Sixth scene - False Unload
After some twisting and turning your vehicles enters a large room and comes to an abrupt stop.  The room looks kind of like an unfinished set, with half-baked carving and theming.  In the corner is a large structure designed to resemble that of a control tower.  The window reveals a shadow of a ride operator, who thanks you for riding Revenge of the Mummy before disappearing turning into a skeleton and melting into dust.  Yes, you read that right.  This show scene is one of the weirdest ideas I've ever seen for a theme park attraction, and I'm very sad that they decided to go this route.  It makes no logical sense, it fools nearly nobody and it just compromises the entire experience.  Thankfully the scene does feature the attraction's best special effect which is the ceiling bursting into fire.  It's really at this time that storywise the entire attraction "jumps the shark."  The storyline seems to be quite unimportant to the attraction, and the designers seem to have picked and choose what story plots they wanted when it suited their purposes.  The whole false unload thing also only works once.  If you've been on the ride before, you know that's not where you get off so the scene is not needed.  After Imhotep takes over the "ride operator's" spot and throws the ceiling into a ball of flame (maybe I'm just unfamiliar with the series but I don't understand how he does this) the vehicle charges forward.

 

Seventh scene - Ending
The cart then takes a dramatic drop towards fog lit up to resemble lava (a very nice lighting effect).  The car twists and turns past flashing images of Imhotep burning up (it took me many rides before I realized it) and finally a large painted head of Imhotep blows a large smokeball from his mouth.   You then see a fiber optic representation of the Med-jai symbol and a cutesy video with Brendan Frasier who is still grumpy from not getting his coffee.  The attraction is over, and you survived.

 

Music
The music is quite spectacular, using the original musician Alan Silverstri to compose the score.  The music accompanies the action without getting too over-the-top, but definitely adds to the suspense and intensity.  The score to the attraction is one of the best things about it.

 

Summary
Revenge of the Mummy is incredibly enjoyable on the superficial level, once you get below the surface though the entire thing doesn't really gel.  Why exactly are we on mine carts?  Why is Brendan Frasier  talking to us (mere extras) via a video monitor?  How did we escape if the Med-jai couldn't save us?  Where did we go when we went into Imhotep's mouth?

These are just a few of the basic questions that come up.

 

The hardest thing about Revenge of the Mummy is analyzing what it is, and not what it should be.  Revenge of the Mummy with it's amazing ride system and brilliant track design should be one of the greatest theme park attractions of all time.  Unfortunately, the theming and effects along the way don't add nearly as much as they should.  Particularly the storyline is incredibly flawed and makes little sense, especially adding in the whole false unload and horrible ending.  There is little to the ride that doesn't feel like a retread or tired besides the ride system itself.  While I understand building a Mummy attraction based on the huge success of the films, I really wish this ride system had been used for a more unique theming choice than just another temple attraction.  Indiana Jones Adventure set the standard for that genre, and Revenge of the Mummy didn't have the budget to compete with the amazing set pieces Indiana Jones Adventure had.  If you take Revenge of the Mummy for what it is, a fun thrilling ride, than it's fabulous.  As a piece of theme park art like the best of the Disney attractions than it really just doesn't measure up.  I think the easiest way to explain Revenge of the Mummy would be to say it's like theme park fast food.  It's great and enjoyable, but in the end not as emotionally satisfying as say, the Haunted Mansion.  Now there's nothing really wrong with theme park fast food, in fact I quite enjoy it.  It's just very annoying when an attraction is so close, but is missing the infrastructure underneath to keep it from becoming perfect.

 

All in all, Revenge of the Mummy is a definite must-see if you're a theme park fan.  The originality and uniqueness of the attraction makes up it's many flaws.

 

Revenge of the Mummy is only going to be unique for a little while longer though.  Disney has a similar ride concept building right now at Animal Kingdom.  Will Expedition Everest hit the emotional notes I was hoping from Revenge of the Mummy?  Will find out in 2006.  In the meantime, I'll enjoy my fast food.

 

Classic quote of the week:

"Of course. . .there's always my way." - Ghost Host from the Haunted Mansion

 

Tragic quote of the week:

"We're not gonna to make it, we're not gonna make it!" - Dr. Grant Seeker from Dinosaur

 

This Weekend

This weekend is one of the toughest to predict all year.  Three movies come out that all have massive potential to bomb or hit.  First is Chronicles of Riddick, which as far as I'm concerned has Battlefield Earth written all over it.  It could do fairly well opening weekend, but I doubt any legs are going to show up for it.  Still, a surprise could happen.  Garfield could be a Scooby Doo success, or a Looney Tunes: Back in Action flop.  The Stepford Wives could be an unexpected smash, or do more middle-of-the-road business.  Should be interesting to watch.

 

Weekend predictions

#1  - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban $45 million

#2  - Shrek 2 $25 million

#3  - Stepford Wives $21 million

#4  - Chronicles of Riddick $19 million

#5  - Garfield $18 million

#6  - Day After Tomorrow $13.1 million

#7  - Rasing Helen $3.8 million

#8  - Troy $3.3 million

#9  - Saved $2.7 million

#10 - Mean Girls $2 million

 

If it was a Disney film. . .Garfield would be about the life and times of President Garfield.  No, not the real president, the Audio-Animatronic president.  Watch him as he experiences costume changes and hydraulic leaks.