A while back it was announced that there would be a fourth movie in the Mummy franchise. I am cautiously optimistic for it. I really liked the first movie in the series, mostly enjoyed the second one, and honestly don't remember much of the third (more about that later). Although the new one isn't due in theaters until 15 October 2027, I'd like to take this opportunity to watch these films again. They are all currently available to stream on Youtube, free of charge.
Here are some observations.
The movie opens with a seven-minute flashback to thousands of years ago, when Imhotep fell in love with the Pharaoh's mistress, Anck-su-namun. This does a good job of adding background and depth for those characters.
Next, a big battle scene introduces us to Rick O'Connell and Ardeth Bey, and makes it clear that something still lingers beneath the ruined temple complex. The sand that forms a screaming face is a really cool image.
Evelyn is cute and smart and clumsy. This library scene gives us a good quick background for her, too.
I wonder if the prison sequence and attempted execution would find its way into the movie these days; it leans too hard into stereotypes of foreigners as barbaric.
The series of events on the riverboat is great. In addition to providing some exciting action, it establishes not one but two groups of rivals for our heroes: the Americans and the Medjai. This treasure hunt is going to be interesting. This is taken a step further with the race into Hamunaptra and the $500 bet.
The movie glosses over the desert expedition, understandably, due to time constraints. In an RPG campaign, however, this is a chance for action, as will be detailed later.
Evie's line, as they enter the underground chamber, captures the moment: “Do you realize that we're standing inside a room that no one has entered in over three thousand years?”
In the course of the night, they find a mysterious sarcophagus, Gad Hassan is infested by a scarab beetle, the Medjai attack, we meet Ardeth Bey, and the romance between Evie and Rick begins to blossom. That's quite the night!
We follow that up with a locust swarm above ground, a scarab beetle swarm underground, and Imhotep is harvesting body parts as he reinvigorates.
The action shifts back to Cairo as the adventures try to flee, but the water in the city turns to blood and Imhotep follows them there. I had forgotten about the element in which he needs to absorb the vitality of others to regain his form. It's gruesome! This really helps establish the villain, especially when a beetle crawls out of a wound in his neck, enters a wound in his cheek, and then he eats it!
Next we have a mob scene, a car chase and an airplane ride, all of which brings us back to Hamunaptra.
This all leads to the big finale, in which there are many small enemies who aid the big one, and the heroes are trying to complete a complicated spell. It's good stuff!
And in the end, the hero and heroine end up together, and they ride off into the sunset.
