The Mummy Is... (REVIEW)

Added: 2026-05-05

[00:00:00]Lee Cronin's The Mummy is the latest interpretation of the Universal Monster, The Mummy. This time around, we're following a family that unfortunately one day has to suffer the loss of their daughter who gets kidnapped. However, after 8 years, the daughter is mysteriously found inside a sarcophagus.

[00:00:18]As the family tries to celebrate the return of their daughter, weird and mysterious things begin to happen.

[00:00:24]That's all pretty spoilers, you guys.

[00:00:26]This will be a spoiler-free review. Lee Cronin's The Mummy. All right, so there's been a lot of buzz with this movie, and I got to admit, whenever it was first announced, I got really hyped.

[00:00:36]Not just because of director Lee Cronin, who I thought did an awesome job with Evil Dead Rise, but I love the idea that they were trying to do a new spin on a classic Universal monster, The Mummy.

[00:00:46]Cuz nowadays, you talk to somebody about The Mummy movie, and I think the first thing they think about is the Brendan Frasier movie. And in fact, if you look at some of the Blumbhouse tweets, they really wanted to emphasize Brendan Frasier is not in this movie and is nothing like those Mummy movies. Some reports were even claiming that's where the negative test screenings were coming from. People went in expecting this to be like Brendan Frasier's The Mummy and they got something very different. But just like the way Lee Winnell reinvented the Invisible Man and gave us a modern interpretation of that, I was pretty excited to see what they do with the Mummy. I was just also mindful it could turn out like Leewinnel's Wolf Man where yeah it's a unique different modern take but it's just not one that resonates with me. So going in I was really just expecting a new take on an old classic monster and well what I got left me way more mixed than I was expecting. I don't know if I like this or I didn't like it.

[00:01:41]So let's find out as I review this.

[00:01:43]Yeah, Lee Cronin's the Mummy I think is going to be a very mixed bag. I I don't think this movie is a train wreck or as awful as we were fearing from those test screening reports. There's a lot of bold, interesting, gruesome, bloody stuff in here that had me shocked, jaw open. Lee Cronin definitely has a good visual eye for just graphic things that happen on screen that will shake an entire audience. But I think there was a part of me that was disappointed with the mummy aspect of this movie where for all the bold and shocking things it does, some of the lore and things with the mummy feel very generic. I'll definitely get more into it, but let's start off straight up with just the positives. Another thing I'm finding Lee Cronin does a great job of is building characters and a family dynamic.

[00:02:27]Instantly fell in love and grew to like this family. All the adult actors and even kid actors had great chemistry with one another and their banter and bickering and even the way siblings fight, it all felt very realistic and it quickly glued you in on wanting to make sure nothing bad happens to these people cuz they seem all right. And so when bad things actually do start happening to them and they lose their daughter, you see the effects that that's had to the family cuz it's been an 8-year time span. I think all of that is handled really well. Not just that, but a big part of the movie is also the mystery of what exactly happened to Katie? Yes, she got mummified, but like for what purpose? What were they doing to her?

[00:03:08]How did they do it to her? And we do get a story line of a detective trying to uncover that case. And that helps the movie stay on a rhythm as you're seeing all the nasty, terrible things that are slowly happening to the family because you do want those answers. And every little clue and detail you get only intrigues you more. Getting back to what will probably be the biggest highlight is all the gore and shock value that this movie has cuz it has a lot of it.

[00:03:32]With all the horror movies I watch, it is pretty rare that things will crawl under my skin and make me uncomfortable.

[00:03:38]And The Mummy was one of those instances. Not so much in a fear way or like where I felt scared, but in just kind of like I'm so glad I'm not eating a meal while watching this cuz I am disgusted. And that's mainly where a lot of the unique never really seen done before in other movies happens. You clearly know when there's a buildup to something scary or creepy about to happen. But when the creepy or scary thing happens, it happens in a way you're like, "Okay, I thought something nasty was going to happen with that toenail. I did not think it was going to be that." As the movie continues, there's just so much more of that shock value that honestly just left me uncomfortable. That's really the best way to put it. This movie is going to leave a lot of people feeling uncomfortable. But that is what the movie is trying to elicit from you. Hey, great job. And I think some of that craziness and shock value makes the movie worth watching alone, especially because the characters are great. It's shot really nice. There's a mystery going on, so you're not bored. So, like, there's enough there where I could see plenty of people satisfied enough and coming out even happy with the movie.

