(Review originally written at 28 November 2007)
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
This movie has basically very little to nothing to do with the 1932 movie "The Mummy", starring Boris Karloff in the title role, to which this movie is an official sequel. "The Mummy" was a more dark, atmospheric, serious movie, while this one is mostly just simple and amusing, which makes this a very pleasant movie to watch.
The movie is more comical and adventurous than horror-like. It isn't even until late in the movie that the mummy makes his first appearance. But once the horror kicks in, it's great! The horror in this movie is perhaps even better then in the first movie "The Mummy", that never really was a great horror movie in terms of scares. This is a great monster movie!
The extensive makeup effects for the mummy are good looking and great in a horror kind of way. As an extra touch, the eyes and mouth of the actor playing the movie were later blackened out frame-by-frame in post-production. It truly enhances the horror effect and impact of the character and makes him also more mysterious as well.
Like most '40's movies, the movie isn't too impressive looking, with simple cheap looking sets and camera-work but it still all serves its purpose well enough. The same can be said about the acting. None of the actors in this movie were or became any real stars, though most had their moments throughout their careers.
The story is kept incredible simple and is of course more silly than a credible one. I mean, isn't it crazy that they decide to hang around at camp and get some sleep after some people already had been killed and the mummy has disappeared from his tomb? But that's OK, since the movie more lies its emphasis on the more comical and adventurous aspects of the movie. This movie is one of the very first examples that mixes horror with adventurous and more light aspects. Horror movies before this in the '20's and '30's were still a very serious thing and made entirely with the purpose to scare its audience.
It's surprising how good and enjoyable this movie is!
8/10
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