There are plenty of action movies out there, and there’s no shortage of comedy, horror, or even adventure ones (even though the true adventure films are pretty hard to come by these days). But 1999The Mummydid something that was never done before and blended these genres, creating a unique, heartwarming, and thrilling rollercoaster of a ride and characters that forever captured the audience’s hearts.
Technically,The Mummyis a remake of the 1932 black-and-white movie of the same name, but in reality, it has morein common with Spielberg’sIndiana Jonesthan with the classic slow-paced and suspenseful horror. With its swashbuckling sense of adventure, goofy humor, spooky supernatural vibes, horror elements, and a stellar cast,The Mummycreated a perfect magic mix that many movies tried and failed to replicate. So, how exactly did it manage to do that?
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A Perfect Adventure Setting
There’s something about the 1920s that screams “adventure.” Not everything has been mapped out yet; there’s no internet to help with research, no GPS to navigate the desert, and no cell phones to warn other expedition members. At the same, not unlikeIndiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Mummychooses the setting of Egypt, which is a perfect “faraway land,” filled with millennia-long history and shrouded in mystery. It has majestic pyramids and ancient temples, promises of hidden treasure, challenges in the form of unforgiving climate, murderous wildlife, and dangerous locals that make the reward at the end of the journey all the sweeter.
Lovable Protagonists
The Mummywouldn’t be the same without its main protagonists,Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser)and Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz). However, they are not the typical adventure heroes.
O’Connell, while brave and physical, isnot a typical action movie butch. Instead of being a martial arts expert, who knocks the bad guys out with one hit, he knows when to run away and when to scream in the mummy’s face. He doesn’t take himself too seriously, isn’t afraid to look silly, is disarmingly honest, and has a good heart — all of which makes him relatable and endearing to the audience.
Evelyn breaks the stereotype as well— she’s neither a damsel in distress nor is she a sexy tank top-wearing tomb raider. She’s a bookworm, who’s proud to be a librarian, and, despite not being much of a fighter (though she does become more skilled in the movie’s sequel), she’s fiercely brave, stubborn, and doesn’t shy away from a camel race. At the same time, she’s the personification of child-like wonder, a wide-eyed dreamer, and a walking disaster, who causes bookshelves to drop like dominos and resurrects the mummy by recklessly reading from an ancient book. The two protagonists perfectly compliment each other while providing plenty of hilarious bickering and eye-rolling moments along the way.
A Scary But Relatable Monster
Imhotep, the mummy himself, has all themakings of a classic horror villain: he’s terrifying in appearance (with special effects still surprisingly holding up today), has a troubled past, and is determined to conquer the world. ButThe Mummy’smonster has a twist — he does it all for love. Well, love and revenge, but those two often go together.
Imhotep is also linked to most of the movie’s horror elements — from unleashing the flesh-eating bugs to melting people in acid to stealing their eyes and tongues to outright mummifying them. It takes him a while to fully regenerate his human form, so he walks around as a half-decayed mummy for most of the movie, which certainly adds to the atmosphere.The Mummymight technically be rated PG-13, but it certainly pushes its boundaries when it comes to horror elements.
Lighthearted and Goofy Humor
A big part ofThe Mummy’scharm comes from it not taking itself too seriously. It throws in some slapstick, doesn’t shy away from physical comedy, and has clearly cued one-liners, but they are delivered so genuinely and fittingly by the characters that they become iconic rather than tacky.
In addition, side characters like Jonathan, Evelyn’s older ne’er-do-well brother, cowardly Beni, who keeps switching sides until ending up as Imhotep’s servant, and even a seemingly somber Ardeth, a Medjai chieftain who enjoys flying on airplane’s wings,provide additional comic reliefand add to the lighthearted side of the movie.
Non-Stop Action
Chases, shootouts, sword fights, airplane crushes, murderous sand storms, attempts at blood sacrifices — there isn’t a dull moment in all 124 minutes of the movie. But unlike many modern action films,The Mummymanages tocombine those scenes with heartfelt humor, a gripping story, and charismatic characters that keep the audience engaged and cheering for them.
Movies That Wanted To Be Like The Mummy
With the incredible success ofThe Mummyand its established status as one of the most beloved adventure movies alongside such classics as theIndiana Jonesfranchise, it’s no surprise that many films tried to replicate its recipe.Lara Croft: Tomb Raiderhad plenty of actionand adventure but lacked goofy comedy and good jump scares.National Treasurehad elements of adventure and pseudo-archaeological looting, but the emphasis was on action.
Disney’sJungle Cruisetried so hardto imitateThe Mummythat it even introduced a character of a useless brother (just naming him MacGregor instead of Jonathan), the similar love/hate dynamics between the protagonists, and an ancient curse looming over the villains. Frank (Dwayne Johnson) and Lily (Emily Blunt) are clearly meant to be the new Rick and Evelyn, but the chemistry is simply not there. The humor is limited to some intentionally bad puns, and one can find scarier moments inGoosebumps.
Possibly, the newJumanjiinstallments came closest to replicatingThe Mummy’srecipe. They have silly humor and physical comedy (aided by the presence of Jack Black), there is plenty of action, but the characters are not as relatable, charming, or complex, or, perhaps, lack the goofy smile of Brendan Fraser.
Interestingly enough, evenThe Mummy’ssequels couldn’t quite hit the same mark. WhileThe Mummy Returnsstill had the same elements, they felt less organic, with somewhat forced jokes and prolonged action scenes.The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperorsubstituted adorable and big-eyed Rachel Weisz with more business-like Maria Bello for the role of Evelyn, and the chemistry between her and Fraser was never the same. Dark Universe’sThe Mummytook itself too seriously, and while the fans hoped for the original movie’s resurrection, Tom Cruise’s performance took it in a completely different direction, and the fans' disappointment is reflected in the 18% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Mummymasterfully blended an easily digestible plot, charismatic and genuine characters, lighthearted humor, heart-pumping action, and supernatural spooks into a beloved and highly rewatchable movie that set the standards for adventure films to come. Standards that are still to be met.
