Rising From The Dead And Still Grumpy

“Knowing my brother-in-law, he probably deserves whatever you’re about to do to him. But this is my house, and I have certain rules about snakes and dismemberment.” ~ Rick O’Connell

“Those knickers are not mine.” ~ Evelyn O’Connell

“If a man does not embrace his past, he has no future.” ~ Ardeth Bay

“The Underworld awaits you.” ~ Imhotep

“What a bright little child. Your mother must be missing you terribly. If you wish to see her again, you better behave.” ~ Meela

“If you see anyone come running out screaming, don’t worry, it’s just me.” ~ Jonathan Carnahan

“I haven’t lost it, Mum. I just can’t find it. There’s a difference.” ~ Alex O’Connell

“It’s only a chest. No harm ever came from opening a chest.” ~ Evelyn 

“Yeah, and no harm ever came from reading a book.  You remember how that one went?” ~ Rick

With the success of The Mummy, a sequel was inevitable, and so it was in 2001 that The Mummy Returns came to theatres, reuniting the O’Connell family with the title villain and introducing another supernaturally cursed inhabitant of the ancient world into the mix.  Director Stephen Sommers came back with the primary players of the first movie for this follow up that carries on the story and remains in the adventure- swashbuckling tradition of its predecessor.

Starting five thousand years in the past, we’re introduced to a desert warrior known as the Scorpion King (Dwayne Johnson), leading an army on a campaign of conquest. He is ultimately thrown back and driven into exile with his army, bargains away his soul to the god Anubis for the chance to destroy his enemies, and leads a new army of jackal headed warriors against Egypt. Unfortunately Anubis calls in his markers and claims the Scorpion King for himself.

In 1933, at the site of Hamunaptra, a cult bent on resurrecting Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) are busy searching for his remains. They’re led by Baltus Hafez (Alun Armstrong), who is accompanied by a mysterious woman, Meela (Patricia Velasquez), who is the reincarnated Anck-su-Namun. The efforts are spied upon by the Medjai warrior Ardeth Bay (Oded Fehr, back from the first film). We also find Rick and Evelyn O’Connell (Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz) on a dig in Egypt. In the years since the previous film, they’ve gotten married, and have a young and precocious son, Alex (Freddie Boath). What starts out as a dig for the two ends up leading the family, accompanied by Evie’s rascal brother Jonathan (John Hannah) into a race against time to thwart a resurrected Imhotep from causing even more trouble than he has before.

Sommers returned as director and writer of the screenplay, which hinges on something from the 1932 classic that had been bypassed in the 1999 remake- reincarnation and past lives. The theme presents itself both in the reborn Anck-su-Namun looking much as she did in ancient Egypt. It also shows itself in Evie, troubled by dreams of a past life that play into events of the prologue of the first film, and this film plays out the idea of that past life, which includes things she could have no personal knowledge of. The story stays strongly to the established status quo of the first film, being an adventure and swashbuckling tale with a sense of humour. It includes bringing back characters, some of whom are not that different from the first film, others who have grown and matured, and also bringing in one new character who’s something of a reflection of a minor character from the first film.

The story also presents more of the concept of curses of the ancient world- not only does Imhotep return, with all of his powers intact, but the Scorpion King has been subjected to a very different kind of curse. We get more of the ancient secrets and hidden treasures aspect of the first film, the idea of death traps and dark dangers continue to play out this time, which ring true to the genre, and there’s that roller coaster cliffhanger sensibility to it all. It’s not quite as fresh as the first time out, and not quite as fun- life and death are much more at stake this time, but at the same time, the characters are not used as well as they were in the first film.

