The Mummy Returns (2001)

Film and Plot Synopsis

In this sequel to the hit film, The Mummy, Rick and Evelyn O’Connell are back for another thrilling adventure. Now married, Rick and Evelyn now share their adventures with their 8-year-old son Alex. However, they once again find themselves facing off against their nemesis, Imhotep, the undead mummy who has been resurrected for a second time by an evil cult. Imhotep seeks to control the undead army of the Scorpion King so that he may conquer the world. However, they will have to traverse the world in order to find the Scorpion King’s lost pyramid guided by an unexpected source… Alex O’Connell.

‘The Mummy Returns’ Movie Summary

The film begins in 3067 B.C. A fearsome warrior known as the Scorpion King (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) is attempting to conquer the world with his powerful army. Fortunately, the Scorpion King is ultimately defeated and retreats into the desert. His soldiers ultimately all die off leaving the Scorpion King alone. Dying, the Scorpion King vows to give Anubis his soul in return for the power to defeat all his enemies. Anubis accepts the King’s offer and creates an oasis and a golden pyramid in the middle of the desert named Ahm Shere. Anubis creates an army of jackal-like warriors to assist the Scorpion King with conquering Egypt. However, once the Scorpion King conquers Egypt, Anubis collects the Scorpion King’s soul, and the magical army is returned to the Underworld.

The film then jumps to 1933. Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraiser) and his now wife Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) are spending family time exploring ancient ruins with their 8-year-old son Alex (Freddie Boath). Alex finds the highly prized Bracelet of Anubis while separated from his parents and places it on his wrist. The bracelet locks onto Alex’s arm and begins showing him visions directing him to the location of Ahm Shere. Evelyn is captured by a cult who resurrects Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) with the Book of the Dead. The cult is led by museum curator Baltus Hafez (Alun Armstrong) who believes that they can use Imhotep’s power to defeat the Scorpion King and claim dominion over his undead army. The cult also consists of Lock-Nah (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) and Meela Nais (Patricia Velásquez), the physical reincarnation of Imhotep’s love Anck-su-namun, Rick and Alex set out to rescue Evelyn with the help of Evelyn’s brother, Jonathan Carnahan (John Hannah). Jonathan also has taken something from the ruins as well, a mysterious golden scepter. The threesome are also joined by Medjai Ardeth Bay (Oded Fehr), who has returned to help them stop Imhotep for a second time.

Rick engages the cult members in battle and is successful in freeing Evelyn. However, Alex is kidnapped and forced to lead the cult members to Ahm Shere with his visions from the bracelet locked on his arm. Rick and Evelyn enlist the services of an old friend of Rick’s, Izzy Buttons (Shaun Parkes), who uses his dirigible to pursue the cult members around the world. Alex helps his parents by leaving clues for his parents along the way. However, Alex also learns that if he doesn’t get the bracelet to the pyramid in a certain amount of time, then the bracelet will kill him. At the same time, Imhotep uses the Book of the Dead to restore Anck-su-namun’s soul and memories into Meela’s body. The spell also unwittingly allows Evelyn to unlock her past life memories as Princess Nefertiti, the bracelet’s original keeper and Pharaoh Seti I’s (Aharon Ipalé) daughter.

Whomever can kill the Scorpion King can send his army back to the Underworld or use it to destroy mankind and rule the Earth. Ardeth Bay (Oded Fehr)

The pursuit leads to the edge of the oasis. Imhotep realizes that his group is being pursued and uses his magical abilities to crash Izzy’s ship. Everyone survives the crash, but Izzy stays behind to repair his balloon while everyone else goes on to save Alex. The O’Connells infiltrate the cult, but both groups are attacked by pygmy mummies in the oasis. Rick saves his son, while Ardeth dispatches Lock-Nah. The heroes outrun the pygmy warriors who successfully kill all the bad guys except for Imhotep, Anck-su-namun, and Hafez. Rick gets his son to the pyramid before the bracelet kills Alex. Once there, the bracelet detaches itself from Alex’s arm. Imhotep, Anck-su-namun, and Hafez arrive at the pyramid and kill Evelyn before entering the pyramid.

Once inside, Hafez uses the bracelet to summon Anubis’ undead army, which appears in the desert outside of the oasis. A vengeful Rick tracks Imhotep to the main chamber where the mummy is in the process of summoning the Scorpion King. Rick attacks Imhotep as the Scorpion King, now an enormous horribly CGI ’ed scorpion monster, finally appears. Imhotep tricks the Scorpion King into attacking Rick who now faces a battle on two fronts. Outside of the oasis, Ardeth and the Medjai fight Anubis’ army. Inside the pyramid, Hafez is caught in the middle of the fight between Rick and the Scorpion King and is killed.

Elsewhere, Jonathan and Alex steal the Book of the Dead from Anck-su-namun and use it to bring Evelyn back to life. At the same time, Rick discovers some hieroglyphs that explains how Jonathan’s stolen scepter can be turned into the mystical Spear of Osiris, a weapon that can kill the Scorpion King. The heroes team up to convert the scepter and Rick uses the Spear to kill the Scorpion King, which sends the King and his undead army back into the Underworld.

With the Scorpion King dispatched, the oasis begins to be sucked back into the desert. Rick and Imhotep continue their fight near the ledge of the pit that leads to the Underworld. Rick tells Evelyn to take their son and get out, but she risks her life to save Rick from the Underworld. Imhotep pleads for Anck-su-namun to do the same, but she shows her true colors and abandons him. Betrayed, Imhotep accepts his fate and allows himself to be taken to the Underworld. As she attempts to flee the pyramid, Anck-su-namun accidentally falls into a pit of scorpions and is killed.

Rick, Evelyn, Alex, and Jonathan climb to the top of the pyramid as it begins to sink into the desert. Izzy arrives with a modified dirigible and rescues everyone just before the desert reabsorbs the last remnants of the pyramid. Jonathan manages to acquire the diamond at the top of the pyramid as well. The O’Connells, Jonathan, and Izzy fly off into the sunset as Ardeth Bay salutes his friends before riding off into the desert.