Retro Review: The Mummy Book/Movie
Hey, here's a new form of review I've got, called the retro review. It's where I post a review that I wrote in the past. It's so that you can see how much I've improved in my writing. The following is a review of The Mummy, written in fall 2001.
The Mummy
Review
The Mummy (1999)
Directed by Stephen Sommers
Novel by Max Allan Collins
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr
Storyline
Back in ancient Egypt, the High Priest Imhotep betrayed the Pharaoh Seti I by sleeping with his mistress and killing him. Because of this, Imhotep was cursed to forever be the undead.
Fast-forward to the 1920s. When his garrison discovers the ancient hidden city of Hamunapta, Rick O’Connell travels with them, dreams of wealth dancing in his head. Unfortunately, desert warriors intent on keeping people away attack the men, and Rick is the only one who survives. Or so he thinks.
Three years later, librarian and Egyptologist Evelyn Carnahan takes a look at an odd puzzle box her brother found. Along with it is an map that could be dated back to the time of Pharaoh Seti I. Turns out, he stole it from a man at a local casbah. A man named O’Connell (hmmm…). Rick is in jail for some disorderly conduct and for being a deserter of the Foreign Legion. They manage to free him and he agrees to take them to Hamunaptra, along with the Warden of Cairo prison (as part of the deal that released O’Connell).
Along the way, they find out that they’re not the only ones interested in Hamunaptra. Led by Rick’s old Foreign Legion buddy Beni Gabor (apparently Rick wasn’t the only survivor of the battle), a group of four Americans are making the trek, also.
After several troubles (including a tangle with some mysterious warriors), the two groups finally reach Hamunaptra. Within two days, three of the American’s Arab diggers were killed by pressurized acid (an ancient booby-trap), the Americans discover some weird old jars and a large black book, the Warden is killed by a scarab-beetle, and our three heroes (Rick, Evelyn, and Evelyn’s brother Jonathan) find the mummified corpse of Imhotep.
Evelyn accidentally brings Imhotep back to life and he begins coming after all of them. Rick, Evelyn, Jonathan, and an unlikely new friend must figure out a way to stop Imhotep before he takes over the world.
The Good
Movie- This is a great popcorn movie. It’s exciting, sometimes scary, and just generally fun. The special effects are quite amazing as well. Definitely something to take a look at.
Novel- This is one of the better novel versions of a movie that I’ve read. It captures the movie’s pace quite faithfully, and the scenes that it has that the movie doesn’t are rather cool.
The Bad
Movie- There isn’t much not to like here.
Novel- This version of the story alters some of the movie’s best lines, which make it slightly distracting. And the author came off as a bit of a sexist to me, but don’t quote me on that. One thing that did get on my nerves was the author’s use of the term "poor bastard." Now, I normally don’t mind swearing in novels, but when the same term is used over and over and over again, it tends to get grating. Especially when the term is used at least once a chapter.
The Ugly
Movie- Imhotep’s decayed corpse. Ug.
Novel- Trying to find this. I looked at every used book store in Macomb County and could not find it. I had to go through my local library.
Best Line
Movie: (When Rick first sees Beni alive)
Rick: Well, if it ain’t my little buddy Beni. I think I’ll kill you. (points revolver at Beni’s chest)
Beni: Think of my children!
Rick: You don’t have any children.
Beni: Someday I might.
Novel: (When Evelyn asks Rick why he kissed her before he was hanged)
Rick: Hell, every prisoner gets a last meal, doesn’t he?
The Mummy
Review
The Mummy (1999)
Directed by Stephen Sommers
Novel by Max Allan Collins
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr
Storyline
Back in ancient Egypt, the High Priest Imhotep betrayed the Pharaoh Seti I by sleeping with his mistress and killing him. Because of this, Imhotep was cursed to forever be the undead.
Fast-forward to the 1920s. When his garrison discovers the ancient hidden city of Hamunapta, Rick O’Connell travels with them, dreams of wealth dancing in his head. Unfortunately, desert warriors intent on keeping people away attack the men, and Rick is the only one who survives. Or so he thinks.
Three years later, librarian and Egyptologist Evelyn Carnahan takes a look at an odd puzzle box her brother found. Along with it is an map that could be dated back to the time of Pharaoh Seti I. Turns out, he stole it from a man at a local casbah. A man named O’Connell (hmmm…). Rick is in jail for some disorderly conduct and for being a deserter of the Foreign Legion. They manage to free him and he agrees to take them to Hamunaptra, along with the Warden of Cairo prison (as part of the deal that released O’Connell).
Along the way, they find out that they’re not the only ones interested in Hamunaptra. Led by Rick’s old Foreign Legion buddy Beni Gabor (apparently Rick wasn’t the only survivor of the battle), a group of four Americans are making the trek, also.
After several troubles (including a tangle with some mysterious warriors), the two groups finally reach Hamunaptra. Within two days, three of the American’s Arab diggers were killed by pressurized acid (an ancient booby-trap), the Americans discover some weird old jars and a large black book, the Warden is killed by a scarab-beetle, and our three heroes (Rick, Evelyn, and Evelyn’s brother Jonathan) find the mummified corpse of Imhotep.
Evelyn accidentally brings Imhotep back to life and he begins coming after all of them. Rick, Evelyn, Jonathan, and an unlikely new friend must figure out a way to stop Imhotep before he takes over the world.
The Good
Movie- This is a great popcorn movie. It’s exciting, sometimes scary, and just generally fun. The special effects are quite amazing as well. Definitely something to take a look at.
Novel- This is one of the better novel versions of a movie that I’ve read. It captures the movie’s pace quite faithfully, and the scenes that it has that the movie doesn’t are rather cool.
The Bad
Movie- There isn’t much not to like here.
Novel- This version of the story alters some of the movie’s best lines, which make it slightly distracting. And the author came off as a bit of a sexist to me, but don’t quote me on that. One thing that did get on my nerves was the author’s use of the term "poor bastard." Now, I normally don’t mind swearing in novels, but when the same term is used over and over and over again, it tends to get grating. Especially when the term is used at least once a chapter.
The Ugly
Movie- Imhotep’s decayed corpse. Ug.
Novel- Trying to find this. I looked at every used book store in Macomb County and could not find it. I had to go through my local library.
Best Line
Movie: (When Rick first sees Beni alive)
Rick: Well, if it ain’t my little buddy Beni. I think I’ll kill you. (points revolver at Beni’s chest)
Beni: Think of my children!
Rick: You don’t have any children.
Beni: Someday I might.
Novel: (When Evelyn asks Rick why he kissed her before he was hanged)
Rick: Hell, every prisoner gets a last meal, doesn’t he?
