The Mummy Returns (2001)

 

The Mummy Returns - 2001

Coming up next is 2001's "The Mummy Returns".  The O'Connells are back!  This time, not only are they battling fiendish ancient priest Imhotep, they're also going up against the Scorpion King!

The film's cast includes Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr, Dwayne Johnson, Freddie Boath, Patricia Velasquez, Aharon Ipale, Shaun Parkes, Alun Armstrong, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje.

We start out with the origins of the Scorpion King and the Bracelet of Anubis.  The Scorpion King and his army is waiting to be awakened once again so they can conquer the world.

Five thousand years later, Rick and Evie O'Connell discover the bracelet while on an artifact finding expedition in Egypt.

Elsewhere, the body of priest Imhotep has been rediscovered.  It is believed that Imhotep is the only one with the power to defeat the Scorpion King and take over the world.

Back in England, the O'Connells' son Alex tries on the bracelet and sets in motion a plan that will awaken the Scorpion King.

Also in England is Imhotep, who has now been awakened.  He is most gratified to see the reincarnation of his lover, Anck Su Namun.

Knowing that the O'Connells possess the Bracelet of Anubis, Imhotep unleashes several of his priests to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting city of London.

They succeed in kidnapping Alex, though as long as he is wearing the bracelet he is safe from harm.  Rick and Evie are devastated.

Back in Egypt, Alex discovers that he only has five days to lead Imhotep to the oasis of Ahm Shere to awaken the armies of the Scorpion King or the bracelet will suck the life out of him.

With the help of an old friend, the O'Connells, Jonathan, and their friend Ardeth Bey, travel by dirigible across the sands of Egypt, hoping to catch up with their son.

By the time Imhotep reaches Karnak, he has fully regenerated.  Alex makes sure to leave a trail so that his parents know where he is and how to find him.

Eventually, the oasis of Ahm Shere is reached, and Imhotep and Rick must put their own battle on hold in order to face the Scorpion King himself.

Naturally, Rick and the gang save the day.  Before the oasis of Ahm Shere is reclaimed by the desert, Jonathan gets one last keepsake, an enormous diamond!

Everyone sails home on the dirigible.  Rick and Evie kiss, while everyone rolls their eyes.

Cast rundown:

   Brendan Fraser...................................Rick O'Connell

   Rachel Weisz......................................Evelyn O'Connell

   John Hannah......................................Jonathan Carnahan

   Arnold Vosloo.....................................Imhotep

   Dwayne Johnson.................................The Scorpion King

   Freddie Boath.....................................Alex O'Connell

   Patricia Velasquez...............................Anck Su Namun

   Aharon Ipale......................................Pharaoh Seti I

   Shaun Parkes.....................................Izzy Buttons

   Alun Armstrong..................................Baltus Hafez

   Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje..................Lock-Nah 

And that's it for The Mummy Returns.  This sequel to "The Mummy" broke all kinds of box-office records when it was released.  Two cast members suffered horribly during the filming.  Brendan Fraser endured a torn spinal disk, a cracked rib, and injured knees.  Dwayne Johnson had a bout with food poisoning and sunstroke, losing 10 pounds during production.  He said that it was the worst he ever felt in his life.

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The Mummy (1999)

 

The Mummy - 1999

Coming up next we have 1999's "The Mummy", a story about a very naughty ancient Egyptian high priest and his quest to resurrect the one he loves.  He'll stop at nothing to attain world domination when he is awakened centuries after his death, and it's up to a small group of heroes to quell the threat of the mummy.

The film's cast includes Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Kevin J. O'Connor, Oded Fehr, Erick Avari, Bernard Fox, Omid Djalili, Aharon Ipale, and Patricia Velasquez.

Our story begins in Ancient Egypt, and we are quickly introduced to Imhotep, the High Priest of Pharaoh and keeper of the dead.  He's a man of immense power.

Unfortunately for him, Imhotep falls in love with Pharaoh's mistress, Anck Su Namun.  When they are discovered, they kill Pharaoh.  Anck Su Namun kills herself so that Imhotep can take her body and resurrect her later.

