"Director: Stephen Sommers"

• Films That Define A Decade: '90s | Blu Ray | (22/08/2016) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.31

  The glorious ˜90s when grunge became chic and Spice Girls ruled pop culture. We witnessed the supersonic development of technology and welcomed the internet into our homes. Best of all, the '90s gave us some of the greatest films ever made, and we have four of them right here: American Pie defined a generation; Jeff Bridges was ˜The Dude' in cult classic The Big Lebowski; Robert De Niro showed us the underbelly of Las Vegas in Casino; and The Mummy was a box office smash.

• Films That Define A Decade: '90s | DVD | (22/08/2016) from £6.29   |  Saving you £4.97 (98.81%)   |  RRP £10.00

  The glorious ˜90s when grunge became chic and Spice Girls ruled pop culture. We witnessed the supersonic development of technology and welcomed the internet into our homes. Best of all, the '90s gave us some of the greatest films ever made, and we have four of them right here: American Pie defined a generation; Jeff Bridges was ˜The Dude' in cult classic The Big Lebowski; Robert De Niro showed us the underbelly of Las Vegas in Casino; and The Mummy was a box office smash.

• The Adventures Of Huck Finn | DVD | (01/10/1999) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Huckleberry Finn's age has been scaled down in this 1993 Disney film in order to accommodate star Elijah Wood's young years at the time. But that is not the only concession Mark Twain's great American novel must make to Disney revisionism. Wood's Huck, as adapted for the screen by writer-director Stephen Sommers, is all rascal and only nominally a philosopher, which takes a lot of the soul out of Twain's extraordinary story about Huck's enlightenment while travelling with the slave Jim (Courtney B. Vance) along the Mississippi river. Big chunks of the journey are also minimised in significance, and not just for the sake of storytelling economy. Jason Robards Jr and Robbie Coltrane brighten things up, but overall this is an unnecessarily simplified version of a literary classic. --Tom Keogh

• The Mummy / The Mummy Returns / Scorpion King | DVD | (03/10/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  The Mummy (Dir. Stephen Sommers 1999): Deep in the Egyptian desert a handful of people searching for a long-lost treasure have just unearthed a 3 000 year old legacy of terror... Combining the thrills of a rousing adventure with the suspense of Universal's legendary 1932 horror classic The Mummy starring Brendan Fraser is a true nonstop action epic filled with dazzling visual effects top-notch talent and superb storytelling. The Mummy Returns (Dir. Stephen Sommers 2001): Set in 1933 ten years after the events in the first film Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) is married to Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) and the couple has settled in London raising their 9-year-old son Alex (Freddie Boath). When a chain of events finds the corpse of Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) resurrected in the British Museum Imhotep walks the earth determined to fulfill his quest for immortality. But another force has also been set loose one born of the darkest rituals of ancient Egyptian mysticism and even more powerful than Imhotep. When these forces clash the fate of the world will hang in the balance sending the O'Connell's on a mission to save the world and their son before it is too late... The Scorpion King (Dir. Charles Russell 2002): In the notorious city of Gomorrah evil warlord Memnon is determined to lay to waste all the nomadic peoples of the desert. Because the few remaining tribes are virtually powerless against him they decide to hire a skilled assassin Mathayus to eliminate Memnon's most prized asset: the sorceress Cassandra who lies at the root of Memnon's power. Mathayus's plan however is to kidnap Cassandra rather than kill her. He knows if he takes her deep into the desert badlands as his hostage Memnon and his henchman will stop at nothing to rescue her...

• The Mummy (1999) - Augmented Reality Edition | DVD | (23/04/2012) from £4.40   |  Saving you £10.59 (70.60%)   |  RRP £14.99

