Anytime a studio aggressively slaps the “Best Horror Movie of the Year” label on a film right out of the gate, my default setting is heavy skepticism. But I will happily eat my words—and maybe a little tomb dust—because when I finally sat down to watch Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, I was genuinely blown away.
Let’s get one thing straight: this is not your swashbuckling, 90s action-adventure. Instead, Cronin strips away the camp and drags us violently back to the suffocating, terrifying roots of the original Universal Monsters. It’s less of a tomb-raiding thrill ride and more of a visceral nightmare fueled by every parent’s absolute worst fears.
The Breakout Star
While Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, Shylo Molina, and Billie Roy all deliver gripping, panicked performances as a family in way over their heads, the absolute breakout superstar of the film is young Natalie Grace as the missing daughter, Katie. The sheer, unnerving way she twists and contorts her body is pure nightmare fuel. She absolutely nailed it. You won’t just be watching her; you’ll be actively shrinking back into your couch.
SFX That Will Drop Your Jaw
Reunited with his Evil Dead Rise behind-the-scenes dream team, Cronin crafts an atmosphere that is relentlessly suffocating. And, oddly enough, we get some scenes where the characters might as well have been deadites. There’s a serious influence there; you can’t miss it. As a massive fan of high-quality effects, I have to give a standing ovation to the special effects team on this one. Between the horrifying practical work and the grueling physical performances, there were moments that quite literally left my jaw on the floor.
Cronin successfully leaves the cheesy tropes in the dust, unearthing something truly terrifying. It is safe to say the deafening marketing buzz is entirely earned this time around. It was worth the wait. Speaking of waiting, you don’t have to wait for a home release to verify the hype for yourself. The Mummy is currently streaming on HBO.
The Final Verdict: Hit play immediately, but maybe keep the lights on.
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