So much average

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

The first must-see film of the year.

The acting in this movie is really good.

"Mysteries of Egypt" is an award-winning 40-minute documentary from 1998, so this one will have its 20th anniversary next year. It is perhaps the most known work by writer and director Bruce Neibaur and a lot of that has to do with the fact that it features Oscar-nominated actor Omar Sharif, perhaps Egypt's most known in the center of it all. The idea of having him explain some of Egypt's most important historic stuff to his (of course not real) granddaughter was fairly solid and makes it easier accessible. And honestly, even if it says "mysteries" in the title, there aren't really that many mysteries in here and it is nothing too deep or scientific you will hear while watching. But that's fine. Plus the video recordings of the Egyptian desert are somewhat nice to watch most of the time. So all in all, I would say this was a success. It is somewhat typical for IMAX documentaries like this one to be not the most groundbreaking or innovative exactly, but they are still fairly informative most of the time. This one is no exception. By the way, there also seem to be versions of this one that are considerably longer than 40 minutes and exceed short film territory, but the one I saw was not that long. All in all, I give it a thumbs-up and recommend checking it out, even if you don't have the very biggest interest in ancient Egypt by nature. You won't be disappointed.

Omar Sharif takes his teenage niece on a tour of the Giza pyramids, introducing her to the world of the pharaohs. By itself the film is not much more than a grade school primer on the glories of an ancient civilization, with a script strictly vetted by the Cairo Chamber of Commerce. But it's hard not to be impressed by any image enlarged to IMAX proportions, and most of the impact here can be found in the exhilarating aerial shots over the cataracts of the Upper Nile, and in the clarity (and sheer volume) of the soundtrack. The National Geographic banner is enough to ensure a promise of quality, and let's face it: a forty minute tour of King Tut's tomb is certainly better than a two hour brain vacation in the multiplex next door.

It's not that bad of a film. It is a great look at ancient Egypt. Of course, it is nowhere near being one of Omar Shariff's best vehicles, but his character lends a sense of practical authenticity to the story. It does a great job of exploring the myths and (then almost unkown) truths around the pyramids, pharohs, and mystique. It is definitely a big-screen eye candy - seeing it on DVD at home just isn't as rewarding. There is some pretty good use of cgi to take you back to when Ancient Egypt wasn't so ancient. Without the explosions and aliens of Stargate-1. For those of us who will probably never set foot before the actual pyramids, having them majestically standing before us on a 60+ foot screen in sweeping grandeur is not a bad consolation prize. It makes me want to go and see for myself, in a way that the pages of the National Geographic lack.And honestly, it wouldn't be such a treat without the over-talented Mr. Shariff.If you get a chance to see it at your local IMAX, I would recommend doing so. The Esquire IMAX here in Sacramento plays it occasionally for school groups, so I'm assuming that others do so well. It's grandeur doesn't translate well to the television screen, so getting the DVD won't even come close.

This has to be one of my favorite IMAX films. The music by Sam Cardon was well matched with the beautiful scenery shot in this 40 min. movie. Though I have never seen either Sharif's or Maberly's other works, their roles as grandfather and granddaughter were well performed. Both roles made the movie entertaining and educational for people of all ages.