ Charles Taylor. "Review". Salon.com.

External links

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