The set pieces of the film feel very much like the original film- quite like you’d expect both out of ancient Egypt in its prime or as a ruin, depending on the time period. That sort of attention to detail plays out in terms of props as well, as the Scorpion King’s army looks outfitted as you’d expect them to look, or in the current day, a brow beaten wreck of a pilot’s quarters look just like the wreck you might expect it to look like. The special effects of the first film, which did so well in conveying the supernatural threat of the Mummy, are carried over here as well, in various ways, most of which are successful. The Mummy’s powers are what we’ve seen before, and the CGI conveys that. Rather than have the sand wall sequence of the first film, we’re given a wall of water in a tight canyon, a sequence that works very well indeed. And the CGI’s new additions apply well to the vicious little pygmy mummies or the jackal headed warriors- the waves of them racing across sand dunes late in the film presents an ominous threat indeed.

Where it doesn’t seem to work is with the final form of the Scorpion King- the look of the character is inconsistent, and at times doesn’t seem to be occupying the same space as the actors, a problem that seems perplexing, since the CGI the rest of the time works to that effect. You find yourself wondering if the special effects crew ran out of time and realized, “hey, we still haven’t done the Scorpion King sequence”, or if, the time being what it was, way too many CGI specialists were off getting involved in The Lord Of The Rings. That’s compensated for in some way by the score from composer Alan Silvestri, who gives a richly nuanced, fierce score that moves in new directions from the original score, but maintains an exotic sound.

The film brings in a few new players, aside from the original cast. That starts with the young Freddie Boath as Alex; he’s the sort of incorrigible child who spends most of the film being kidnapped and yet never panics once, knowing two things- that his parents are coming and that his captors can’t kill him yet. He spends his time irritating his captors (“are we there yet? Are we there yet?”) and leaving messages for his parents along the way. As much as I can sympathize with his captors at having to put up with him, Boath’s performance and touches with the character certainly ring true. Shaun Parkes turns up as Izzy, a zeppelin pilot who’s known Rick in the old days and harbours old grudges. He’s something of a reflection of Bernard Fox’s Winston from the original film, an eccentric pilot figuratively rotting away in the desert, and he’s more of a motormouth, griping about everything. 

Alun Armstrong puts on a thick accent and over the top performance as the cult leader and curator Hafez, a man who just naturally assumes throughout the film that he’s in good with Imhotep and surely the undead priest will treat him with favour. Adewale Akkinuoye-Agbaje, who’s played brooding characters in films and television projects before, plays the chief henchman Lock-Nah,  a ruthless and impatient thug who finds the young Alex to be profoundly annoying, and who has bad blood where Ardeth is concerned.

Dwayne Johnson marked this as his first feature film role, having had spent his time in the wrestling world. The part of the Scorpion King, which he reprised for a prequel, really just calls for a muscular, formidable physical presence, which he supplies, and we only really see the actor in the prologue- his final form is pretty much all CGI. The actor glowers and menaces throughout the prologue, establishing himself as a considerable threat, with a hint of arrogance and defiance.

Patricia Velasquez has more to do this time out in a dual role, as Meela, the modern day reincarnation of her original character, Anck-su-Namun, who’s brought back to life as the film goes along. There’s a deviousness and treachery to the character that fits what’s come before, and while the love across millennia angle continues to play out this time, there’s a late in the film twist that calls into question just how deeply devoted she is- or how selfish she can be. There’s also a personal rivalry in the character, both in terms of the distant past and the present, playing itself out with Evelyn.

Arnold Vosloo returns as the eminently dangerous Imhotep, resurrected once more to unleash a world domination ploy. To do that this time out requires taking control of the Scorpion King’s army, and while he’s got his sights set on that, he’s also preoccupied with what had his attention the first time out- bringing back his long lost love back from the dead. He’s easily irritated- Alex proves to be a source of irritation, and perhaps over confident, but there’s also a key moment late in the film in which he shows himself to be devious as well, and then ultimately to be in despair. That last moment’s a nice touch for the character- it gives him humanity that he lost somewhere along the line.

Oded Fehr returns as Ardeth Bay, still firmly a Medjai, a warrior and leader of the secret society. He’s still given to talk in an expository way. I find myself wondering if the Medjai have considerable financial resources that allow them to travel quickly in the world, and how a man like Ardeth copes with Customs. He continues to be courageous and decisive as a warrior, calm under pressure, and brings a dry sense of humour to his performance.

