
All this talk of Brendan Fraser's revival moment got me thinking about some iconic Brendan Fraser movies, so this week's Throwback Thursday movie is The Mummy (1999). The Mummy isn't one of those movies that I watch over and over again, but I remember seeing it as a kid during a time when I was very interested in ancient civilizations, so of course I was going to love a movie about Ancient Egypt. And I think young Brendan Fraser counts as a sexual awakening for me. Honestly, he can still save me from the undead any day.
But I think there are a lot of other reasons why The Mummy is still considered a quintessential late '90s movie and it's worth getting into. In a very unhelpful way, of course.
Briefly, and Without Spoilers
Our story starts in Ancient Egypt, where we learn a forbidden affair between the pharaoh's mistress and his vizier leads to both their deaths, but not before a plan was set in motion to eventually be reunited.
Fast forward thousands of years to 1926 and a young Egyptian-expert librarian and her bumbling, money-driven brother are on the hunt for the mythical city of the dead, and the final resting place of the vizier. They team up with an imprisoned adventurer to locate the lost city and the treasures it holds, as well as its many dangers.
Written by Stephen Sommers, Lloyd Fonvielle, and Kevin Jarre, and directed by Sommers, and based on a 1932 film of the same name, The Mummy finds the right blend of action, adventure, intrigue, and romance for a movie so beloved, it'll trigger several sequels and a prequel we didn't need. But we can always come back to the original to forget.
The Good Ol' '90s (Spoilers Ahead!!)

Honestly, I think one of the things I really like about this movie is that it's very '90s, so I'm always going to feel a little nostalgic. It's got a young Brendan Fraser and a young Rachel Weisz, it's got bad CG, it's got a silly sidekick and bad jokes, and a cutesy love story. Sure it's got some problematic things, too, but I can't help it. I love the good ol' '90s and all the iconic movies that came with it.
Now, I've never seen the original Mummy movie, but I know it's a little more of a horror flick than an action one. And the 1999 version is clearly more of an Indiana Jones-inspired film, what with the adventuring in the desert and the required archaeological expertise and the guns blazing etc.
It's also simple. It doesn't try to introduce too many dumb plots or twists or unnecessary characters. And sometimes you need a simple plot, especially if you're going for a fun family film.
You also realize pretty quickly that it's going to be a little campy and a little over-the-top, so anything that comes across as ridiculous or unbelievable is easy to accept, because you've already accepted that it's silly.
I also like that Rick (Brendan Fraser) and Evy (Rachel Weisz) have these headstrong personalities that aren't undermined by their pining affection for one another. This is somehow a difficult concept for Hollywood to grasp sometimes, but I feel like they're both believably ambitious and confident, but also show their softer side around the other.
Is the Dream of the '90s Still Alive in Hollywood?
Sometimes I watch a movie like this and wonder if we could still pull it off today. I can't even really think of a modern equivalent that embodies the same energy. Correct me if I'm wrong.

And it's fair to say there are some things that would need to be updated. I'm not so sure people are into the "reimagining an ancient civilization to add some fantasy to the movie" plots so much anymore. But the basic vibe of the movie is still valid. Fun adventure romance movie. Why not? I appreciate those movies very much and I don't see why there aren't more of them.
Most importantly, the male and female leads shouldn't kiss just because they've been through a lot. I want to see flirting. I want to see chemistry. Dumb forced romance can be left behind.
Good to Come Back To
This is one of those movies that I don't watch a lot, but when I do, I remember why I liked it. Call me old fashioned.
But if you've never seen the movie, I highly recommend.
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