In 2001, Brendan Fraser reprized his role as Rick O’Connell in the movie “The Mummy Returns”. A film famous in particular for the horrible special effects of Dwayne Johnson’s character, the Scorpion King. But Brendan Fraser, against all odds, finds them a certain charm…
Brendan Fraser, Lost Cause Advocate
Actor Brendan Fraser, a superstar of the 2000s who went through a long journey through the desert, is currently doing a noticeable comeback in the front of the scene. A return that takes the form of a highly anticipated film: The Whale. This one, a new production by Darren Aronofsky, tells the story of Charlie, a depressed man, morbidly obese, weighing 272 kilos and unable to move without difficulty, who tries to reconnect with his daughter from 17 years.
In this role of Charlie, Brendan Fraser wowed audiences of the Venice Film Festival and the Toronto Film Festival, where The Whale has been presented. His return also takes the form of a regular presence in the media, where Brendan Fraser returns to his life and career in Hollywoodbetween success and failure, happiness and misfortune.
It is thus when from an interview given to GQ that he returned to several of his roles, and necessarily lingered on The Mummy (1999) and its sequel released in 2001, The Mummy Returns. And, once is not custom, he finds that the special effects of the second film, which one can easily classify in the worst ever produced, have “charm“.
Special effects to be taken from a distance
In The Mummy Returns, his character Rick O’Connell faces several enemies and dangers. Among which Mathayus, the Scorpion King, played by a young and determined Dwayne Johnson. The technique did not really do him a favor on this one, since his appearance is… how to say… rather failed.
At the premiere of the film, the guys who had done the special effects for The Scorpion King were there, “Hey, how are you? Great job. You know, we did the special effects for The Scorpion King…” and then they went on ” Yes, we would have needed more time…” (laughs).
I think it was done at the last minute. But I think the charm of seeing it again today – I imagine it could be remastered, but… it wouldn’t be as much fun if we didn’t see that horrible Dwayne video character that roar! (laughs)
Finally, in a way, it’s probably perfect like that.
This is called making peace with the past. And given the very average overall quality of this sequel to the great success of 1999, it is better to laugh tenderly at this beautiful lack of taste of the film than to finance a remaster which would spoil it…
