Lee Cronin's The Mummy

Synopsis: The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace. Eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she's returned to them. However, what should be a joyful reunion soon turns into a living nightmare as she starts to transform into something truly horrifying. 

Movie review:

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is directed by Lee Cronin, and it offers a fresh perspective on the mummy franchise, returning to its horror roots that originally made it feel like a true monster movie. It features some unsettling images and disturbing body horror that will definitely appeal to genre fans. However, despite being well-crafted, I found the story to be a bit dull and silly at times, making it just an okay experience at the cinema. The standout aspect of the film is Lee Cronin's stylish direction, with creative jump scares and terrifying scenes involving the possession of an innocent child, which made the beginning quite compelling and interesting.

Jack Reynor portrays Charlie Cannon, a journalist who delivers a solid performance as a loving father grappling with grief over his older daughter's disappearance eight years ago. He comes across as compelling, honest, and charismatic on screen, making him a likable character in this film. Laia Costa plays his wife, Larissa, and she also gives a commendable performance as someone who is mourning. Natalie Grace plays Katie, the daughter who is taken but later found, though something seems off about her as she transforms into a haunting presence. She completely steals the show as this horrifying creature, disturbing and ugly, and she has some of the best scenes in the movie—she was fantastic in this role. The makeup and effects in these scenes are impressive, making them hard to watch at times due to their disturbing nature.

There’s also an investigative subplot featuring Detective Dalia, played by May Calamawy, who delivers an okay performance. However, her storyline adds some context to the intriguing lore of the mummy, even if it feels a bit convoluted at times. The actors portraying the two younger children, Sebastian (Shylo Molina) and Maud (Billie Roy), also give great performances as the terrifying kids caught in this family nightmare. My main issue with the film is the ridiculous and silly decisions made by the family, which were laughable and often left me frustrated, yelling at the screen.

The third act seemed way too chaotic and generic, almost like a lazy Exorcist movie. While Lee Cronin’s The Mummy has some cool scares and haunting moments, it really falls short on the script. I’d rate it 3 out of 5 stars.

Director: Lee Cronin

Cast: Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grae, Shlyo Molina, Billie Roy, May Elghety, Emily Mitchell, Veronica Falcon, Husam Chadat with Mark Mitchinson and Hayat Kamille 

Runtime:133 Minutes