Great film but didn't like the additional character history

Rick had already defeated a powerful Egyptian baddie so calling him a warrior of God and comparing him to Horus is fitting. Evie did feel more like a retcon though. In the first movie she was quite proud of being a librarian. They could have shown her studying with an Egyptian sage. Perhaps vaguely hinted that she learned from the god of knowledge himself, Thoth. Instead she's thrust into the role of a warrior. But I did like her being the daughter of Seti I in a past life.

Returns isn't the same tier as the first one. However, it's still a highly entertaining film. Not many movies can boast mummies, pygmies, an army of Anubis, the Scorpion King, and mostly likable protagonists. Imhotep was a better villain than we usually see. He was clearly 99% evil but he has a sympathetic moment that doesn't feel forced.

No, you're right, it's absolute bullshit.

Adding weird back-story to our protagonists keeps this from being a rehash of the first, assuming they wanted to keep Vosloo as the Mummy. Without backstory it would have been the same film with Rick, Evie, Jonathan, and Ardeth chasing the mummy all over again. I realize they do indeed chase the mummy, but the backstory adds plot not in the first film. The other option would be to keep Rick and Evie the same, but come up with a new antagonist(s).