The Mummy Returns Review

Summer has arrived with "The Mummy Returns," the first genuine blockbuster of the season. Fans of the first movie won't be disappointed with this sequel, set a decade after the original. Returning stars Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are now happily married with a young son, still excavating temples in Egypt when not living in style in London. However when - surprise, surprise! - the Mummy returns and kidnaps their son the action hots up, as all concerned go in search of the lost temple of The Scorpion King, an ancient warrior king (played to perfection by WWF star The Rock), whose resurrected powers could destroy the world.

The plot isn't that important and the script isn't great, but it doesn't matter: the film is made up of one huge spectacular set piece after another, featuring ancient Egyptian battles, a double-decker bus chase across London, and killer ghost pygmies. The special effects in these scenes are awesome, but there are ultimately too many of them; and at two hours ten minutes the film comes perilously close to 'sheer spectacle' overload. But ultimately you'll leave the cinema with a huge grin on your face. What more can you want from a genuine blockbuster?