Following up his entry into the Evil Dead franchise back in 2023, Lee Cronin’s next endeavour takes an equally gnarly form; this time around, he’s delivering his take on The Mummy. From the trailers and marketing, it was plain to see that his version of the iconic horror tale would look very different – and a lot scarier. The film follows the Cannon family, whose daughter disappears without a trace. Eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare. Competently acted, playfully shot and featuring plenty of scares and gore, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is a wild ride that horror fans should enjoy, even if it’s a bit long in the tooth and overly familiar in places.
If Lee Cronin proved anything with Evil Dead Rise, it was that he’s not afraid to go for it where violence, gore and sheer horror is concerned. Those that enjoy that approach will be pleased to hear that The Mummy delivers more of the same. Littered with blood, body horror, jump scares and vulgar language, the film is not for the faint of heart. Sure, it occasionally enters plain old jump scare territory with booming music cues, but Cronin has far more up his sleeve than just startling us. If Evil Dead Rise made you wary of cheese graters, The Mummy ensures you will never look at nail clippers the same way again. The scary elements are also well paced, saving the best scares for last but delivering several bouts of fear throughout the entire run-time. There are times in which the horror feels a little bit familiar, especially where possession tropes are concerned, but many might appreciate the fact it feels like The Exorcist merged with Evil Dead. There’s plenty you have seen before, such as levitating, body cracking and abrasive language coming from a child, but Cronin ensures there’s plenty you haven’t seen, either.
Lee Cronin’s The Mummy isn’t just scary, it’s occasionally an emotional watch, too. Leads Jack Reynor (Midsommar) and Laia Costa (Victoria) do a good job in the role of heartbroken parents, selling you the hardship they’re facing with ease. Despite getting their daughter back, their journey is somehow harder now, and the pair deliver the emotion and anger perfectly. The film doubles up as a mystery, with dad Charlie trying desperately to figure out what his daughter Katie really went through. Who took her, why did they take her, but most brutally, what did she endure? It’s difficult seeing a child go through pain, so The Mummy definitely strikes an emotional chord alongside it’s frightening one. Young Natalie Grace does a good job with the demanding physicality of Katie, helping create one of the creepiest horror characters of the year so far. Tying the gripping story and excellent performances together is the playful filmmaking from Cronin. The split diopter shots from Evil Dead Rise went semi-viral because of how cool and gnarly they were, which Cronin clearly took notice of – this film is full of them. Sometimes less is more, as he definitely overuses this stylistic choice, but it’s undeniable that they look great and add much style. The sound design works a treat, demanding that cinema viewing experience, and the cinematography adds an immersive feel to the film. It’s very competently put together.
Unfortunately, The Mummy cannot hit a home run because its flair sometimes gets in the way of its own success. As solid and engaging as the storyline is, there’s a little too much going on. This winds up over-inflating the run-time to a lengthy 133 minutes that doesn’t always feel warranted, with a mystery that takes too long to be solved. Another large issue at play with the mystery is that the audience are ahead of most of it. We may not know the complete ins and outs of why Katie was taken, but the films makes us aware of who took her, where she was taken, and it doesn’t take an expert to put the rest of the pieces together. Being ahead of our characters greatly affects that lengthy runtime, as we’re waiting for them to gain information that we already know. Merging that slow burn with the over-use of split diopter shots and familiar possession tropes may leave many viewers underwhelmed, with some already believing it isn’t worthy of its ‘The Mummy’ title. Wherever you land on that argument, prefacing the title with Lee Cronin’s name lets you know you’re in for something very different than what you’re used to. Whether it works for you is another story. It’s just a lot – of everything.
With insane body horror, a gnarly third act and incredibly entertaining scares, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is a more than competent horror flick. The believable performances guide the story forward, and the mystery offers another level of intrigue, even if we’ve cracked most of it already. It’s definitely too long, and those well versed in scary stories may be familiar with the tactics on display, but if you can appreciate a little excess everything, you will find plenty to enjoy.
