10 Monster Movies The Mummy Needs To Improve Upon
4. The Mummy (1999)
The late 1990s/early 2000s gave rise to such “post content” films as Armageddon, Charlie’s Angels and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – soulless pictures with nothing at their core and no interest in anything except the next effects shot. The Mummy was the most inoffensive of the bunch, but that’s not saying much.
Purporting to be a modern version of Universal’s famous franchise, Stephen Sommers’ film is really Raiders Of The Lost Ark for video game enthusiasts, with enough noise and explosions to ensure that its target demographic remains engaged throughout. The mummy becomes a special effect who can raise armies of dead soldiers and summon up a sandstorm, which together with his comic relief henchman has the unfortunate side effect of turning him into a Scooby Doo villain.
An inexplicable box office smash, the picture made $413 million worldwide, making it the sixth highest grossing film of 1999 and opening the door for two sequels as well as Van Helsing, The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Dracula Untold.
Audiences were appreciative, I’m sure.