John Hannah returns as Jonathan, and continues to be the most fun member of the cast, a charming scoundrel with few scruples and a tendency to find himself in trouble. He’s still greedy, still obsessed with getting rich- perhaps to the point of disregarding personal safety. The character is still very much a comic relief sort of person, getting some of the best lines of the film, but he’s also resourceful in his own way.

Rachel Weisz returns as Evelyn, more self assured and confident than the clumsy librarian we first met. As an archaeologist, she’s more take charge than before, and she’s picked up a few handy skills in armed and unarmed combat thanks to her husband. The two characters play off against each other well as a married couple, creating a believable tone in that relationship, sharing worries about their son, and Weisz also makes the hard to believe aspect of the story- ie, reincarnation- still feel plausible in the way she performs both past and present aspects of her character.

Brendan Fraser's performance as Rick continues to build on where the character has come from as well. He's still a dashing scoundrel, and yet has matured and become somewhat more responsible. He's wry and doesn't take things too seriously, but at the same time is in a place where worry for his wife and son comes naturally too. Fraser's take on the character maintains the swashbuckling aspect of Rick, a man who rises to the occasion and shows no fear in the face of death. It's a good action role, and definitely worlds better than what Tom Cruise will bring to whatever his leading role will be in the rebooted version. 

The Mummy Returns is a worthwhile follow up to the first film, though it has some problems, being not quite as fresh as the original, and having that perplexing odd CGI element that just doesn't add up to the rest of the CGI. It increases the stakes of the franchise, maintains the humourous tone, and has a satisfying pace that keeps the audience entertained. With another Mummy soon to be in theatres next year, and featuring a whole different premise and the unfortunate casting of Hollywood's biggest ego, these Mummy films- all three of them- stand out as an example of how to get it right.

Ancient Curses And Grumpy Egyptians

“It is better to be the right hand of the devil than in his path.” ~ Beni

 “I only gamble with my life, never my money.” ~ Rick O’Connell

“You lied to me!” ~ Evelyn Carnahan 

“I lie to everybody, what makes you so special?” ~ Jonathan Carnahan 

“I am your sister!” ~ Evelyn 

“Yes, well, that just makes you more gullible.” ~ Jonathan

“We are part of an ancient secret society. For over three thousand years we have guarded the City Of The Dead. We have sworn at manhood to do any and all in our power to stop the high priest Imhotep from being reborn into this world.” ~ Dr. Bay

“This creature is the bringer of death. It will never eat, it will never sleep, and it will never stop.” ~ Ardeth Bay

“By the way, why did you kiss me?” ~ Evelyn 

“I dunno, I was about to be hanged. It seemed like a good idea at the time.” ~ Rick

With the walking ego otherwise known as Tom Cruise starring in a new Mummy film next year, it seems appropriate to review two of the films from some years ago, which didn’t take themselves too seriously and odds are will prove to still be more entertaining when compared to Cruise’s film. In 1999, director Stephen Sommers brought The Mummy to the big screens. It was a loose remake of the 1932 original, stressing action, adventure, and fantasy with a rich sense of humour in a tale of a cursed Egyptian high priest coming back to life in the 20^th century.

The film opens in ancient Egypt, where the high priest Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) has a secret romance with Anck-su-Namun (Patricia Velasquez), the mistress of Pharoah Seti. Their relationship is exposed, the  lovers kill the Pharoah, and while his love takes her life rather than be captured, Imhotep is ultimately punished with an ancient curse and buried alive with flesh eating scarab beetles. The order of bodyguards who have carried out the punishment at Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead, vow to guard the site forever.

