Spooktober: The Mummy

In a time where society is having a Brendan Fraser renaissance, there is no better time to sit down and watch a cult classic: The Mummy.

Originally created in 1932, this film franchise has seen countless reboots over the years with mediocre success. However, none of them truly hit home like the Brendan Fraser trilogy. And sure, perhaps some of those sequel movies aren’t as good as the first, but at least they have a lot more heart than newer adaptations.

Coming out in 1999, The Mummy brought back…well, mummies into the Hollywood spotlight. Now I first want to get into the CGI element of the movie, although nowhere near as good with today’s standards, the actual Mummy holds up extremely well.

There might be some scenes or some animations that cause the villain to look a little sketchy, but overall the visual elements look great and the minute details really go a long way. I also love how you don’t get to see the bad guy straight away, the movie builds up and keeps building until the grotesque design is revealed.

Although many may remember this movie to lean more into comedy, I dare you to rewatch it and witness some brutal deaths that are littered throughout the movie. With one character losing their eyes to another being suffocated under sand; this movie at times doesn’t hold back.

So now we must talk about the man of the hour, Brendan Fraser. Although not the only star in this movie, he does steal the show. I’ve been a big fan of Fraser since childhood, so perhaps I’m biassed. I can’t lie and say I’ve seen every single Brendan Fraser movie or that all of them are particularly good. But the man has a certain aura around him that is just so likeable and fun.

Rachel Weisz stars as the wannabe Eygptologist, Evelyn Carnahan. For many a gay awakening, Weisz’s character is everso charming and funny, but also brings a heavy hand of plot in any scene she’s in. The interactions between her and Fraser’s character Rick feel real and authentic, though I will say their love story does feel a little rushed.

I will say John Hannah’s character feels a little redundant as comic relief since every character cracks a one-liner in most scenes, but when he does say something funny it isn’t wasted or overused, it fits into the scene well and heightens the comedy.

Another highlight for me is the costuming, from the long flowy black dress that Evelgn wears to the knee-high boots and white button-ups that Rick sports. Each costume is designed in a way that tells you what the character is about before you really get to know them.

Evelyn is always in something formal and elegant, she doesn’t dress too promiscuous or too casual. Her brother Jonathan wears suits and is always sporting a jacket, he doesn’t dress down but isn’t overall dressed like a snob; his outfits are more relaxed compared to Evelyn. Rick wears practical things, he’s a leader therefore he has the high boots, he commands like a general hence why he has a general-like jacket in the opening.

All in all, The Mummy is a pure love letter to old Hollywood creature/monster films. From teasing the monster to the campy extravagance of the lead characters, I don’t think another instalment captures nearly enough of what this movie gave.

It isn’t your average thriller or slasher movie, it doesn’t dive into politics and it doesn’t give a statement on the state of the world. But it does make you laugh, it does allow you to turn your brain off for two hours and just sit and enjoy something silly.

The Mummy gets 3 out of 5 Scarabs from me.