Dan
05-09-2001, 10:41 AM
The Mummy Returns (PG-13) at the Gaslight
By Brent and Katherine Northup
Dad: 2 stars
Daughter: 3 stars
Nothing bores me more than nonstop, pointless action. It
doesn't matter whether its mindless car chases, time-warped
space wars or an ancient Egyptian battle between a human army
and thousands of vicious dogs. The latter, of course, is a scene
straight from "The Mummy Returns," the "shhhhh-don't-wake-
up-the-dead" sequel that resurrected more than $70 million last
weekend.
Classic action movies feature memorable characters like Obi-
Wan Kenobi, Marshal Will Kane or General Patton. "The
Mummy Returns" has Brendan "look out for that tree" Fraser
and The Rock, a muscle-bound, brain-free professional wrestler.
I can't tell you how dull "Mummy" seemed to me: bad actors,
surrounded by pointless special effects, fighting off curses, evil
spirits and the apocalypse. Ho-when-will-it-end-hum.
However, the auditorium at the Gaslight was packed with
believers, many of them of the grade school variety. I do believe
I heard the word "awesome" whispered a few times during the
show.
And my 14-year-old daughter and her two eighth grade friends
also enjoyed the movie, but with reservations.
"It just wasn't as good as the first," said Katherine. "The
graphics on the first were much, much better and I didn't like the
fact that the kid was, once again, smarter than the adults."
Gretchen and Annika, however, found the sequel better than the
original, although they, too, felt the graphics were not always
believable. "Some graphics were obviously computer-done,"
said Gretchen. "And the acting wasn't as good this time."
But the three friends were still entertained.
Katherine loved "the costuming and the weaponry in the
flashbacks." Annika loved the historical story-line with elaborate
Egyptian scenes. And Gretchen gave the movie credit for
"accepting the idea of past lives."
The threesome shook their heads at the obvious flaws. "An 8-
year-old reads the Egyptian Book of the Dead and resurrects his
mother? Yeah, right," said Gretchen. "Every five seconds they
were resurrecting somebody from the dead. And all The Rock
did was roar."
But they could forgive the stupid stuff because they enjoyed
being swept inside the spectacle.
"It's for those who like simple entertainment that doesn't make
you think," said Annika. "It was awesome."
Katherine suggested it's for people "who like lots of fighting or
who like funny pygmies." She also enjoyed the way the sequel
"worked in a scene from the original, but from a new
perspective." She agreed with Annika that the "ancient history
stuff was cool."
Conclusion: Check your brain at the ticket counter, open your
eyes and your imagination - and you'll have a pretty good
afternoon at the movies. And be sure to wake up dad when it's
over.
By Brent and Katherine Northup
Dad: 2 stars
Daughter: 3 stars
Nothing bores me more than nonstop, pointless action. It
doesn't matter whether its mindless car chases, time-warped
space wars or an ancient Egyptian battle between a human army
and thousands of vicious dogs. The latter, of course, is a scene
straight from "The Mummy Returns," the "shhhhh-don't-wake-
up-the-dead" sequel that resurrected more than $70 million last
weekend.
Classic action movies feature memorable characters like Obi-
Wan Kenobi, Marshal Will Kane or General Patton. "The
Mummy Returns" has Brendan "look out for that tree" Fraser
and The Rock, a muscle-bound, brain-free professional wrestler.
I can't tell you how dull "Mummy" seemed to me: bad actors,
surrounded by pointless special effects, fighting off curses, evil
spirits and the apocalypse. Ho-when-will-it-end-hum.
However, the auditorium at the Gaslight was packed with
believers, many of them of the grade school variety. I do believe
I heard the word "awesome" whispered a few times during the
show.
And my 14-year-old daughter and her two eighth grade friends
also enjoyed the movie, but with reservations.
"It just wasn't as good as the first," said Katherine. "The
graphics on the first were much, much better and I didn't like the
fact that the kid was, once again, smarter than the adults."
Gretchen and Annika, however, found the sequel better than the
original, although they, too, felt the graphics were not always
believable. "Some graphics were obviously computer-done,"
said Gretchen. "And the acting wasn't as good this time."
But the three friends were still entertained.
Katherine loved "the costuming and the weaponry in the
flashbacks." Annika loved the historical story-line with elaborate
Egyptian scenes. And Gretchen gave the movie credit for
"accepting the idea of past lives."
The threesome shook their heads at the obvious flaws. "An 8-
year-old reads the Egyptian Book of the Dead and resurrects his
mother? Yeah, right," said Gretchen. "Every five seconds they
were resurrecting somebody from the dead. And all The Rock
did was roar."
But they could forgive the stupid stuff because they enjoyed
being swept inside the spectacle.
"It's for those who like simple entertainment that doesn't make
you think," said Annika. "It was awesome."
Katherine suggested it's for people "who like lots of fighting or
who like funny pygmies." She also enjoyed the way the sequel
"worked in a scene from the original, but from a new
perspective." She agreed with Annika that the "ancient history
stuff was cool."
Conclusion: Check your brain at the ticket counter, open your
eyes and your imagination - and you'll have a pretty good
afternoon at the movies. And be sure to wake up dad when it's
over.