8. The Mummy Returns (2001)
What happened here? Almost everyone both in front of the camera and behind it came back. So why is it nowhere near as good as its 1999 predecessor? I’ll tell you why and it has nothing to do with occasionally shoddy FX (especially the Scorpion King*) or the obnoxious kid character. This film is overstuffed with action sequences and over-plotted with backstory. The return of Imhotep and the kidnapping of their son should have been enough to spur the O’Connells into action, so why the destined hero and reincarnated princess bullshit? It’s unnecessary and it damages an already unstable picture. I might be able to overlooked it if it weren’t for the half-assed Beni replacement, too many secondary antagonists, and an unstable tone. It felt like a lesser, but fine sequel upon release. 16 years later and I enjoy it less and less with each new viewing.
* – I have not included The Scorpion King films here, despite them forming a spin-off series from the previous Mummy trilogy. They aren’t listed partially because I haven’t seen the three sequels, but mostly because they’re sword & sorcery pictures, not mummy movies.
