--- title: "The Mummy: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-mummy/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-mummy" critics_score: 67 critics_reviews: 9 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Mummy (1999): what the critics said Critics' score 67 from 9 reviews: 4 positive, 5 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews split fairly evenly between warm and lukewarm, with nobody dismissing the film outright and nobody quite loving it either. The praise clusters on the effects department, which most critics credit with the film’s best moments, from the shape-shifting mummy to the swarms of creepy-crawlies, and on Brendan Fraser, whom several find a likeable, goofy hero. Stephen Sommers’s direction is generally called assured and rarely dull, and the Indiana Jones comparison comes up again and again, mostly in the film’s favour. The reservations cluster just as tightly: a weak, silly script, broad performances and stereotypes that more than one critic finds offensive. Sight and Sound thinks it trades the original’s atmosphere and mystery for a string of theme-park rides, and Variety finds no suspense in it at all. The Los Angeles Times reckons it harmless fun for teenage boys, which is roughly where the consensus settles. ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 7 May 1999. Ebert finds the film good trash, cheering nearly every minute despite its flaws in script and direction. He singles out the fun action sequences and silly dialogue for enjoyment. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-mummy-1999) ## Empire — Caroline Westbrook Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic finds the film a lot of fun despite its dumb script and stereotypes, praising its blend of Indiana Jones-style antics, impressive special effects and chaste romance as escapist entertainment. Brendan Fraser is highlighted as a likeable hero, with the effects department singled out for creating spine-tingling moments. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/mummy-review/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 25 June 1999. The film is fun, with terrific set pieces and assured direction from Stephen Sommers. It abandons the original's dark metaphorical power in favor of healthy, risk-free scariness and Indiana Jones-style action. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/1999/jun/25/4) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Hunter Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 3 May 1999. The film is undermined by weak writing but succeeds as an ambitious actioner with imaginative set pieces and effects that deliver chills and thrills. It rarely has a dull moment and evokes classic adventure films through strong technical work. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/mummy-review-1999-movie-1195466/) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 3 May 1999. Lane notes the film has a blast of fun and roots for Brendan Fraser but criticizes the ignorance, racism, and lack of character depth. He singles out the shape-shifting mummy effects and action hilarity for praise amid complaints about stereotypes. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1999/05/10/changelings) ## Radio Times — Alan Jones Rating 3/5. The digitally manipulated villain meets adversaries in vibrant action and epic adventure, with ancient curses, archaeological treasure hunts and romantic elements. Sommers embroiders the story excessively with gruesome modern additions, but Fraser brings goofy macho enthusiasm and Vosloo provides brooding menace. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-s91gz3/the-mummy/) ## The New York Times — Stephen Holden Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 7 May 1999. Holden describes it as a gaudy comic video game with cheesy effects and no pretenses to seriousness. He praises the lavish but silly special effects and the over-the-top horror spoof elements. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1999/05/07/movies/film-review-sarcophagus-be-gone-night-of-the-living-undead.html) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 7 May 1999. Turan says it's harmless fun for young teenage boys with cartoonish effects and adventure, but drags on and is yucky. He singles out the special effects and Indiana Jones-inspired elements for appeal to juveniles. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-may-07-ca-34714-story.html) ## Sight and Sound — Kim Newman 1 July 1999. The film is a mostly entertaining series of theme-park rides but sorely misses out on magic, atmosphere, mystery and romance. It features over-the-top action, unlikable heroes, cardboard villains, irritating comic bits and offensive stereotypes. [Read the review](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/152) ## Time Out — DA 10 September 2012. This overlong and thematically meandering film has mostly downmarket performances, but its tongue-in-cheek approach makes it enjoyable for the settings, humour, chases, creepy crawlies and state-of-the-art SFX. It aspires to Raiders but falls short of Spielberg. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-mummy-3) ## Variety — Todd McCarthy Rating **. 3 May 1999. McCarthy calls it pure hokum with lame comedy and no suspense. He singles out the broad performances and feeble dialogue for complaint, while noting abundant effects. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1999/film/reviews/the-mummy-2-1117499718/) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 19 January 2001. The critic praises the film as delivering class effects, dashing adventure, laughs and non-stop action, while also being scary. They highlight Stephen Sommers' original direction that avoids Spielberg clones, along with strong performances from Brendan Fraser as the beefcake hero and Rachel Weisz as the brainy, sexy lead. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-mummy-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-mummy.md