Imhotep takes her body to Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead, and begins the rites that will resurrect her.  However, before they can be completed, Medjai come and put a stop to the proceedings.  They mummify all of Imhotep's priests alive.

Then they do the same to him, only much worse.  He is effectively erased from history, and a curse is put upon him.

We flash forward many centuries, and meet up with brother/sister duo Jonathan and Evie Carnahan in Cairo at the Museum of Antiquities.

They have uncovered something they think is related to Hamunaptra.  It turns out that Jonathan stole it from a man.

This man, an American named Rick O'Connell, is in a Cairo jail, and Evie saves his life in a bargain with the jailer.

On the day they are to depart, Rick tells Jonathan and Evie that where they are going is very dangerous.

And it seems they are not the only ones wanting to get to the City of the Dead.  A group of Americans, led by Rick's old friend Beni, is along for the journey as well.

Once both groups arrive at Hamunaptra, they split off.  Rick, Evie, and Jonathan discover (surprise, surprise) the tomb of Imhotep and are shocked/disgusted that he is "still juicy".

The group of Americans, meanwhile, discover Imhotep's Book of the Dead and the sacred canopic jars that house Anck Su Namun's vital organs.

Evie "borrows" the Book of the Dead and reads an incantation which causes Imhotep to rise from the dead, bringing with him the ten plagues of Egypt.

Not only plagues, but flesh-eating scarabs descend upon the groups, terrorizing them and sending them running in all directions.

Things go badly for Evie when Imhotep sees her and wants to use her to resurrect Anck Su Namun.  Both groups hurry back to Cairo in an effort to think up a plan to stop this cursed mummy.

Imhotep follows them there, and he gains in strength as he picks them off one by one. (The ones who opened the box containing the Book of the Dead and the canopic jars are the ones he is seeking.)

The only weapon that seems to work against Imhotep is a cat.  Cats are guardians of the underworld, and it is said that he will fear them until he is fully regenerated.

Rick and the gang use this method of frightening Imhotep more than once.

They have to team up with the Medjai, whose sworn sacred duty it is to stop Imhotep from being unleashed on the world.

Soon, however, Imhotep fully regenerates and becomes immortal.  He drags Evie back to Hamunaptra to complete his quest of raising Anck Su Namun from the dead.

Rick and Jonathan follow close behind, and Imhotep uses some pretty frightening methods to shake them off his trail.

Once at Hamunaptra, Imhotep raises an army to serve him.  However, Jonathan is able to command them with an incantation from the Book of the Living.

Evie reads a spell that strips Imhotep of his immortality, and Rick is able to defeat him.  As Imhotep returns to mummy form he mutters, "Death is only the beginning."

Our heroes have to make a quick exit.  Once Imhotep dies, the city of Hamunaptra implodes on itself.

Rick and Evie find a little romance, and Jonathan unknowingly carries out some treasure from the now destroyed city.

Cast rundown:

   Brendan Fraser.................................Rick O'Connell

   Rachel Weisz....................................Evelyn Carnahan

   John Hannah....................................Jonathan Carnahan

   Arnold Vosloo...................................Imhotep

   Kevin J. O'Connor..............................Beni Gabor

   Oded Fehr........................................Ardeth Bay

   Erick Avari........................................Dr. Terrence Bey

   Bernard Fox.....................................Winston Havlock

   Omid Djalili......................................Warden Gad Hassan

   Aharon Ipale.....................................Pharaoh Seti I

   Patricia Velasquez..............................Anck Su Namun

And that's it for The Mummy.  During the shoot for the scene where Evie saves Rick's life at the Cairo jail, Brendan Fraser nearly died.  Rachel Weisz later said that he stopped breathing and had to be resuscitated.  The day after this movie was released, Universal called director Stephen Somers and told him that they needed to make another "Mummy" film.  "The Mummy Returns" came to theaters in 2001.

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