From the very first scene of “The Mummy Returns,” I knew I was in for an adrenaline-packed camel ride that would involve sequel-like force.

The name of the film “Mummy Returns” was scheduled to be called Mummy 2, but it should have been called Mummy Twice, due to twice the amount of action, twice the amount of romance and twice the amount of mummy carnage from the first film.

With our quasi hero Rick O?Connell, played by bug-eyed Brendan “Encino Man” Frasier, and wife Evelyn, played by Rachel “Enemy At The Gates” Weiz, the adventure begins nine years after the first “Mummy.” Along for the ride is their bothersome but adorable offspring, Alex O?Connell, played by English newcomer Freddie Boath. Together they battle the likes of mummies, grave robbers, a slew of other Egyptian evil-doers, and a scorpion king, played by World Wrestling Federation star, The Rock, in a non-stop action magic carpet ride.

Ching-ching-ching. Like a scene out of a Sunday afternoon kung-fu flick, there was so much fighting that I couldn?t get the sound of sword fighting out of my head.With the $400 million worldwide success of the first movie, this big budgeted sequel used up a substantial amount of its funds towards special effects brought together by the Lucas- owned Industrial, Light, and Magic.

Large-scale fight scenes, computer-generated mummies and fancy slow motion shots are lathered on like honey to an already sticky film. One scene featured a huge half-scorpion, half-human, scorpion king that gave chase to O?Connell which only looked disappointing because the Scorpion King featured a poor computer rendering of The Rock?s face. Now I write this because I expected higher quality special FX, especially coming from the makers of Jar Jar Binks.

One thing I did enjoy was the dramatic and intense film score, brought to you by the work of Alan Silvestri (“Forrest Gump”), who was able to never at any point take away from the film.

The film was directed and written by Stephen Sommers (“The Jungle Book” and “Deep Rising”). Sommers puts together an action/adventure sequel that overuses action and adventure but still ends up with a movie that is ultimately a fun summer film. Not too shabby for a swashbuckling sequel with a lot of “ching-ching.”