I’ve been a fan of Lee Cronin’s work since his impressive 2019 debut, The Hole in the Ground, and I was an even bigger admirer of Evil Dead Rise (2023). So when I heard he would be directing The Mummy, my curiosity was immediately piqued. Now that the film arrives on 4K UHD, audiences expecting a modern reinvention of Universal’s iconic monster should temper those expectations. Rather than embracing the mythology of the legendary wrapped creature, Cronin delivers a supernatural possession film that has far more in common with The Exorcist than a traditional Mummy story.
The film opens in 2018 in a remote region of Aswan, Egypt, where a mysterious supernatural force attacks a family living above a buried black pyramid filled with mummified remains. The story then shifts to Cairo, where investigative television reporter Charlie Cannon, his pregnant wife Larissa, and their children, Katie and Sebastian, are trying to balance family life. When the surviving mother from the opening sequence kidnaps Katie, Charlie gives chase, only to lose both of them in a sudden and violent sandstorm.
Eight years later, the Cannons have relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico, still haunted by Katie’s disappearance. Their lives are turned upside down when archaeologists discover Katie alive, wrapped in ancient inscribed burial cloths. Although physically alive, she is catatonic. Rather than placing her under long-term medical care, the family brings her home, relieved simply to have their daughter back. It quickly becomes apparent, however, that the girl who returned is no longer truly Katie but the vessel for a malevolent entity.
This is where The Mummy loses its identity. Instead of evolving into a monster movie centered on its titular creature, the film becomes a familiar possession story—and unfortunately, not a particularly compelling one. While Cronin demonstrates his usual flair for atmosphere and stages several gruesome, effective gore sequences, the narrative never develops into anything fresh or memorable.
A radical reinterpretation of The Mummy could have worked if it had taken the material in a bold, engaging direction. Instead, the screenplay—also written by Cronin—leans heavily on well-worn possession tropes without bringing enough originality or suspense to justify abandoning the franchise’s signature mythology. The result is a technically accomplished horror film that ultimately feels disconnected from the very monster its title promises.
As someone who greatly enjoyed The Hole in the Ground and Evil Dead Rise, this was a disappointing follow-up. Ironically, I find myself wishing Cronin had returned to the Evil Dead franchise instead. While Evil Dead Burn also failed to live up to expectations, I would have been far more interested in seeing Cronin continue exploring that universe than watching The Mummy shed nearly everything that makes the character unique.
Bonus Features:
- The Making of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy: Director Lee Cronin reveals his striking vision for a terrifying new mummy tale of heart and horror. Explore the film’s claustrophobic atmosphere and meticulous filmmaking as it delivers emotion and relentless terror!
- A Bloody and Grotesque Spectacle: Blood, bugs and toenails fuel this inside look at the film’s wild SFX and practical filmmaking magic! Cast and crew also reveal how Natalie Grace transforms into a demon-possessed vessel through intense prosthetics and chilling physicality.
- Possession and Ancient Demons: Explore the story’s Egyptian roots and demonic rituals. Detective Zaki and the family investigate Katie’s disappearance as the cast reveals the visceral reality of filming possession and terror while building the film’s many unforgettable scenes.
- Deleted Scenes
- Commentary by Writer/Director/Executive Producer Lee Cronin
