| The Mummy Returns | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Stephen Sommers |
| Written by | Stephen Sommers |
| Based on | Characters by
|
| Produced by | Sean Daniel James Jacks |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Adrian Biddle |
| Edited by | Bob Ducsay Kelly Matsumoto |
| Music by | Alan Silvestri |
Production companies | Universal Pictures Alphaville Films |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 129 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $98 million[1] |
| Box office | $435 million[1] |
The Mummy Returns is a 2001 Americanfantasyaction-adventure film[2] written and directed byStephen Sommers. It is the sequel to the 1999 filmThe Mummy, and the second inThe Mummy film series.Brendan Fraser,Rachel Weisz,John Hannah,Arnold Vosloo,Oded Fehr, andPatricia Velásquez reprise their roles from the previous film, withDwayne Johnson (credited under hisring name "The Rock") joining the cast in his film acting debut.
The film was released on May 4, 2001, byUniversal Pictures. Like its predecessor,The Mummy Returns was a commercial success, grossing $435 million worldwide, becomingthe seventh-highest-grossing film of 2001 and the highest-grossing film of the series. The film received mixed reviews from critics. It was followed by a 2002prequel film,The Scorpion King and a 2008 sequel,The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
In 3067 B.C., a warrior known as theScorpion King leads an army to conquer the world. However, they are eventually defeated, and he is exiled to the desert of Ahm Shere. Dying, the King vows to giveAnubis his soul in return for the power to defeat his enemies. Anubis accepts, conjuring anoasis and goldenpyramid, and giving the King an army ofjackal-like warriors to conquerEgypt. However, once his task is finished, Anubis claims his soul, and the army is returned to theUnderworld.
In 1933 A.D., seven years after the defeat ofImhotep,[a]Rick O'Connell and his wife,Evelyn, explore ancient ruins with their son,Alex, finding the Bracelet of Anubis. InLondon, Alex plays with the bracelet, which locks onto his wrist, showing him visions that lead to Ahm Shere. Evelyn is kidnapped by a cult who resurrectImhotep with theBook of the Dead, wishing to use his power to defeat the King; this would give them command of Anubis's army.
The cult, led bymuseum curatorBaltus Hafez, includes enforcerLock-Nah andMeela Nais, thephysical reincarnation of Imhotep's loveAnck-su-namun. Rick and Alex set out to rescue Evelyn with the help of her brotherJonathan, who had gotten his hands on a goldenscepter, and theMedjaiArdeth Bay, who has returned to help them.
Rick frees Evelyn before she is sacrificed and they fight against Imhotep. Meanwhile, Alex is kidnapped and forced to lead the cult with the bracelet. The O'Connells pursue them with Rick's associateIzzy. En route, Alex secretly leaves clues for his parents, who follow in Izzy'sdirigible.
Imhotep uses theBook to restore Anck-su-namun's soul into Meela's body. By doing so, he unwittingly allows Evelyn to unlock the memories of herprevious life as Princess Nefertiri, the bracelet's keeper.
At the edge of the Oasis, Imhotep realizes that they are being pursued and uses his powers to attack the dirigible. The dirigible eventually crashes into the oasis's jungle, and Izzy chooses to stay behind to repair it. The O'Connells, Ardeth, Alex, and the cult are eventually attacked bypygmy mummies. Rick retrieves Alex while Ardeth kills Lock-Nah.
They escape from the pygmies, who kill all of the cult members except for Hafez, Imhotep, and Anck-su-namun. Rick and Alex race to the pyramid before the sun light reaches it, saving Alex's life and allowing the bracelet to release his hand. Anck-su-namun, Imhotep, and Hafez then arrive and kill Evelyn before entering the pyramid.
Inside the pyramid, Imhotep loses his powers and is forced to face the King as a mortal. Hafez uses the bracelet to conjure Anubis's army, which appears in the desert outside of the Oasis. Rick finds Imhotep summoning the King and attacks him. The King, now an enormousscorpion monster, interrupts the fight. Imhotep tricks him into attacking Rick. Outside, Ardeth and the Medjai battle Anubis's resurrected army. While Rick and the King fight, Hafez is caught in the melee and dies.
Meanwhile, Jonathan and Alex steal theBook from Anck-su-namun and use it to resurrect Evelyn. Rick discovershieroglyphs explaining that Jonathan's scepter is the mystic Spear ofOsiris, the only weapon capable of killing the King. Meanwhile, Evie fights with Anck-su-namun. Aided by Jonathan, Rick gets the spear and uses it to slay the King, sending him and the army of Anubis back into the Underworld.
As the oasis begins to implode and the pyramid crumbles, Rick and Imhotep cling to the ledge of a pit that leads to the underworld. Rick implores Evelyn to escape, but she risks her life to pull him to safety. Seeing this, Imhotep pleads for Anck-su-namun to do the same, but she abandons him. Heartbroken, Imhotep lets go and plummets into the underworld. While fleeing, Anck-su-namun inadvertently falls into a pit of scorpions and dies.
