In the year of 1935 a French expedition discovers in Egypt a 3000 year old grave with a mysterious previously unknown mummy intact inside. They plan to ship the mummy to Paris but, surprise, fishy stuff happens to the members of the expedition before they can arrive alive. Then 66 years later someone finds this mummy again, hidden in some storage room at the Louvre museum in Paris and, surprise again, the mummy awakens and its spirit escapes. Meanwhile a young woman (Marceau, who ought to be at least ten years older than her character but doesn't look it) lives across the street from the Louvre and for some reason her appartment share basement with the famous museum. Now, one night after some weird power failure she ends up inside the museum right in time for the mummy, now known as Belphégor, to take her nicely shaped body in possession.

To begin with the performances, Sophie Marceau is (obviously) easy on the eye, while veteran Julie Christie (Don't Look Now) does her best Viveca Lindfors impersonation. However, it's really wonderful actor Michel Serrault (La Cage aux Folles) who scores highest points as an old police detective who is called in to shine some light on the plot. A plot which is based upon a novel by Arthur Bernéde that, I think, has been the basis for a TV-series and at least two movies. I haven't seen any of those, but this update is rather good, although a little uneven. There are some very good parts, particularly those taking place inside the beautifully shot museum. The scenes where Marceau, all dressed up in Belphégor's sarcophagus and death-mask, goes on a killing spree, also works surprisingly well. It could so easily turn into silliness but manage not to. There is probably a lesson for Hollywood to be learned here, in how not to overblow everything with effects. Unfortunately there are also some parts that are quite dull, especially some really corny scenes involving the CG-animated spirit of Belphégor and his relationship with his host body. Like when it's time for the possessed Marceau to make love to her boyfriend and Belphégor jumps outside her body for a while so he can see better! This is a French movie after all. Gratuitous nudity is required. The film also gets awfully talky during the last half hour when the plot thickens, and is almost subject for the fast-forward button. However, weirdly enough little of this stain the general impression. Belphégor is an atmospheric and competently produced French mummy movie. Not as gripping as it probably want to be, but a whole damn lot more interesting than Talos the Mummy for instance. Recommended.

© The Inzomniac's Movie Madness Review.