This is blockbuster entertainment at its finest: Not too complicated but not overly simplistic, a solid script with snappy one-liners, terrific special effects that still look good even twenty years later, and perfectly cast with the right actors. Brendan Fraser makes for a great leading man and Rachel Weisz is a real discovery here, while supporting players John Hannah and Kevin J. O’Connor seem to be having the time of their lives. The movie also takes the central elements of the 1932 Universal monster classic and adapts them from horror to adventure (with some horror elements surviving and being surprisingly effective), resulting in a crowd-pleaser that has stood the test of time.
Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)
