Trailer for ‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’
The trailer for “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” starring Jack Reynor, Laia Costa and Natalie Grace from New Line Cinema. Written/directed by Lee Cronin.
This isn’t your grandmother’s “mommy.”
Nearly 100 years after the iconic monster hit the big screen, a new version comes from New Line Cinema. The mummy in the lead role is not an ancient Egyptian high priest. She’s an adolescent girl.
The film follows the Cannon family. Charlie (Jack Reynor), the father, is an American reporter stationed in Cairo who takes his pregnant wife Larissa (Laia Costa) and their two young children Katie and Sebastian (Emily Mitchell and Dean Allen Williams) for a months-long stint abroad. Tragedy strikes when Katie is kidnapped from the family garden. The police are puzzled by her disappearance and the case immediately goes cold.
Eight years later, the Cannons settle in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they stay at the home of Larissa’s religious mother, Carmen (Veronica Falcón). Charlie now works at a local TV station instead of working at a dream job he was previously offered in New York, and with them are teenage Sebastian (Shylo Molina) and 8-year-old Maude (Billie Roy).
‘LORNE’ REVIEW: THE MYSTERIOUS CRAZY GENIUS BEHIND ‘SNL’ TAKES CENTER IN LAUGH-OUT-LOUD DOCUMENTARY
Natalie Grace as Katie Cannon in New Line Cinema’s, Atomic Monster’s and Blumhouse’s “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy.” A Warner Bros. Pictures release. (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Images)
Out of the blue, Charlie receives a call from the American embassy in Cairo. Authorities found Katie alive, mysteriously encased in a 3,000-year-old sarcophagus and encased like a mummy.
Charlie and Larissa immediately fly to see Katie (now played by Natalie Grace) at the hospital. Their daughter appears to be in a grim, vegetative state with colorless skin, cracked teeth and nails as thick as clay. They take her home, but it isn’t long before she starts acting violently. Meanwhile, Cairo police detective Dalia Zaki (May Calamawy), who was brought into the case when Katie first disappeared, tries to uncover the truth about what happened to Katie.
‘THE DRAMA’ REVIEW: ROBERT PATTINSON, ZENDAYA STAR AS DAWNS FACED FULL TURMOIL IN TWISTED DARK ROM-COM
Jack Reynor as Charlie Cannon and Natalie Grace as Katie Cannon in New Line Cinema’s, Atomic Monster’s and Blumhouse’s “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy.” A Warner Bros. Pictures release. (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Images)
This “mummy” is different from the one we are used to. That’s probably because Universal owns the rights to the long-standing image of the movie monster, which is why “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” doesn’t feel much like a “Mummy” movie at all. It actually feels more like an ‘Exorcist’ movie, especially with Natalie Grace’s brilliantly twisted performance as the possessed Katie, who rivals Linda Blair in the Oscar-winning classic.
The aforementioned Lee Cronin, who previously wrote and directed 2023’s “Evil Dead Rise,” brings back his creative team, making “The Mummy” feel like an extension of its horror predecessor, from cinematographer David Garbett’s striking compositions to composer Stephen McKeon’s dramatic score.
‘PROJECT HAIL MARY’ REVIEW: RYAN GOSLING AND AN ALIEN ATTEMPT TO SAVE THE PLANET IN FUN SPACE ADVENTURE
Natalie Grace as Katie Cannon in New Line Cinema’s, Atomic Monster’s and Blumhouse’s “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy.” A Warner Bros. Pictures release. (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Images)
Produced by genre heavy hitters James Wan and Jason Blum, the film falls prey to what many other horror films rely on: crude visuals. Shock value has often taken the place of real fear, and this ‘mummy’ is no different. The physical trauma that Katie inflicts on herself and the members of her family after the mother is quite horrific, which seems to pass for horror these days.
While Cronin’s “Mummy” keeps viewers engaged despite its long running time, it really falls apart in the third act. But Veronica Falcón deserves a shoutout and provides comic relief as the no-nonsense grandma, much like young Billie Roy, who turns from cute to evil when she’s under Katie’s control.
‘UNDERTONE’ REVIEW: AN UNEXPECTED HORROR FILM THAT NEEDS TO BE HEARD
Veronica Falcón as Carmen in New Line Cinema’s, Atomic Monster’s and Blumhouse’s “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy.” A Warner Bros. Pictures release. (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Images)
The verdict
“Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” showcases quality filmmaking in an otherwise fairly forgettable version of a venerated Hollywood monster. Horror fans can get their fix, but this is far from a must-see.
★★½ — STREAM IT LATER
“Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” is reviewed R for strongly disturbing violent content, bloodshed, language and brief drug use. Running time: 2 hours and 13 minutes. Now in cinemas.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