  For his breakthrough into the blockbuster big time, director Stephen Sommers (Deep Rising) was determined to avoid the hackneyed Hollywood Mummy clichés of flailing bandages, somnambulant zombies and wooden acting. If you're happy to settle for two out of three then the finished film could be your cup of Egyptian tea, fully delivering on its visual promise, but occasionally mired in a quicksand of stilted dialogue and plot contrivance.When disgraced high priest Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) is awoken from his ancient prison, he unleashes his vengeful wrath in a whirl of computer-generated pestilence and plagues, all devised by the effects wizards at George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic. No gory detail is spared as the mummy sets about rebuilding his decayed body and reviving his forbidden lover, aided by hordes of swarming, flesh-eating scarabs and an army of the dead. Among the more human cast, Brendan Fraser (Blast from the Past, George of the Jungle) brings an infectious Boys' Own enthusiasm to his Indiana-Jones-style adventurer, while such supporting players as Rachel Weisz and John Hannah are mostly eclipsed by the spectacle on offer. Ultimately, The Mummy is great fun and offers digital thrills ideally suited to the DVD format which will wow even the most CGI-sated viewer.On the DVD: commendably, the extras on this DVD are on a par with the Region One offering, including deleted scenes and director's commentary, and both picture and sound quality are excellent. Most interestingly, veteran ILM effects supervisor John Berton presents step-by-step guides to some of the film's most extraordinary CGI shots, from early animatics to 3-D modelling and compositing. There's also the obligatory "making of" programme, in which everyone insists their primary concern was to ensure the effects never superseded the story. Unfortunately, this only makes you more aware of the script's shortcomings. --Steve Napleton

• The Mummy/The Mummy Returns/The Scorpion King | HD DVD | (28/01/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £44.99

  The Mummy: Deep in the Egyptian desert a handful of people searching for a long-lost treasure have just unearthed a 3 000 year old legacy of terror... Combining the thrills of a rousing adventure with the suspense of Universal's legendary 1932 horror classic The Mummy starring Brendan Fraser is a true nonstop action epic filled with dazzling visual effects top-notch talent and superb storytelling. The Mummy Returns: Set in 1933 ten years after the events in the first film Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) is married to Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) and the couple has settled in London raising their 9-year-old son Alex (Freddie Boath). When a chain of events finds the corpse of Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) resurrected in the British Museum Imhotep walks the earth determined to fulfill his quest for immortality. But another force has also been set loose one born of the darkest rituals of ancient Egyptian mysticism and even more powerful than Imhotep. When these forces clash the fate of the world will hang in the balance sending the O'Connell's on a mission to save the world and their son before it is too late... The Scorpion King: In the notorious city of Gomorrah evil warlord Memnon is determined to lay to waste all the nomadic peoples of the desert. Because the few remaining tribes are virtually powerless against him they decide to hire a skilled assassin Mathayus to eliminate Memnon's most prized asset: the sorceress Cassandra who lies at the root of Memnon's power. Mathayus's plan however is to kidnap Cassandra rather than kill her. He knows if he takes her deep into the desert badlands as his hostage Memnon and his henchman will stop at nothing to rescue her...

• The Mummy Returns | UMD | (05/09/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

• The Mummy/The Mummy Returns/The Scorpion King | DVD | (02/10/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  The Mummy (Dir. Stephen Sommers 1999): Deep in the Egyptian desert a handful of people searching for a long-lost treasure have just unearthed a 3 000 year old legacy of terror... Combining the thrills of a rousing adventure with the suspense of Universal's legendary 1932 horror classic The Mummy starring Brendan Fraser is a true nonstop action epic filled with dazzling visual effects top-notch talent and superb storytelling. The Mummy Returns (Dir. Stephen Sommers 2001): Set in 1933 ten years after the events in the first film Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) is married to Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) and the couple has settled in London raising their 9-year-old son Alex (Freddie Boath). When a chain of events finds the corpse of Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) resurrected in the British Museum Imhotep walks the earth determined to fulfill his quest for immortality. But another force has also been set loose one born of the darkest rituals of ancient Egyptian mysticism and even more powerful than Imhotep. When these forces clash the fate of the world will hang in the balance sending the O'Connell's on a mission to save the world and their son before it is too late... The Scorpion King (Dir. Charles Russell 2002): In the notorious city of Gomorrah evil warlord Memnon is determined to lay to waste all the nomadic peoples of the desert. Because the few remaining tribes are virtually powerless against him they decide to hire a skilled assassin Mathayus to eliminate Memnon's most prized asset: the sorceress Cassandra who lies at the root of Memnon's power. Mathayus's plan however is to kidnap Cassandra rather than kill her. He knows if he takes her deep into the desert badlands as his hostage Memnon and his henchman will stop at nothing to rescue her...

