I talked about this 2002 movie long ago; my new thoughts are below:
In my first of two reviews today, I revisited a film I don’t think is that bad. This movie needed a longer review than what I originally posted in 2013--plus it is now easy to compare them to The Mummy movies. This admission can be made immediately: the movie is really stupid; I mean, stump-dumb! The first time I saw the movie, that was seen as a total negative. The last time before last night, I accepted this was what they were going for, in a Golan-Globus sort of fashion. After all, the cast includes Al Leong, Branscombe Richmond, Ralf Moeller and Nils Allen Stewart
It's a stock-standard story where there’s an evil heel-aided by a sorceress-a turncoat, a heel turned ally, odious comic relief, a kid character, etc. Conan the Barbarian, this isn’t. Yet, unlike in The Mummy Returns, Dwayne Johnson had more than a cameo & proved he could at least lead a dopey B-movie sword and sandal picture. The faults are easy to note (the exact setting is in question, and that’s only partially because there are multiple ethnicities present) but a film like this is preferable to a good number of the “modern movies” we get, IMO.
While there was more bad CG (a hallmark of the franchise, I’ve come to learn), the exotic locations, basic camaraderie, fine action and general goofiness make this an easy watch. A fine score and competent direction from veteran Chuck Russell-no relation-made this a fine experience which doesn’t have the charm of the first two Mummy pictures but at least proved The Rock could have a role in Hollywood. Somehow this spawned FOUR sequels for the direct to video market. As curious as I am to see sequels to a spinoff to a sequel to a remake…
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