The Movie
With a now-familiar combination of flash, science, and moderately hammish drama, the IMAX film Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs reveals the philosophy of the ancient Egyptians, their belief in immortality, and their mysterious but successful attempts to preserve the dead. First burying corpses in the desert sand to dry them, later forced to make other arrangements when the pyramids necessitated the bodies being placed elsewhere, Egyptian high priests were also cutting-edge scientists of the time, using trial and error and ingredients imported from near and far to keep the flesh of their deceased ruling class from decaying.
Those ingredients (including sweet, sweet honey) are revealed here, along with the process used, depicted in a recreated ritual for the IMAX 3D cameras. The real mummies simply could not be found for millennia, and so the historic uncovering of the bodies of multiple pharaohs more than a century ago is also dramatized in the second half of this movie.
We also witness a modern mummification performed in 1994 using the same techniques, and an analysis of that cadaver in search of DNA clues that could aid in the study of the Egyptian mummies, possibly unlocking cures for diseases that have plagued mankind for ages. Genuine medical breakthroughs may yet be the greatest secret of the pharaohs.
The Picture
The quality here is lovely, with frequent vistas of crisp sands. The movie blends stunning location photography with computer-generated elements, a little hokey but generally effective, especially when some bits seem to reach out of the screen. The 3D is quite convincing, with the illusion of realistic depth along a row of ancient columns, the placement of the different pyramids within 16:9 frame, and the disparate levels of focus within a given shot. Individual threads are plainly evident in a mummy's wrappings.
I noted some flicker in fine lines during camera moves, and edge enhancement here and there. But ringing in the image during sunsets and dissolves is minimal, and colors are gorgeous. A 2D version of the film is also provided, on the same disc.
The Sound
The sometimes-dynamic visual style here necessitates a lot of "whooshing," which keeps the movie sonically interesting. The soundtrack is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 for all languages, and the voices are always crystal clear. Music is well-mixed but not distractingly so, wind wafts through the home theater atmospherically, and phased whispers between the speakers add the desired eeriness. The rears are occasionally exploited for some discrete action, although the most engrossing moment occurs when we are inside a collapsing tomb, with strong surround and bass.
The Extras
"Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs Unwrapped" is a 22-minute "making of" that adds a bit of flavor to what we've seen, providing background on the real-life scientists and the behind-the-scenes challenges of putting it all up on the screen. It is presented in HD. Trailers for this and eight other IMAX titles are included, some in 3D. The disc is also BD-Live-enabled.
Final Thoughts
With its enjoyable blend of science fact and generous, more-or-less accurate recreation, Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs is another IMAX spectacle that plays well in a 3D home theater.
Product Details
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