• Van Helsing | UMD | (05/09/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Like a roller coaster ready to fly off its rails, Van Helsing rockets to maximum velocity and never slows down. Having earned blockbuster clout with The Mummy and The Mummy Returns, writer-director Stephen Sommers once again plunders Universal's monster vault and pulls out all the stops for this mammoth $148-million action-adventure-horror-comedy, which opens (sans credits) with a terrific black-and-white prologue that pays homage to the Universal horror classics that inspired it. The plot pits legendary vampire hunter Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman) against Dracula (the deliciously campy Richard Roxburgh), his deadly blood-sucking brides, and the Wolfman (Will Kemp) in a two-hour parade of outstanding special effects (980 in all) that turn Sommers' juvenile plot into a triple-overtime bonus for CGI animators. In alliance with a Transylvanian princess (Kate Beckinsale) and the Frankenstein monster (Shuler Hensley), Van Helsing must prevent Dracula from hatching his bat-winged progeny, and there's so much good-humored action that you're guaranteed to be thrilled and exhausted by the time the 10-minute end-credits roll. It's loud, obnoxious, filled with revisionist horror folklore, and aimed at addicted gamers and eight-year-olds, but this colossal monster mash (including Mr. Hyde, just for kicks) will never, ever bore you. --Jeff Shannon

• The Mummy (1999) - Augmented Reality Edition | Blu Ray | (23/04/2012) from £26.98   |  Saving you £-6.99 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  For his breakthrough into the blockbuster big time, director Stephen Sommers (Deep Rising) was determined to avoid the hackneyed Hollywood Mummy clichés of flailing bandages, somnambulant zombies and wooden acting. If you're happy to settle for two out of three then the finished film could be your cup of Egyptian tea, fully delivering on its visual promise, but occasionally mired in a quicksand of stilted dialogue and plot contrivance.When disgraced high priest Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) is awoken from his ancient prison, he unleashes his vengeful wrath in a whirl of computer-generated pestilence and plagues, all devised by the effects wizards at George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic. No gory detail is spared as the mummy sets about rebuilding his decayed body and reviving his forbidden lover, aided by hordes of swarming, flesh-eating scarabs and an army of the dead. Among the more human cast, Brendan Fraser (Blast from the Past, George of the Jungle) brings an infectious Boys' Own enthusiasm to his Indiana-Jones-style adventurer, while such supporting players as Rachel Weisz and John Hannah are mostly eclipsed by the spectacle on offer. Ultimately, The Mummy is great fun and offers digital thrills ideally suited to the DVD format which will wow even the most CGI-sated viewer.On the DVD: commendably, the extras on this DVD are on a par with the Region One offering, including deleted scenes and director's commentary, and both picture and sound quality are excellent. Most interestingly, veteran ILM effects supervisor John Berton presents step-by-step guides to some of the film's most extraordinary CGI shots, from early animatics to 3-D modelling and compositing. There's also the obligatory "making of" programme, in which everyone insists their primary concern was to ensure the effects never superseded the story. Unfortunately, this only makes you more aware of the script's shortcomings. --Steve Napleton

• The Mummy Ultimate Luxury Box Set | DVD | (01/12/2008) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £59.99

