Lee Cronin’s The Mummy (dir.Lee Cronin)

By: Dave Hughes

Lee Cronin arrived on the horror scene with a bang with Evil Dead Rise (2023). It was gory, twisted, and offered just the right amount of story to keep horror fans entertained for a movie with the Evil Dead name attached to it. Next up for Cronin is The Mummy. Despite the familiar title, this is not a sequel or a reboot of anything that came before. Production studio Blumhouse, has made it very clear that this is an original story, completely disconnected from the Brendan Fraser universe of the 1990’s. Centering on a family dealing with the tragedy of a missing child, the film tells the haunting tale of a daughter’s mysterious return after being entombed in a sarcophagus. This film is designed to scare and rattle the audience, and it does so effectively and genuinely. If the average film-goer or horror fan has a strong stomach and even stronger nerves, they will enjoy this twisted tale with some clear caveats.

Starring Jack Reynor (Sing Street, Midsommar) and Laia Costa (Victoria, Only You) as Charlie and Larissa Cannon, a couple who are coping with an unexpected reunion with their missing daughter who has returned changed by her traumatic ordeal entombed in the sarcophagus. Their daughter, Katie, (Natalie Grace) shows many signs of trauma over the horrendous ordeal that she has been through. She also is possessed by an unknown entity who has evil intentions for Katie and her family. The story itself does have a surprising amount of heart tied into it. It is easy to feel empathy for The Cannon family. It’s also easy to share in the family’s fear they have when their daughter starts to exhibit signs of possession. 

It should come as no surprise to those familiar with Cronin’s work that The Mummy is an absolute festival of carnage and gore. There are scenes that will make audiences uncomfortable and cause them to look away in their seats. The biggest surprise, however, is just how much Cronin pushes the envelope within this realm. This movie is unquestionably deserving of its R rating, with some content even bordering beyond that. It is sure to test the audience and their perseverance for horror. Cronin takes the visceral style he established in Evil Dead Rise and continues to build his own brand of horror, one that consistently tests the viewer's endurance. 

Perhaps the biggest concern for some viewers is that the connections to actual Egyptian lore or traditional "Mummy" mythos are very limited in scope. The film is far more focused on the internal dynamics of the family and the harrowing possession of the young girl. Audiences looking for a conventional Universal Pictures mummy movie may feel disappointed that this one doesn't check those specific boxes. Furthermore, the film feels every minute of its two-plus hour runtime. While the atmosphere is thick and leaves a lot to scare, the deliberate pacing ensures that the length is felt, which may test the patience of those expecting a faster-paced creature feature.

Target Score: 6/10 Lee Cronin’s the Mummy is a strong test of endurance for horror fans. The inspirations of Cronin’s previous works are there when it comes to gore, but its run time and loose connections to actual mummy mythology may leave some viewers frustrated. Regardless, Cronin is a voice to be heard when it comes to horror filmmakers sharpening their craft in their early years.