In the wake of the First World War, members of the French foreign legion are bracing themselves for battle with desert raiders at the ruins of Hamunaptra. Among them is an American, Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser) and a cowardly soldier, Beni (Kevin J. O’Connor). During the skirmish, Rick sees something disturbing amid the sand. Several years later, Evelyn and Jonathan Carnahan (Rachel Weisz and John Hannah), a sister and brother pair of Egyptologists living in the country, meet Rick at a prison where he’s due to be hanged; Rick knows where the City of the Dead is, and his life is worth saving. And so the three are tied together in a journey to the city... where the cursed dead still waits in his sarcophagus.

The idea of an updated version of The Mummy had been around for a few years, starting in the early 90s. At one point Clive Barker had been on board to direct a pure horror take on the concept. At another point, George Romero was attached. Finally Stephen Sommers came on board with a premise that was along the lines of an Indiana Jones film- the serial style adventure film with a sense of humour, swashbuckling more than horrific. Sommers had done a number of different projects before- The Jungle Book, Tom and Huck, and Oliver Twist. His previous film prior to The Mummy was something that had a similar sort of tone. Deep Rising had featured horror, action, adventure, humour, and rogues as characters. The studio liked his proposal, and brought him on board to direct what would end up being a film that had fun with itself- something one doubts we’d ever see out of Tom Cruise.His style as a director, which admittedly can be up and down in terms of quality, works well here, as the film flows swiftly and he invests a good sense of humour into his directing style. For a look at the down side of his work, try wasting two hours of your life by watching one of those G.I Joe films, though as I said... it would be a waste.

The screenplay by Sommers has nods towards the original 1932 classic- the alias Boris Karloff’s Imhotep uses in the modern day matches the name of one of the characters in this film, and resurrection from the dead using the Book of the Dead is revisited here. So too is the idea of the villain single-mindedly pursuing the resurrection of his lost love. Where the original film stressed horror and suspense, this remake goes off in different directions, mixing action and adventure into the tale, as well as a rich sense of humour. There’s a lot of the influence of Indiana Jones in the story, with the setting in Egypt and the idea of tomb raiding and ancient mysteries, as well as the swashbuckling aspect of the characters.

Production took place primarily in Morocco and the United Kingdom, as Egypt at the time was deemed too unstable for filming. Location shooting involved exterior settings, while a good deal of underground chambers and passages, in which the film indulges in with regularity, was done in studio settings, with setwork taking on the look of ancient Egypt, both in terms of that time period and in terms of ruins in the modern era. There’s a lot of attention paid to detail in terms of set work, costuming, and props that give both periods- ancient Egypt and the 1920s era- a sense of reality. One feels they’re dropped down into the desert with period clothing and vehicles.

The CGI and special effects of the film do as they’re required. Much of that revolves around Imhotep himself, as well as the use of the various powers the curse has given him. It’s probably most spectacularly seen in his use of a sandstorm to thwart the heroes in the latter part of the film, but reflects as well in his appearance as his body regenerates, or other techniques he uses along the line. The CGI is also used in other resurrected mummies- Imhotep’s fellow priests- and in the periodic use of scarab beetles, who have a way of picking a body clean within seconds, which the real scarab beetles don’t do, but it looks good and horrific on screen. Throughout the film, the CGI does look real and effective- something that went slightly awry with one of the special effects in the sequel. The score by the late master composer Jerry Goldsmith is one of my favourites by him, filled with themes that stress adventure, romance, mystery, humour, and the exotic themes of a place not our own.

I like the choice in casting throughout the film. That goes from the major players to relatively minor ones. Bernard Fox, the British character actor who’s been in countless movies and television series, has a fun but poignant role as Winston Havlock, an acquaintance of Rick and military pilot who’s gone to seed in the desert, drinking his way into oblivion and lamenting the fact that he didn’t go down in glory like the rest of his friends in the Great War. Erick Avari, who came to North American attention first as a tribal leader in Stargate, plays the curator Dr. Bay, first coming across as a fussy and humourless bureaucrat before we learn that he’s also the leader of the Medjai, and a courageous man of knowledge. Jonathan Hyde often gets cast as unlikable stiff necked characters, which applies here. He’s an Egyptologist, Allen Chamberlain, leading a group of Americans. The character is dismissive and haughty, which Hyde plays to.