  The MummyIf you're expecting bandaged-wrapped corpses and a lurching Boris Karloff-type villain, then you've come to the wrong movie. But if outrageous effects, a hunky hero, and some hearty laughs are what you're looking for, the 1999 version of The Mummy is spectacularly good fun. Yes, the critics called it "hokey," "cheesy," and "pallid." Well, the critics are unjust. Granted, the plot tends to stray, the acting is a bit of a stretch, and the characters occasionally slip into cliché, but who cares? When that action gets going, hold tight--those two hours just fly by. The premise of the movie isn't that far off from the original. Egyptologist and general mess Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) discovers a map to the lost city of Hamunaptra, and so she hires rogue Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) to lead her there. Once there, Evelyn accidentally unlocks the tomb of Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), a man who had been buried alive a couple of millennia ago with flesh-eating bugs as punishment for sleeping with the pharaoh's girlfriend. The ancient mummy is revived, and he is determined to bring his old love back to life, which of course means much mayhem (including the unleashing of the 10 plagues) and human sacrifice. Despite the rather gory premise, this movie is fairly tame in terms of violence; most of the magic and surprise come from the special effects, which are glorious to watch, although Imhotep, before being fully reconstituted, is, as one explorer puts it, rather "juicy." Keep in mind this film is as much comedy as it is adventure--those looking for a straightforward horror pic will be disappointed. But for those who want good old-fashioned eye-candy kind of fun, The Mummy ranks as one of choicest flicks of 1999. --Jenny BrownThe Mummy Returns Proving that bigger is rarely better, The Mummy Returns serves up so much action and so many computer-generated effects that it quickly grows exhausting. In his zeal to establish a lucrative franchise, writer-director Stephen Sommers dispenses with such trivial matters as character development and plot logic, and charges headlong into an almost random buffet of minimum story and maximum mayhem, beginning with a prologue establishing the ominous fate of the Scorpion King (played by World Wrestling Federation star the Rock, in a cameo teaser for his later starring role in--you guessed it--The Scorpion King). Dormant for 5,000 years, under control of the Egyptian god Anubis, the Scorpion King will rise again in 1933, which is where we find The Mummy's returning heroes Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, now married and scouring Egyptian ruins with their 8-year-old son, Alex (Freddie Boath). John Hannah (as Weisz's brother) and Oded Fehr (as mystical warrior Ardeth Bay) also return from The Mummy, and trouble begins when Alex dons the Scorpion King's ancient bracelet, coveted by the evil mummy Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), who's been revived by... oh, but does any of this matter? With a plot so disposable that it's impossible to care about anything that happens, The Mummy Returns is best enjoyed as an intermittently amusing and physically impressive monument of Hollywood machinery, with gorgeous sets that scream for a better showcase, and digital trickery that tops its predecessor in ambition, if not in payoff. By the time our heroes encounter a hoard of ravenous pygmy mummies, you'll probably enjoy this movie in spite of itself. --Jeff ShannonThe Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor The third film in the The Mummy series freshens the franchise up by setting the action in China. There, the discovery of an ancient emperor's elaborate tomb proves a feather in the cap of Alex O'Connell (Luke Ford), a young archaeologist and son of Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) and his wife Evelyn (Maria Bello, taking over the role from Rachel Weisz). Unfortunately, a curse that turned the emperor (Jet Li) and his army into terra cotta warriors buried for centuries is lifted, and the old guy prepares for world domination by seeking immortality at Shangri La. The O'Connells barely stay a step ahead of him (climbing through the Himalaya mountains with apparent ease), but the action inevitably leads to a showdown between two armies of mummies in a Chinese desert. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor has a lot to offer: a supporting cast that includes the elegant Michelle Yeoh, Russell Wong, and Liam Cunningham, the unexpected appearance of several Yeti, and a climactic battle sequence that is nightmarishly weird but compelling. On the downside, the charm so desperately sought in romantic relationships, as well as comic turns by John Hannah (as Evelyn's rascal brother), is not only absent but often annoying. Rarely have witty asides in the thick of battle been more unwelcome in a movie. Rob Cohen's direction is largely crisp if sometimes curious (a fight between Fraser and Jet Li keeps varying in speed for some reason), but his vision of Shangri La, in the Hollywood tradition, is certainly attractive. --Tom Keogh

• Transformers / Star Trek / G.I. Joe | DVD | (30/05/2011) from £3.95   |  Saving you £12.04 (304.81%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Transformers: From director Michael Bay and executive producer Steven Spielberg comes a thrilling battle between the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons. When their epic struggle comes to Earth, all that stands between the Decepticons and ultimate power is a clue held by young Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf). Unaware that he is mankind’s last chance for survival, Sam and Bumblebee, his robot disguised as a car, are in a heart-pounding race against an enemy unlike anything anyone has seen before. It’s the incredible, breath-taking film spectacular that USA Today says “will appeal to the kid in all of us.” Star Trek: The greatest adventure of all time begins with Star Trek, the incredible story of a young crew’s maiden voyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise. On a journey filled with action, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind. The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James Kirk (Chris Pine), is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock (Zachary Quinto), was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before. G.I Joe: Based on Hasbro’s immensely popular action figures, G.I. Joe is the ultimate elite fighting force, engaged in an extraordinary action-adventure matchup of good versus evil! In G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, the G.I. Joe team, armed with the coolest hi-tech gadgets and weapons, travels the world from the Egyptian desert to the polar ice caps in a high stakes pursuit of Cobra, an evil international organization threatening to use a technology that could bring the world to its knees.

