What do you get when you combine old-fashioned IndianaJones-style adventure with modern special effects? Something like "TheMummy." Sort of. For, hidden behind all the action, gunfire and spiritualmalarkey lies a very goofy foundation. As the opening scene suggests, this remakeoften relies on self-parody and comic timing just as much as on its adventuroustone.

The movie opens in ancient Egypt, where a priest named Imhotep(Arnold Vosloo) is caught fooling around with the Pharaoh' s lover. He ismummified and buried with a terrible curse: anyone who wakes him will suffer theten plagues of Egypt, and may be used as spare parts for reanimationpurposes.

Sure enough, in 1920, two expeditions set out to find treasureat Humunaptra, the legendary City of the Dead. One is led by Rick O'Connell(Brendan Fraser), a rag-tag legionnaire who knows how to handle himself.Accompa-nying him is a hieroglyphics-reading librarian (Rachel Weisz) and hersmart-mouth brother (John Hannah). Of course, they awaken the title character,and soon flesh-eating scarab beetles, pesky locusts and walking corpses are afterthem, as Imhotep is out to reconstruct himself and his mummified lover.

The special effects in "The Mummy" are not seamlessly blendedinto the atmosphere, but they are excellent; the "wall of sand" towardthe end is particularly effective.

Fraser looks surprisingly suited tothis role, and strikes just the right balance in this ridiculously enjoyableadventure/comedy/romance/horror. Yes, it's a complete funhouse of amovie.

Director Stephen Sommers is much better when it comes to adventure("The Jungle Book") than horror ("Deep Rising"), which is whyI am glad he put such a unique spin on this classic remake. The jokes fly fastand furious, mostly derived from Hannah's spirited character and the presence ofKevin J. O'Connor as the leader of the second expedition. I'm embarrassed toadmit it, but I did laugh more than once. Okay, several times. Even so, theconsistent, familiar punchlines grow seriously old as the movieprogresses.

"The Mummy" is just stupid fun, no more. Fraser hasbattles with the bandaged monsters, slicing off limbs with a delightful goofinessthat seems closely akin to Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead" movies. If you wanta blockbuster full of thrills and chills, this is not the movie to see. "TheMummy" is silly and stereotypical, but it's totally enjoyable.