Parents' Guide to The Mummy (1999)

Movie PG-13 1999 124 minutes
The Mummy (1999) movie poster: A mummy's face with wide gaping mouth, plus Rick and Evelyn in the corner

Common Sense Media Review

By Adam Perry , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 12+

Above-average action-adventure with lots of violence.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 12+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 12+

Based on 27 parent reviews

Parents say this movie offers an entertaining blend of adventure and horror, but it includes intense scenes that may be unsuitable for younger viewers. While some appreciate the action and humor, others note the graphic content and violence, suggesting it’s more appropriate for teens and up due to the depiction of disturbing imagery and some language.

  • entertaining blend
  • intense scenes
  • graphic content
  • suitable for teens
  • action and humor
Summarized with AI

age 11+

Based on 62 kid reviews

Kids say this movie is an exciting mix of action and adventure, but many reviews highlight its intense violence, disturbing scenes, and inappropriate content for younger viewers. While some audience members found it entertaining and not particularly scary, others warned about its suitability, suggesting it’s best for teens and older audiences due to the graphic elements, including torture, suicide, and excessive drinking.

  • intense violence
  • inappropriate content
  • age recommendation
  • entertaining adventure
  • graphic scenes
  • mixed reviews
Summarized with AI

What's the Story?

In THE MUMMY, American explorer Rick O'Connell (Brendan Frasier) leads a Cairo librarian Evelyn Camahan (Rachel Weisz) and her brother Jonathan to the lost city of Hamunaptra where they discover treasure that accidentally awakens a three thousand-year-old cursed mummy. The undead creature -- once the high priest Imhotep -- is bent on resurrecting his mummified former lover, Anck-su-Namun, by sacrificing Evelyn and bringing forth Bible-size plagues and undead armies. This film is filled with rich content and is a worthy heir to the action-adventure/archaeology-meets-swashbuckling genre made famous by Harrison Ford in the Indiana Jones series.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 27 ):
Kids say ( 62 ):

Action, comedy, and the captivating romance between O'Connell and Evie are at the heart of this movie. At times, the out-of-this-world special effects and battle-sequences have one longing for the old-school charm of Lawrence of Arabia or The Ten Commandments. Regardless, The Mummy is extremely exciting, and at times educational. The juxtaposition of intricate Egyptian history and spirituality, with contemporary Hollywood spirit, might inspire teens to learn more about ancient Egypt.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the way women and indigenous people are portrayed in The Mummy. How does Evie's strength as a scholarly, cultured, biracial librarian compare to other lead female roles in cinema today? How are people of different races depicted? Are they respectful of their cultures?

  • Families can also talk about the violence in The Mummy. How does the fact that much of it is supernatural affect its impact? How is it different watching the "undead" get hurt than human characters?

Movie Details

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The Mummy (1999) movie poster: A mummy's face with wide gaping mouth, plus Rick and Evelyn in the corner

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