Izzy then arrives with the repaired dirigible and rescues the O'Connells just before the oasis and the pyramid are destroyed—though not before Jonathan swipes a diamond. They depart into the sunset, with Ardeth saluting them before riding away.
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Following the success ofThe Mummy (1999),Universal Pictures immediately moved forward with plans for a sequel.[3] Writer-directorStephen Sommers was approached by Universal after the film's opening weekend, and within a day, he began developing ideas forThe Mummy Returns.[4] Sommers had already been contemplating a sequel during the production of the original film, aiming to expand the story with a larger scale, enhanced special effects, and fresh adventures for the familiar characters. He wanted to create a new adventure without repeating the same formula, aiming to "outdo" his previous work.[4]
Sommers chose to setThe Mummy Returns in 1933, seven years after the events of the first film. This allowed the characters to evolve, with Rick and Evelyn now married and living comfortably in London.[4] They have a son, Alex, who embodies the best traits of both parents. The story intertwines multiple timelines, exploring the ancient past of the Scorpion King, Imhotep, and the O'Connells' present-day life. Sommers also sought to delve deeper into the fascination with ancient Egypt that was central to the original film.[4]
Sommers was eager to reunite the original cast, includingBrendan Fraser,Rachel Weisz, andJohn Hannah, for the sequel.[5] The returning actors were enthusiastic about the script, which combined elements of horror, visual effects, comedy, and romance.[4] Weisz and Patricia Velasquez trained extensively in ancient Japanese martial arts to portray more physically demanding roles.Freddie Boath accepted the role of the O’Connell's son Alex after choosing to audition for it instead ofHarry Potter.[6] New to the cast wasDwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who played the Scorpion King.[7] Although Johnson was new to acting, Sommers felt his natural charisma was well-suited for the role of a fearsome warrior who made a pact with the godAnubis. Johnson embraced the physical demands of the role, which involved extensive makeup and hours of preparation.[4]
Principal photography began in the deserts ofMorocco,[8] with additionalsecond-unit work filmed inJordan, including locations like the gorges atPetra. In Morocco, filming took place inErfoud, which had also been used forThe Mummy, andOuarzazate.[4] The production then moved toShepperton Studios inEngland, where sets for ancient pyramids and temples were constructed. Filming also took place in various locations aroundLondon, including theBritish Museum andTower Bridge. Despite challenges posed by the weather, the crew adapted quickly.[9]
The visual effects team, led byJohn Berton atIndustrial Light & Magic (ILM), aimed to surpass the effects of the first film. Advances incomputer-generated imagery (CGI) allowed for more intricate and realistic creatures, such as Imhotep. The filmmakers focused on creating a seamless integration between the live-action sequences and CGI, using detailedcamera tracking andmotion-capture technology.[4]
Berton highlighted the challenge of animating creatures with organic realism and developing characters like Imhotep, whose interactions with other characters were more detailed than in the original film.Arnold Vosloo, who reprised his role as Imhotep, faced the challenge of acting alongside these digital elements, often reacting to creatures and environments that were only added in post-production.[4]
Despite advancements in CGI, the Scorpion King's appearance was widely criticized for its awkward facial features anduncanny valley effect.[10][11] The visual effects team faced challenges due to limited reference material of Dwayne Johnson, as hisWWE commitments prevented detailed facial scans.[12] As a result, the digital representation of Johnson lacked accuracy, standing out as one of the film's most criticized visual effects, despite improvements in other characters like Imhotep.[10][13]
| The Mummy Returns: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | May 1, 2001 | |||
| Length | 1:13:26 | |||
| Label | Decca Records | |||
| The Mummy chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Empire | |
| Filmtracks | |
| Tracksounds | |
The Mummy Returns: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released on May 1, 2001, byDecca Records.[14]
The score was composed and conducted byAlan Silvestri,[15] who did not reuse any of Goldsmith's themes from the first film.[16] It was performed by theSinfonia of London and orchestrated byWilliam Ross.[14]
The soundtrack contains Silvestri's as well as a version of the song "Forever May Not Be Long Enough" by the rock bandLive, which slightly differs from the song's album version.
