The Mummy franchise spins off into what is clearly meant to be the first of another franchise, with The Rock as an Ancient Egypt version of Conan. Many a bloody swath is cut in this action fest. If you thought The Mummy and The Mummy Returns were cheesy… wait until you see this masterpiece.The action is over-the-top and the acting is weak – sounds like two key elements to any modern day action films. While some might like this film from an entertainment value point of view (especially if you are a fan of The Rock), it did not live up to the original Mummy films that preceded it.
The basic plot of the film goes a little something like this – Mathayus (The Rock) is hired by a band of evil thugs to kill Memnon’s sorcerer Cassandra (Kelly Hu). What Mathayus doesn’t realize is that there is always more underneath the sand than on the surface as he soon learns that these men have more sinister plans.
A rather strong point of the film is the wide array of supporting actors. We have Michael Clarke Duncan as Balthazar who at first seems like he might be a foe for Mathayus, Kelly Hu as the aforementioned sorcerer Cassandra (who is rather attractive), The always great Bernard Hill as Philos and Steven Brand as the evil Memnon. Each actor adds a bit of credibility to the film. Surely the studio was banking on The Rock carrying the picture, but I’m positive in saying that the film would have failed without these supporting actors. As strong as The Rock is in his first starring role, he does show that this is indeed his first starring role (he has since come a long way, particular in his last film Gridiron Gang).
Video
As one of Universal’s first wave of releases on Blu-ray, the video quality on The Scorpion King has similar results as can be seen on their previous HD DVD release – presented in a 1080p, 2:35:1 widescreen transfer. The colors really pop off the screen – especially when the background is dull and the reds, greens and blues appear very vibrant in the forefront. The transfer is really clean, with only a small amount of film grain noticeable, adding a natural look to the film. Both the 3D imagery and facial detail come across nicely, but neither of them are showstoppers when compared to other BD releases on the market. widescreen aspect ratio, this disc looks good, but not great.
Audio
Stepping it up a notch from their previous HD DVD release which featured a standard Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 audio track, Universal has included an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio track on this Blu-ray Disc. I felt the audio track was a little overpowering at times. Although the dialog was crisp as well placed, I found a few sequences to have too much going on to enjoy it fully. The bass had great extension, pounding with the effects and score. The best part of this audio track was the sound movement. Whether it was flying swords, knives or even bodies, the soundstage – from front/back and back/front – was really engaging. I appreciate a less is more approach at times, but overall, this track does bring with it an action packed experience.
Special Features
Universal’s HD DVD release of The Scorpion King was packed full of extras. For this Blu-ray release, they have decided to cut the extras down to two:
- Feature Commentary with Director Chuck Russell – Director Chuck Russell sits down and offers us his insight on the film including production notes, casting and scenery. The biggest letdown here is that the track is full of a lot of nothing because Russell often speaks and then has nothing to say for some time.
- U-Control – With Universal’s first wave of Blu-ray releases, they have included their former HD DVD feature U-Control. “This uniquely-immersive, in-movie experience from Universal allows you to customize your own high-definition experience with spectacular interactive features – all without stopping the movie.” This feature has pic-in-pic featurettes and information appearing in the bottom corner of the screen as the film is playing.
Final Thoughts
While this is my least favorite of the Mummy series of films, it still does have its moments. The Scorpion King, one of Universal’s first wave of Blu-ray releases, fairs quite well in terms of disc quality. The audio and video are a touch above average, and while the extras are thin, this disc is still a welcome addition to the Blu-ray family.
Note: The film synopsis portion of this review is from Brendan Surpless’ HD DVD review via UpcomingDiscs.com
