Dwayne Johnson makes his film debut in “The Mummy Returns” (2001). He yells a few times and then leaves, only to return as an early CGI attempt at a man-scorpion that looks more like a Rockaroach (See what I did there?). That’s how history is going to remember this workmanlike sequel to star Brandan Fraser’s 1999 attempt to exhume Indiana Jones. Not bad as far as summer popcorn movies go. The treasure-hunter story picks back up rather seamlessly and there’s a decent mix of new characters to go with returnees to keep things relatively interesting. It’s just not as fun.
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Do you enjoy heartwarming stories in which a ragtag misfit (or band of misfits) overcomes adversity to achieve their dream? You say you’ve seen 100 of them by now? Well, welcome to 101. Like most things WWE, “Fighting With My Family” (2019) is first and foremost a promotion for the wrestling conglomerate. But all the necessary cliche elements are there. Relative unknown Florence Pugh plays the misfit, an English girl who aspires to stardom. There’s a stern coach, a kindly mentor, family strife, a crisis of confidence, workout montages set to music, blah, blah, blah. You’ll love it. Or not.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Kevin Hart made a movie called “Central Intelligence” (2016). I can imagine some critics enjoyed playing with the word “intelligence,” as in the movie’s lack thereof. But the story itself has depth: high school loser and homecoming king find roles reversed 20 years later as they team up in a sort-of buddy-cop flick with a complex, and cartoonishly violent, international espionage subplot. Johnson gives a great effort, but Hart’s high-pitched schtick makes me tired after about 10 minutes. It’s similar to my feelings toward Melissa McCarthy, who, ironically, has a funny (and blessedly brief) cameo.
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