A 2-CD expansion was released byIntrada Records in 2018.[17]
The Mummy Returns earned $23.4 million on its first day of release, then made $26.8 million the day after. This made it the highest Friday and Saturday grosses, surpassing bothToy Story 2 andThe Lost World: Jurassic Park respectively.[18] Later that year, those records were simultaneously given toPlanet of the Apes andHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.[19][20] During its opening weekend, the film made $68.1 million, making it the second-highest opening weekend of all time, only behindThe Lost World: Jurassic Park.[21] Moreover, it surpassedHannibal to have the highest opening weekend for a 2001 film, joiningMonsters, Inc.,Rush Hour 2 andPlanet of the Apes to become one of the only four films of that year to make $60 million in their first three days of release.[22] The film also became one of four consecutive Universal films of the year to cross the $40 million in an opening weekend, with the others beingAmerican Pie 2,The Fast and the Furious andJurassic Park III.[23] Upon opening, the film reached the top of the box office, beating outDriven.[24] For its second weekend, it collected a total of $33.7 million, outgrossingA Knight's Tale in the process.[25]The Mummy Returns would remain in the number one spot at the box office for a total of two weeks untilShrek took it.[26]
The film grossed $202 million in the United States and Canada box offices and $233 million internationally, grossing over $435 million worldwide, making it theseventh-highest-grossing film of 2001.[1]
The Mummy Returns received mixed reviews from critics. OnRotten Tomatoes holds a 46% rating based on 141 reviews, with an average rating of 5.3/10. The site's consensus states: "InThe Mummy Returns, the special effects are impressive, but the characters seem secondary to the computer-generated imagery."[27] OnMetacritic it has an average rating of 48 out of 100 based on 31 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[28] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.[29]
Roger Ebert, who awarded the first film three stars, gave the second film only two, saying that "The mistake ofThe Mummy Returns is to abandon the characters, and to use the plot only as a clothesline for special effects and action sequences."[30]James Berardinelli of ReelViews gave the film two and a half stars (out of four), calling it "hollow, lightweight entertainment—not unpleasant, but far from the summer's definitive action/adventure flick.[31]
Kenneth Turan of theLos Angeles Times gave the film a positive review, praising its "constant plot turns, cheeky sensibility and omnipresent action sequences."[32] Todd McCarthy ofVariety praised "the nonstop action of the final hour", saying that it "bursts with visual goodies."[33] Rene Rodriguez ofThe Miami Herald said, "Twelve-year-olds weaned onNintendo may not mind, but anyone who remembers the tactile thrill of an alarmingly real boulder rolling down onIndiana Jones inRaiders of the Lost Ark will be left cold."[34]
Joe Morgenstern ofThe Wall Street Journal gave the film a negative review, saying that it "has all of the clank but none of the swank of the previous version."[35] Charles Taylor ofSalon.com was also not impressed, callingThe Mummy Returns "everything the firstMummy was fun for not being."[36]
| Award | Subject | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturn Awards | Best Fantasy Film | Nominated | [37] | |
| Best Makeup | Aileen Seaton,Nick Dudman and Jane Walker | Nominated | ||
| Best Special Effects | John Andrew Berton Jr.,Daniel Jeannette, Neil Corbould and Thomas Rosseter | Nominated | ||
| Best Young Actor | Freddie Boath | Nominated | ||
| Young Artist Awards | Nominated | [38] | ||
| Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite Movie Actor | Brendan Fraser | Nominated | |
| Teen Choice Awards | Choice Action Movie Actor | Nominated | [39] | |
| Choice Movie Villain | The Rock | Won | ||
| Choice Action Movie | Nominated | |||
| Golden Trailer Awards | Best Title Sequence | Nominated | ||
| Golden Reel Awards | Best Sound Editing - Effects & Foley | Leslie Shatz, Malcolm Fife, Ann Scibelli, Jon Olive and Jonathan Klein | Nominated | |
| Empire Awards | Best British Actress | Rachel Weisz | Nominated | [40] |
| Stinkers Bad Movie Awards | Worst Supporting Actor | The Rock | Won |
The Mummy Returns debuted onVHS andDVD on October 2, 2001.[41][42] It became the fastest-selling DVD ever in theUnited States, selling 2 million copies after its first week of release, while also surpassingGladiator.[43] The film would briefly hold this record for two weeks until it was taken byStar Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace when it sold 2.2 million copies during its first week.[44] There are two separate versions of this DVD release either in widescreen or fullscreen formats.[45]
The film was subsequently released on the high-definitionBlu-ray format in July 2008,[46] and onUHD Blu-ray in 2017.[47]
Two video games based on the movie were released. The first was released on theGame Boy Color, developed by GameBrains, and was released within the film's theatrical release.[48] The other is for thePlayStation 2, developed byBlitz Games and was released in October 2001, to coincide with the film's home media release.[49][50] Both titles were published byUniversal Interactive.[51] Both versions of the game were poorly received.[52][53]
A spin-off/prequel film centering onDwayne Johnson's character, theScorpion King, was released on April 19, 2002. It focuses on the King's origins, as he rises to power before the events ofThe Mummy Returns' prologue. The film received mixed reviews but was only a moderate commercial success.[54][55] It spawnedThe Scorpion King film series, withdirect-to-video sequels and with different actors playing the title role.
A sequel toThe Mummy Returns was released on August 1, 2008. Brendan Fraser and John Hannah both reprised their roles, while Rachel Weisz was replaced byMaria Bello as Evelyn, andLuke Ford played the now-adult Alex O'Connell. The film received generally negative reviews,[56] and was the lowest-grossing film of the trilogy.[57]
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