Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
WSR Detailed DVD Review
Mummy Returns, The


Genre: Action Adventure

Reviewed In Issue 53 (Oct 2001) Of Widescreen Review®

Stars:
Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr, Patricia Velasquez, Freddie Boath, Alun Armstrong & The Rock

WSR Review Scores
WSR Picture Rating: 4.5
DD Sound Rating: 5
DTS Sound Rating: NA
Download WSR Review
Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score: 3
Internet Links
http://www.themummy.com
http://www.universalstudios.com/home
Special Features
Includes an conversation with The Rock, a Spotlight On Location featurette, audio commentary, outtakes (bloopers) set up in a sort of music video-type of sequence, segments on the formation of visual and special effects for four sequences from the movie, a trailer for the spin-off movie The Scorpion King, a section titled Egyptology 201, a Live music video (


 DVD General Information

(Studio/Distributor): Universal Studios Home Video
(Catalog Number): 21100
(MPAA Rating): PG13
(Rating Reason):

(Retail Price): $26.98
(DVD Type): Single Side, Dual Layer (DVD9)
(Widescreen Edition): Yes
(Full Screen Edition): No
(Anamorphic Widescreen): Yes
(Running Time In Minutes): 130
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): No
(Regional Coding): 1
(Theatrical Year): 2001
(Theatrical Release): Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release): No
(DVD Release Date): 10/02/01
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

 Credits Information

(Director): Stephen Sommers
(Screenplay/Written By): Subscribe Now!
(Story): Subscribe Now!
(Music): Subscribe Now!
(Director Of Photography): Subscribe Now!
(Production Designer): Subscribe Now!
(Visual Effects): Subscribe Now!
(Costume Designer): Subscribe Now!
(Editor): Subscribe Now!
(Supervising Sound Editors): Subscribe Now!
(Re-Recording Mixers): Subscribe Now!
(Executive Producers): Subscribe Now!
(Co-Producers): Subscribe Now!
(Producers): Subscribe Now!
(Academy Awards): Subscribe Now!

  DVD Picture Information

(Principal Photography): Subscribe Now!
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): Subscribe Now!
(Measured DVD Anamorphic Aspect Ratio): Subscribe Now!
(Measured DVD Letterbox Aspect Ratio): Subscribe Now!

  DVD Sound Information

(DVD Soundtrack): Subscribe Now!
(Theatrical Sound): Subscribe Now!
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack): Subscribe Now!
(DTS Bit Rate): Subscribe Now!
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate): Subscribe Now!
(Additional Languages): Subscribe Now!
(Subtitles): Subscribe Now!
(WSR Superb Sound Qualities): Subscribe Now!

  WSR Narrative Review
Special Notes:
Also available in a pan-and-scan version with identical supplements.

Story Synopsis:
Ten years after the events depicted in

DVD Picture:
The anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 DVD picture exhibits pleasing image quality that is sharp and nicely detailed, though some scenes appear a bit

Soundtrack:
The soundtrack, presented in Dolby

This Disc Contains The Following WSR-Rated Superb Qualities:
Subscribe Now!

  WSR DVD-ROM Review
DVD-ROM Enhancements Rating:
Awesome

DVD-ROM Review:
Finally, after months of poorly designed titles, and the subsequent boring days in the office, I finally get my grubby hands on a title with fun and interesting features. On top of that, the Flash animation is spectacular throughout, with full flowing sound clips and Easter Eggs up the yin-yang. The DVD-ROM main menu, which is a Flash page containing pictures of five of the sets from the movie, you can go on to O'Connell Manor, Pyramid, Karnac, Hamunaptra, and British Museum. Also, you are given links for Universal online Web sites and newsletters. Visiting the O'Connell Manor will give you access to write-ups on the story line and plot, as well as character introductions and cast selection methods. Also in this section are detailed biographies of eight cast members and 13 crew. In the Pyramid, the first of three games can be found, where you are pit as Rick O'Connell, and must fight your way through nine rounds of boxing action with the most lethal undead of the Egyptian era. Rounds one through seven are a breeze, but be sure to watch out for the giant scorpion, as he packs one mighty punch. After coming up victorious in these games of death, you are awarded by a mighty congratulation, with the option of starting over from the beginning. Not a bad award for the minor carpal tunnel you will undoubtedly receive from the constant key bashing needed to pass the game. Clicking the link for the Karmac will bring you to the next game titled Imhotep's Maze. Playing this game for any long periods of time will get you more aggravated then anything else, since bugs are prominent throughout the entire game. Hamunaptra is the section where you will find three screensavers based on Mummy Returns. Each is a well-done Flash screensaver, with pictures from the film, and their own separate themes to keep everyone entertained. Entering the British Museum, you can access the 19 different special features available on the DVD-Video portion of the disc. Each loads quickly inside the InterActual Player 2 software. Also here you can find 20 different movie still images, and a great section called Mummy Exhibit, available only to DVD-ROM users. In this section, you can read all about the mummification process, as well as watch video interviews of a mummification expert on the tools and techniques they used. This is well worth the time, as some interesting facts are introduced. The final section, which can not be accessed from the DVD-ROM main menu, is the third game, found in the Pygmy Oasis. Here, you must control Rick and Evelyn O'Connell as they blast their way through packs of roaming Pygmies. Playing for a short while is fun, but as you continue on it soon becomes apparent nothing will come of your heroics, as you are set in an endless loop of writhing, geriatric Pygmies waiting to meet their doom. Even though the games do not reward you with any prizes on completion, there are so many hidden Easter Eggs, it is hard to complain. In the Hamunaptra section, there is an Egyptian Hieroglyphic Translator that will follow you around as you navigate the pages of the DVD-ROM content. Whenever you see hieroglyphs, enter them into the translator to uncover some hidden features. Also, on each page, there are pulsating pictures hidden in the background. If you click these, you are given either Live Pictures, or more hieroglyphs. The Live Pictures need the Live Picture Viewer software to view, which is available for immediate installation from the disc. This is an awesome title to peruse. I recommend it whole-heartedly. The features are amazing, and the hidden extras make it twice as nice. With as many hidden treasures, you can spend hours just searching the backgrounds for the smallest of oddities. (Danny Richelieu)