AAAAAAAHH! it's

Rick O'Connell is an ex-member of the French Foreign Legion who, during a battle with the Arabs, discovers Hamunaptra, the city of the dead. Though he survives the battle, Rick becomes incarcerated in an Egyptian prison, with only his imminent death by hanging to anticipate. Meanwhile, curious librarian Evelyn (Rachel Weisz, from "Going All The Way" and "The Land Girls") and her lovable scoundrel brother Jonathan (the delectable John Hannah, from "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Sliding Doors")

learn of the inmate who knows the secret location of the missing city. The pair arrive just in time to save Rick (who, at this point, bears a suspicious resemblance to George of the Jungle) from the gallows, in exchange for which, O'Connell will lead them to Hamunaptra. Off they trek over the river and through the desert to the site, where they encounter rival explorers, thieves, protective natives, a drunken (but loyal) retired British fighter pilot, obstinate camels, and an organ-snatching mummy named Imhotep, who has to regenerate his own body before he can ressurect his girlfriend murdered 3,000 years ago.

In the end, the good guys prevail (though the fabulous riches of the city remain property of its late inhabitants), everyone who deserves to learn a lesson does, and a certain couple find true love. But enough about Jonathan and his camel. (HAR!!)

Now, you all know that I don't necessarily praise a movie simply because it has Brendan in it (although I do try to candy-coat my disappointment a little; see my review of Blast from the Past), but The Mummy was really cool! The special effects were better than the Phantom Menace, and you just can't convince me otherwise (except for the pod race, which was pretty breathtaking), and same for the acting. Brendan's Rick O'Connell is an ideal nonchalant hero-- nothing fazes him, and he always has a witty comment on the dire

situation before him (and if you thought his comebacks weren't actually that witty, then YOU try to think up a fresh punchline while you're facing an angry 3,000 year old corpse). Rachel Weisz's Eve is surprisingly likeable and spunky. In the beginning, she feels she has to prove her independence to Rick, but eventually they accept each other and work together as equals, and by the end of course, the sparks are FLYING!. Jonathan steals the show, though, with his weaselly ways. I was blown away, much to my surprise, by the stunning pair of actors Oded Fehr, who plays Ardeth Bay and Arnold Vosloo, who portrays the mummy.

Good grief, if you can tear your eyes off of Rick (which may be difficult, since he's at peak attractiveness here), you won't regret fixing your peepers on these guys. Remember to sneak a sidelong glance at John Hannah too, he's quite cute himself. The Mummy is a great Saturday Night-no-thinking movie, as long as you get the camp atmosphere. It's not supposed to be terribly serious, just fun!