The story revolves around Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser), an American adventurer, and Evelyn Carnaghan (Rachel Weisz), a librarian, who stumble upon the tomb of the powerful Egyptian priest Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo). When Imhotep is accidentally resurrected, he becomes "The Mummy," a creature driven by a desire for power and flesh. The duo, along with Evelyn's brother Jonathan (John Hannah), must stop Imhotep from reclaiming his lost powers and wreaking havoc on modern civilization.