Lee Cronin's The Mummy: A Monstrous Modernization of a Classic Creepshow

Riskfully Resurrected

Grab your torches and pitchforks, because one of the most iconic movie monsters of all time is back on the big screen in a terrifying new vision! Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is a modern reinvigoration of the classic horror story, The Mummy, which has seen a number of different adaptations since its theatrical conception in 1932. Some of the biggest names in Hollywood – ranging from Brendan Fraser to Tom Cruise – have tackled various versions of the bandaged beast, each with their own varying degree of success. However, when Cruise's 2017 version was blasted by critics and tanked at the box office, it brought the franchise to a grinding halt, burying it back under the sand for almost a decade.

Now, the cadaver has resurrected once again and is ready to cause more havoc, courtesy of the titular Lee Cronin, an Irish director who has been one of the horror genre’s most promising new faces. After making a name for himself in mainstream horror with the acclaimed Evil Dead Rise, Cronin was selected to helm the newest adaptation of The Mummy, in what had the potential to be one of 2026’s strongest horror outings. But could these efforts pay off in the long run? Considering its positive word-of-mouth from audiences and early opening weekend projections of $15-20 million, the film has already cemented a positive identity for itself.

I was hyped for this movie from the moment it was revealed that Cronin would be directing the feature. Not only do I love classic movie monsters like the Mummy, but I adored Cronin’s work on Evil Dead Rise, which ended up on my list of the best films of 2023. Plus, considering the steady stream of quality other monster movies have had – including Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and Robert Eggers’s Nosferatu – I thought this movie had all the potential in the world to be one of the strongest reimaginings of recent times.

Eagerly, I rose from my coffin (my dorm room) and headed to a screening of the film at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Mansfield on Friday, April 17. As the tomb was sealed back up, I was left with one question: did this movie successfully resurrect The Mummy as a brand, or was it better off to leave this idea abandoned in the desert?

Into the Dark

Set in contemporary times, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy focuses on the shattered Cannon family – father Charlie, mother Marissa, and their children – whose eldest daughter Katie mysteriously disappeared one day. However, eight years after her vanishing, Katie re-emerges from an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus, coming back into her family’s life, albeit much more outlandish and violent. As strange happenings and torment begin to plague them, the Cannons must fight to survive, uncover the curse, and learn the dark truth of what happened to their daughter.

Along with Cronin in the director’s chair, the film features a talented ensemble including Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, and Verónica Falcón among others.

In general, I had a very satisfactory time with this movie. Granted, it’s far from perfect, but it does enough with its execution to cement it as an all-around competent feature. This can primarily be highlighted in the story, which is one of the most unique retellings of the Mummy story I’ve seen in any of the franchise’s outings. Rather than follow its source material closely, Cronin’s adaptation gives it a number of creative liberties, allowing the film to stay true to the spirit of the original while still crafting its own unique identity.

This version focuses much more on the horror side of the story – compared to the adventure of Fraser’s version and the dark worldbuilding of Cruise’s – giving the film a great opportunity to prioritize its atmosphere, which it does exceedingly well. Much like his work on Evil Dead Rise, Cronin emphasizes the frightful and tragic aspects of the conflict to create an unsettling feel, accompanied by a touching family dynamic with personal stakes to give it an extra emotional punch. It results in the entire runtime feeling tense, a perfect backdrop for the unpredictable nature of the screenplay. 

Speaking of which, the film utilizes a number of supernatural aspects to give the atmosphere an extra layer of psychological dread, and further help it to stand out from its predecessors. In fact, I’d make the argument that this movie feels more reminiscent of an Exorcist film than a Mummy film, largely due to its mysterious looming threat and overall graphic nature. It allows the titular mummy to have a unique motivation with a heavy sense of mystery, keeping viewers on the edge of their seat as they eagerly ponder what may have happened to Katie. 

There is a lot of merit in the movie’s writing and overall tone, which gives it a number of benefits compared to other versions of the story. However, this sense of creativity is bogged down by one thing: the runtime. Clocking in at nearly two and a half hours long, I felt that the film did not really earn its elongated length. This is largely because many of the scenes are either repetitive in structure or elongated in execution. Some examples include a scene where Charlie drives his kids to school and a side conflict involving possessions. 

Though it still has a number of great ideas and engaging sequences, the padded runtime ultimately throws off the pacing, making some parts feel more tedious than impactful. Still, the movie goes to far lengths to give itself a distinct identity, resulting in a story which is equally unique and faithful.

A Scary Sarcophagus

Part of what makes this movie so effective is its ensemble cast, consisting primarily of names not as familiar to mainstream blockbusters. However, they all do an effective job at playing their parts, adding to the film’s intensity while simultaneously adding a genuine layer to it. The vast majority of the screentime is devoted to the Cannon family – particularly Charlie and Marissa – and Dalia Zaki, a detective who helps them in uncovering the truth about Katie. These characters are all portrayed greatly, keeping the movie worthwhile even as its pacing begins to meander.

