This promotional piece not only served to get people interested in the Mummy spin off The Scorpion King, but also to introduce Dwayne Johnson, then still simply called 'Rock' by his friends nd colleagues as the next big action hero. After all, Michael Clarke Duncan says so. Nobody can argue with that.
Universal obviously took their marketing campaign seriously, building up a five minute (or less) appearance by The Rock in The Mummy Returns while already announcing his first starring role will be spun off from there. Never mind the fact that Rock seems to be playing two completely different people in both films: a ruthless warlord in the Mummy Returns, a noble warrior/assassin in The Scorpion King. According to The Rockeroonie himself, he is playing the same character, but about ten years earlier in this spin off.
Grant Heslov, who got the thankless task of playing the funny sidekick in the film gets the short end of the stick and only appears for two brief snippets; not long enough to get a credit but just long enough to look really stupid and pretentious with sunglasses that don't go with his costume. Thankfully Kelly Hu gets some more screen time, though she doesn't really ad a lot of insight into the film apart from boasting that it will be 'much like the mummies, but much more down and dirty'. Steven Brand, in his first feature film, is introduced as being 'the ultimate bad guy' but really he's a tad too slim and his haircut is too silly. All the while, Basil Poledouris' famous Conan the Barbarian score is playing in the background.
Ever since The Green Mile, Oscar Nominee Michael Clarke Duncan has been in great demand for every part that demands a man build like a brick wall. Strangely enough, MC never had not yet got to do a fight sequence before this film. And watching this documentary, we learn why: a brick wall is not supposed to do a lot of running and jumping. There is something off when you see the big guy moving fast. Elsewhere on the DVD we also see that The Clarke is also unable to mount a horse. What makes up for this is the obvious fun MCD and his buddy Rock had on set as evident from them constantly ribbing each other during the interviews.
As usual, there is the requisite segment on the director, Chuck Russell, who is seen directing the street urchins, which is not the easiest thing in the world. Then he compares the Rock to a ballet dancer, which is perhaps not the smartest thing in the world. The fact that the star of the film is a 6 time world wrestling entertainment champion is explicitly mentioned, presumably because wrestling mogul Vince McMahon was right there on set keeping an eye on his biggest star. They all knew the Rock was about to launch a career in pictures, and although he may not have become the action star they were predicting (there market for these kind of pictures has changed too much since the Eighties), he has carved out a respectable career, and hasn't even had to fall back on doing a series of Scorpion sequels (which is actually a bit of a shame).
To wrap things up we get a short look at the set design and the various animals used in the pictures (these subjects are expanded upon in other segments on the DVD), and the usual quick-fire montage of action packed scenes and quotable lines including the unforgettable 'I've come for the woman... and your head!'. Shame old' Dwayne also had to utter that insufferable cliché 'Tough job but somebody's got to do it' on set.
7 out of 10
Universal obviously took their marketing campaign seriously, building up a five minute (or less) appearance by The Rock in The Mummy Returns while already announcing his first starring role will be spun off from there. Never mind the fact that Rock seems to be playing two completely different people in both films: a ruthless warlord in the Mummy Returns, a noble warrior/assassin in The Scorpion King. According to The Rockeroonie himself, he is playing the same character, but about ten years earlier in this spin off.
Grant Heslov, who got the thankless task of playing the funny sidekick in the film gets the short end of the stick and only appears for two brief snippets; not long enough to get a credit but just long enough to look really stupid and pretentious with sunglasses that don't go with his costume. Thankfully Kelly Hu gets some more screen time, though she doesn't really ad a lot of insight into the film apart from boasting that it will be 'much like the mummies, but much more down and dirty'. Steven Brand, in his first feature film, is introduced as being 'the ultimate bad guy' but really he's a tad too slim and his haircut is too silly. All the while, Basil Poledouris' famous Conan the Barbarian score is playing in the background.
Ever since The Green Mile, Oscar Nominee Michael Clarke Duncan has been in great demand for every part that demands a man build like a brick wall. Strangely enough, MC never had not yet got to do a fight sequence before this film. And watching this documentary, we learn why: a brick wall is not supposed to do a lot of running and jumping. There is something off when you see the big guy moving fast. Elsewhere on the DVD we also see that The Clarke is also unable to mount a horse. What makes up for this is the obvious fun MCD and his buddy Rock had on set as evident from them constantly ribbing each other during the interviews.
As usual, there is the requisite segment on the director, Chuck Russell, who is seen directing the street urchins, which is not the easiest thing in the world. Then he compares the Rock to a ballet dancer, which is perhaps not the smartest thing in the world. The fact that the star of the film is a 6 time world wrestling entertainment champion is explicitly mentioned, presumably because wrestling mogul Vince McMahon was right there on set keeping an eye on his biggest star. They all knew the Rock was about to launch a career in pictures, and although he may not have become the action star they were predicting (there market for these kind of pictures has changed too much since the Eighties), he has carved out a respectable career, and hasn't even had to fall back on doing a series of Scorpion sequels (which is actually a bit of a shame).
To wrap things up we get a short look at the set design and the various animals used in the pictures (these subjects are expanded upon in other segments on the DVD), and the usual quick-fire montage of action packed scenes and quotable lines including the unforgettable 'I've come for the woman... and your head!'. Shame old' Dwayne also had to utter that insufferable cliché 'Tough job but somebody's got to do it' on set.
7 out of 10