Patricia Velasquez appears in the prologue as Anck-Su-Namun, the object of Imhotep’s affections. We can see what the villain sees in her, though she’s as treacherous as he is, willing to do whatever she must to free herself of the position she’s in. There’s a boldness in her that matches Imhotep’s own. Boldness is something we can’t see in Beni, the lowlife henchman in the modern era. Kevin J. O’Connor had worked with Sommers in Deep Rising, and while the snarkiness carries over into this character, he’s less sympathetic. His Beni is a greedy, opportunistic coward, the sort who runs from danger but bargains with the devil; it’s hard to feel sorry for him when he’s getting his butt kicked around.

Arnold Vosloo is perfectly cast as Imhotep. His performance may be augmented by special effects, but it’s strongly grounded in him as an actor. He plays Imhotep as determined and ruthless, single-minded in his quest to resurrect his lost love. Thus from his point of view, he’s not the villain, which makes the role work so well. There’s a strong sense of menace in his performance, and while everyone else in the film seem to be playing their parts with a wink in the eye, Vosloo plays the role completely straight. His character, caught up in this supernatural curse, is a formidable adversary.

Oded Fehr was well chosen to play Ardeth Bay, a warrior leader of the Medjai who comes into contact with the main characters. He and his order, a secret society of desert warriors, have sworn to protect the secrets of the City of the Dead, and that first brings them into conflict, and then alongside, the three main characters. Ardeth is humourless at first, though we do catch a dry sense of humour as things go along. And he’s courageous, formidable, and decisive as a leader of men, though he does defer to Doctor Bay- one assumes they’re son and father, though the film doesn’t touch on that.

John Hannah is one of those actors who can make a role interesting just by talking. His Jonathan is a fun role for the actor; while he’s apparently an Egyptologist, he doesn’t take the job that seriously. Jonathan is something of a bumbler, a greedy sort of fellow with few scruples. He’s not that interested in history, more in just getting rich, and that drives him. Jonathan is also something of a grifter and thief, a man fond of lying, especially if it gets him out of trouble. Fortunately he’s also a whole lot of fun, and while he’s not above taking advantage of his sister’s good nature, he’s fond of her too.

Rachel Weisz was perfectly cast as Evelyn. The first impression she makes on the audience is of a bookish but clumsy librarian, eager to prove herself to fellow Egyptologists, who dismiss her as a woman. She’s peevish at times, particularly with her brother, and then early on with Rick, who she dismisses as arrogant and rude, even though she has need of information he knows. And yet the bickering dynamic she has with him gives way to a bond, and we can believe the chemistry between Evelyn and Rick, because it develops as the film goes along.

The leading role had been offered to various actors at one point or another- Cruise himself, as well as Brad Pitt or Matt Damon had been offered the role. Fraser got it, and was well suited to the role. He brings to Rick the sort of swashbuckler sensibility that Errol Flynn would have gotten, and the actor doesn’t take himself too seriously, which is vital for Rick’s world view. Rick is a scoundrel and a rascal, which makes him a fun character to watch, but he’s also courageous and finds a reason to see things through as the film develops. Fraser makes the role fun, and his Rick is a convincing leading man.

The Mummy might be a loose remake of the original film, but it goes off in its own direction and takes on a life of its own. It’s a satisfying adventure with a lot of humour, finding a balance between horror and thriller. In some ways it is a comic book tale or a roller coaster story, but the pace always moves along well, and the characters are memorable and fun. Add to that a formidable adversary, and the resulting film is an enjoyable one. Even though it’ll leave you shuddering at the very words scarab beetle.

Munchkins Are Good... In A Brandy Sauce

Director Sam Raimi has just unveiled Oz The Great And Powerful, casting a look behind the curtain at the man who will one day become the Wizard of Oz. The writer L. Frank Baum created the magical world of Oz over the course of numerous children's books and stories, leaving it as his literary legacy. It's been a long time since I've read his work, and not a great deal of it. And then there's the whole matter of that.... musical.