Namely, I thoroughly enjoyed Reynor and Costa as Charlie and Larissa, respectively, as they provide the most care and terror in their performances, while still sporting unique personalities from one another. While Reynor is much more desperate and panicked at the thought of what happened to his daughter, Costa has more vulnerability through her constant determination to help her daughter fit back into her old life. Combined with Calamawy’s grounded take on Zaki, it makes for a strong trio of protagonists who combine different traits with common goals. 

However, my personal favorite performance came from Grace – in her film debut – as Katie, who serves as the pinnacle of the film’s mystery. Throughout most of the runtime, Katie is stuck in a catatonic state, often remaining still and silent, only communicating in limited patches. However, when provoked, she viciously attacks with both physical and psychological methods, making her choreography and pattern completely unforeseeable. Grace perfectly embodies Katie by finding a balance between when to be sympathetic and terrifying, making her a strong antagonist full of mystery and intensity. 

The actors all do greatly with the material they are given, allowing the film to be consistently engaging. However, I wish I could say the same about the characters themselves, with the protagonists particularly sharing one fatal flaw: their often questionable skills in decision-making. There are many instances throughout this movie which nearly left me whisper-yelling at the screen, largely due to how preventable many of the graphic outcomes ended up being. 

I won’t go into specifics to prevent spoilers, but let’s just say there were often occasions where the characters have the opportunity to stop something, only for the plot to make them do something completely contrary. Their oblivious nature and occasional dumb decisions resulted in me rolling my eyes more than I probably should have, in turn tarnishing some of the film’s tension as I was left more befuddled than frightened.

Even the overarching villain of the movie doesn’t get much to work with in this movie. Though Katie is easily the best part of the movie’s ensemble, there is an additional driving force behind her mummification. However, it barely gets explored at any point in the film, being given very little screentime to develop itself and being practically forgotten about until the final scene. It ultimately results in the big bad of the movie feeling a bit underwhelming, especially when compared to Katie’s monstrous presence. 

Walk Like an Egyptian

In addition to its consistent atmosphere and tone, the film is additionally set apart from its predecessors through its cavalcade of gnarly practical effects. This is easily the most bloody and gory Mummy film to date, especially through its combination of Katie’s design and unpredictable patterns. Though its gory approach may not appeal to all viewers, I thought it did a great job of amplifying the film’s horror, ensuring its imagery is as unnerving as its mystery. 

This is especially prominent in the way it portrays Katie, with Grace donning effective makeup which sells the illusion of her transformed state. She sports pale and fragile skin, overgrown nails, and scars all over her body, painting the picture of a corpse freshly resurrected from the dead. Without giving too much away, her body undergoes an additional horrifying transformation ahead of the film’s climax, adding to its overall graphic nature through an unforgettable and realistic design. 

Speaking of which, the third act served as my favorite portion of the entire film, specifically in how it raises the stakes while revealing the truth. There is a great twist involving how Katie got into the position she’s in, followed by a number of threats both in and out of the Cannons’s home, all culminating in a final familial showdown. These last moments not only served as some of the movie’s most intense, but they provide a great outlet for Cronin’s direction to shine.

Much like Evil Dead Rise, this film combines unnerving gore and a tense atmosphere with personal stakes and heartfelt interactions. In a way, The Mummy cements Cronin’s own style as he effectively balances the graphic and emotional onscreen events, feeling highly reminiscent of his previous outing, but not in a way that feels rehashed. 

To top it all off, the movie makes use of a number of locations, but it utilizes both light and dark areas to its advantage. Some of the brighter areas – like abandoned tombs in and grand landscapes in Cairo, Egypt – provide a sense of openness and scale to the storytelling, while darker areas like the Cannon family home make the film feel more secluded as its threat is contained to one primary location. The latter serves as the set piece of the overall climax, efficiently feeling both crammed and ominous, especially as the characters begin running and jumping all over each other.

I may have my issues with the film’s writing, but its strong technical aspects mesh perfectly with the surrounding atmosphere to provide a highly satisfying approach to this modernization of a horror icon.

Wrapped Up

Overall, even with its oblivious characters, bloated runtime, and subpar overarching villain, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is an effective reimagining of the classic monster through its tense atmosphere, creative storytelling, strong performances, and unforgettable climax. Though it may pale in comparison to previous adaptations, the movie still makes for a bloody fun time at the theater in its distinctiveness from its predecessors.

If you’re a fan of the Mummy brand, psychological horror films, or Cronin’s work on Evil Dead Rise, I’d highly recommend giving this film a watch. Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is currently conjuring up a scare at theaters across the nation, including locally at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Mansfield. If you want to see a uniquely modern take on one of horror’s most iconic monsters, look no further than this movie!

It may not be perfect, but this film still builds enough of its own identity to cement itself as a worthy resurrection of this classic brand. 

My Rating