• The Mummy | DVD | (12/06/2017) from £5.60   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  If you're expecting bandaged-wrapped corpses and a lurching Boris Karloff-type villain, then you've come to the wrong movie. But if outrageous effects, a hunky hero, and some hearty laughs are what you're looking for, the 1999 version of The Mummy is spectacularly good fun. Yes, the critics called it "hokey," "cheesy," and "pallid." Well, the critics are unjust. Granted, the plot tends to stray, the acting is a bit of a stretch, and the characters occasionally slip into cliché, but who cares? When that action gets going, hold tight--those two hours just fly by. The premise of the movie isn't that far off from the original. Egyptologist and general mess Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) discovers a map to the lost city of Hamunaptra, and so she hires rogue Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) to lead her there. Once there, Evelyn accidentally unlocks the tomb of Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), a man who had been buried alive a couple of millennia ago with flesh-eating bugs as punishment for sleeping with the pharaoh's girlfriend. The ancient mummy is revived, and he is determined to bring his old love back to life, which of course means much mayhem (including the unleashing of the 10 plagues) and human sacrifice. Despite the rather gory premise, this movie is fairly tame in terms of violence; most of the magic and surprise come from the special effects, which are glorious to watch, although Imhotep, before being fully reconstituted, is, as one explorer puts it, rather "juicy." Keep in mind this film is as much comedy as it is adventure--those looking for a straightforward horror pic will be disappointed. But for those who want good old-fashioned eye-candy kind of fun, The Mummy ranks as one of choicest flicks of 1999. --Jenny Brown

• The Mummy | HD DVD | (07/05/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Deep in the Egyptian desert a handful of people searching for a long-lost treasure have just unearthed a 3 000 year old legacy of terror. Combining the thrills of a rousing adventure with the suspense of Universal's legendary 1932 horror classic The Mummy starring Brendan Fraser is a true nonstop action epic filled with dazzling visual effects top-notch talent and superb storytelling.

• The Mummy | UMD | (14/11/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

• The Mummy Returns | HD DVD | (07/05/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Set in 1933 ten years after the events in the first film Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) is married to Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) and the couple has settled in London raising their 9-year-old son Alex (Freddie Boath). When a chain of events finds the corpse of Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) resurrected in the British Museum Imhotep walks the earth determined to fulfill his quest for immortality. But another force has also been set loose one born of the darkest rituals of ancient Egyptian mysticism and even more powerful than Imhotep. When these forces clash the fate of the world will hang in the balance sending the O'Connell's on a mission to save the world and their son before it is too late...

• Van Helsing | Blu Ray | (25/06/2013) from £26.98   |  Saving you £-14.21 (-111.30%)   |  RRP £12.77

  Like a roller coaster ready to fly off its rails, Van Helsing rockets to maximum velocity and never slows down. Having earned blockbuster clout with The Mummy and The Mummy Returns, writer-director Stephen Sommers once again plunders Universal's monster vault and pulls out all the stops for this mammoth $148-million action-adventure-horror-comedy, which opens (sans credits) with a terrific black-and-white prologue that pays homage to the Universal horror classics that inspired it. The plot pits legendary vampire hunter Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman) against Dracula (the deliciously campy Richard Roxburgh), his deadly blood-sucking brides, and the Wolfman (Will Kemp) in a two-hour parade of outstanding special effects (980 in all) that turn Sommers' juvenile plot into a triple-overtime bonus for CGI animators. In alliance with a Transylvanian princess (Kate Beckinsale) and the Frankenstein monster (Shuler Hensley), Van Helsing must prevent Dracula from hatching his bat-winged progeny, and there's so much good-humored action that you're guaranteed to be thrilled and exhausted by the time the 10-minute end-credits roll. It's loud, obnoxious, filled with revisionist horror folklore, and aimed at addicted gamers and eight-year-olds, but this colossal monster mash (including Mr. Hyde, just for kicks) will never, ever bore you. A sequel is virtually guaranteed. --Jeff Shannon

• The Mummy | DVD | (03/04/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Set ten years after the original movie, adventurer Rick O'Connell's son is kidnapped by the followers of his old nemesis The Mummy, in the belief that the boy can lead them to the tomb of the ancient and evil warrior The Scorpion King.

• Van Helsing | DVD | (03/04/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  From the director of "The Mummy" comes the tale of a fabled 19th-century monster-hunter summoned to a distant Eastern European land on a quest to vanquish evil.

• The Mummy Returns | DVD | (03/04/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Set ten years after the original movie, adventurer Rick O'Connell's son is kidnapped by the followers of his old nemesis The Mummy, in the belief that the boy can lead them to the tomb of the ancient and evil warrior The Scorpion King.