Yes, I know, it's beloved by millions down through the years, a part of their life experience, and so on and so on. Unfortunately, it's also a musical, one that I've never been able to get through (Judy Garland singing makes root canal surgery seem pleasant to me). So I'm not entirely sure I'm the key audience for a revisiting of Oz.

The story starts out, like the 1939 film, in black and white. We meet Oscar Diggs (James Franco) in 1905 Kansas. He's something of a travelling carnival con man, working with his assistant (Zach Braff) to swindle money by smoke and mirrors, with a particular emphasis on inventions. He also happens to be something of a cad, which requires a quick escape by balloon that gets interrupted by an all too familiar windstorm.

Diggs finds himself in the land of Oz, and as in the 1939 film, the film shifts to bright colours as he arrives in this strange new world. It's a CGI and stage hybrid, something of a drug hallucination kind of world (the argument could be made that Baum was smoking some weed when he wrote anything about Oz, and I'm going to get knocked off by the L. Frank Baum Society for saying that). In short order, Diggs finds himself encountering the residents of this magical realm, including three unusual women: Theodora (Mila Kunis), Glinda (Michelle Williams), and Evanora (Rachel Weisz).

There are other travellers he meets along the way, a flying monkey (yes, one of those) voiced again by Zach Braff, and a china figurine girl who curiously enough is the best rendered CGI effect in the film. Diggs has but his wits and affable charm to get him by as the story leads him towards the Emerald City. This is the Wizard long before he was known as such: a shyster who says he's not quite what everyone thinks he is, but who finds his purpose and a valuable use for his own talents.

The film has strengths and flaws, sometimes mixed all in the same thing. Director Sam Raimi, who has a history of offbeat work and genre bending (this is the same director who took on the first Spider-Man trilogy) chooses to play it safe and be faithful to the world of Oz. Or so it seems to me. Not a lot of personal experience with Oz, but the tone seems to fit in with all things Oz. Instead of tweaking the nose a bit, Raimi stays respectful. (I'd be tempted to just stash a scarecrow being attacked by crows in a field somewhere in the film just as a thumb in the eye, but that's just me). From the point of view of Oz traditionalists, that'll no doubt count as good. I might have liked Raimi, who does have a good record as a director, to spread his wings a bit. Raimi does handle the production well. The special effects, costuming, and production values combine to bring us into a profoundly bizarre world.   

Casting has its up and downs. First, I'll mention that Zach Braff might have been better cast with someone else in the dual role. Something about him seems, well, off putting. Fortunately, this is a supporting character. It's the four leads who are essential to the film. Mila Kunis is perhaps a bit understated in the role of Theodora. I'm not all that familiar with her previous body of work. Understated is an issue for Michelle Williams, who has a growing impressive record as an actress. She seems here to be subdued, to not quite have the energy you might expect out of the character.

Rachel Weisz as Evanora is well done. She's one of my favourite actresses, and she brings a spirit and dynamic to the role that I think works very well. James Franco has his ups and downs in the role, and it's largely because of the character. Oscar Diggs, in going from the con man to a man with a purpose, has to shift from the con artist to something more resolute. Franco can play the con man very well; his smirk is probably one of the most effective around among the acting world. And while he can certainly convey determination (think of his turn in the magnificent 127 Hours), he's not quite right for conveying the essence of sincerity.

The film has its ups and downs. Some plotholes, the odd special effect (though considering Oz is pretty much a drug trip anyway) come to mind. The last act of the film brings the film home though, and makes it worthwhile. And on top of all that? Well, there's only a few bars of singing, so we're mercifully spared an atrocity of singing and dancing. No one's singing at the top of their lungs about rainbows and Auntie Em. We'd have to call in a horde of flying monkeys if they thought that was a good idea.