[00:04:36]But getting on to the things that I'm mixed about and are holding me back from just like really singing the praises of this movie. Okay, I talked about how great of a job Lee Cronin did with making you like this family. Not just one character, all the characters. Maybe some people will be a little iffy on the grandma. Definitely a heavy stereotypical religious grandma, but as a Hispanic myself, I got like 10 of them in my family. But my point here is you feel really bad for this family when they lose their daughter. Then you feel even worse when they find her and she looks the way she does, all mummified and gray and nasty. And then as horrible things happen to the family, you feel even worse. And I think that will just make it an unpleasant watch for some people. Again, I know that's the purpose and it's a horror movie and horror movies aren't really meant to make you feel gooey and happy inside, but this is, I think, one of those examples where it feels more mean-spirited, where almost in the same way you can't watch like an embarrassing scene because you get secondhand cringe, this is like you just feel so sad and bad for this family. It's almost just too depressing to sit through. I was mentioning I was a little disappointed with the mummy aspect and I think a lot of people will be too. It's cool that they tried reinventing it and doing something that involves the mummy, but honestly the mummy stuff feels easily replaceable with anything else. In fact, I feel like the entire third act of this movie could have been part of Lee Cronin's Evil Dead Rise because Katie as this mummy and even other characters in this movie behave, move, act, and speak just like deadites in the Evil Dead franchise down to all the creepy movements, the vulgar language, how brutal and bloody they are. I'm like, this third act is just the DLC to Evil Dead Rise. And that is where some of my disappointment comes in because a large part of the movie is trying to find out this mystery, uncovering little layers and clues and getting closer to what actually happened to Katie and why did they do this to her. And that part of it felt a little eh. There is an explanation given. I feel like it does drag on a bit. That is another complaint I have about this.

[00:06:43]This movie is 2 hours and 14 minutes and I think as the mystery drags on, you start to become frustrated and just want the answers and things to get resolved.

[00:06:52]Something though that is extremely nitpicky and honestly was just making me laugh. I don't know if it'll make anybody else laugh. And in fact, I don't even know if I want to tell you because once I tell it to you, you will not be able to unnotice it when watching the movie. Not any kind of spoiler or anything. It's a stylistic film making choice. Many of you have heard of the split diopter. It's a pretty unique shot used in movies and has grown more popular by the day. And oh my goodness, this movie could be changed to split diopter the movie. The amount of times Lee Cronin spams the split diopter.

[00:07:26]Halfway through the movie, I was just giggling every time it popped up cuz I'm like, "Oh, there's a split diopter.

[00:07:31]There's another one. It's happening."

[00:07:32]Every other shot is just split diopter.

[00:07:34]Heck, even in the trailer of Evil Dead Rise, I believe there was a split diopter shot. Oh my Lee, let's let's let's cool it. This movie might have actually have broken that world record.

[00:07:44]Let me see if there is a record. Closest thing I can find is Brian Dealma's blowout with 20 split diopter shots. I'm not joking. I'm pretty sure there's more than 20 split diopter shots in this movie. Very minor nitpicky complaint, but it was just funny to notice. So, honestly, yeah, The Mummy is like I'm right in the middle with like the Wolfman adaptation and Lee Winnell's The Invisible Man where I think visually for the gruesome nasty effects that has me going thumbs up. Same with the characters in Mystery. But, I mean, it just the mummy aspect, the title of this movie is the let down part for me. So, when it comes to Lee Cronin's The Mummy, I'm going to give action three stars. A lot of the action is actually saved for the third act. It goes so crazy. And like I said, it feels something like straight out of an Evil Dead movie.

[00:08:29]Comedy in the movie, I'm actually going to give it three stars. There was a lot of things that actually made me laugh.

[00:08:34]And Katie as the Mummy sometimes is intentionally funny, but it's sometimes also just that shock value and gore that'll get you laughing from an uncomfortable standpoint. Drama in the movie, I'm going to give it right on three stars. I I think that was fair because they did set up an intriguing mystery. You care about the family. You want to know what goes on, but it does drag a bit and I felt underwhelmed with the reveal of the mummy stuff. Suspense the movie. I'm going to give it three stars as well. I feel like they handled that well, but as the movie goes on and with its runtime, I think you become frustrated or tiresome with how little it starts revealing things. Horror in the movie, I'm going to give it three and a half stars. Just a lot of great shock and nastiness. You feel so bad for this family. It's depressing. Maybe not so much out of a feeling of terror, but just feeling icky. When looking at the 3C's, I think a casual fan will most enjoy this. I think they can look past to this mummy not being like Brendan Frasier and just accept the wild ride they're about to go on while not caring too much about some of the generic things involved with the mummy lore. I expect cinnaphiles and critics to be as mixed as I was, but hey, we'll see. So, when it comes to Lee Cronhn's The Mummy, while I definitely think it's a movie still worth checking out and giving it a chance, I'm leaning more towards waiting to rent or stream it at home.

[00:09:47]>> That'll do, donkey. That'll do.

[00:09:50]>> Again, that's just my opinion on the movie. I know some of you will feel differently cuz I can definitely see there being a lot of fans for this. But I throw it off to you guys. What did you think of Lee Cronin's The Mummy? What you like, didn't like? Love to hear it down below. Don't forget to like, subscribe, follow me on Twitter 3C Films or on Tik Tok at 32 Films. But as always, I'm Chris. Take care.