Deep underneath our earth lies another world- Ancient Egypt- a world filled with Mummies. We first meet Thut, who was once a chariot champion until a tragic accident occurred, leaving him afraid ever to compete again. Filled with fear since his tragic accident, Thut spends his days roaming the city as a celebrity and signing autographs. At the same time, Princess Nefer is about to undergo a forced marriage. When the God of goodness and love is called upon to select her future husband, an accident occurs, leaving the city believing that Thut has been chosen for Nefer. However, at first glance, neither Thut nor Princess Nefer are interested in marrying each other.
As part of tradition, Thut is given an ancient ring from Pharoah, which must be presented at the wedding in seven days. If Thut fails to show up with the ring, the consequences for him are not pleasing. But Thut and Princess Nefer’s world is about to be unexpectedly invaded by a wealthy artefact collector named Lord Silvester Carnaby, who has just discovered the secret underground city. His archaeological investigation results in him stealing various items, including the ancient ring that Thut hid. With Lord Silvester Carnaby returning to England with the ring, it’s up to Thut and the Princess to leave Egypt and journey up to the modern world. Thankfully, they won’t be journeying on their own to try and retrieve the ring; joining them is Thut’s younger brother named Sekhem, along with his adorable pet baby crocodile. Now the clock is ticking, and can Thut retrieve the ring from the new world of London before it’s too late?
Mummies is an animation feature that brings a highly familiar plot outline. Within the first ten minutes, audiences will be thinking of popular films such as Cars, TinTin, Aladdin, and many more. While the storyline is familiar, there are some fun and great concepts. I enjoyed the creativity of a secret world hidden underneath our world, and I adored the idea that Ancient Egypt continues to live more wonderfully than ever. Watching our leads discover the new world called London brings many minor giggles and fun concepts. One example is when Thut assumes a god is speaking to him upon hearing the loudspeaker at the shop he visits.
The animation style is generally great, but a weaker aspect for me was some of the facials among the many characters. Despite this, the leading characters are likeable, and the colours are nice and bright. The musical score is great and even includes a few popular numbers, including “Walk Like an Egyptian”. I must confess, though, that a track from Nickelback felt random and amusing (and not in a good way).
Some positive themes were introduced, which are pleasing for a younger audience. One example of this is witnessing Thut overcome and conquer his fear. As you may have guessed, it is also a heart-warming love story (this is especially obvious for adult audiences). I mostly enjoyed the pace and style of humour; however, there were a few random aspects in the story. One example is when we witness Princess Nefer pursue a music career, even managing to record a professional song that lands on the top charts, which felt highly pointless to the story. The villain has funny moments, but some gags here are repetitive and tiring. Along with this, the main villain has a pair of dim-witted twins with him who continually make errors, and there’s a running joke where the villain is dealing with his mother in what feels like every scene.
Overall, as an animation feature, there are some great concepts and positive messages here, such as conquering one’s fears. The characters are fun, and the storyline is again creative. However, one drawback is how wildly familiar the entire movie is. Even in the first ten minutes, I thought of many titles that had done it before or were highly similar. The animation is ok, and the bright use of colours enhances the visuals. Some moments will undoubtedly put a smile on the audience’s faces. In contrast, some other moments are baffling and odd such as an unnecessary subplot that I found irrelevant to the main story, and there are repetitive gags that soon become exhausting. While highly familiar with questionable aspects, this is still a fun film for all ages to enjoy. Mummies (2022) is Available in Australian Cinemas from January 5th.
5.4/10
2nd January 2023
Written by Peter Walkden
WALKDEN ENTERTAINMENT
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