Review by Jon Donnis
Lee Cronin's The Mummy arrives carrying the weight of a famous name, but it quickly becomes clear that Lee Cronin is far more interested in pushing his own brand of feral, body horror than honouring the legacy of the franchise. That choice will split audiences. Some will feel misled. Others will quietly admire the nerve.
"The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace. Eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she's returned to them. However, what should be a joyful reunion soon turns into a living nightmare as she starts to transform into something truly horrifying."
The opening stretch is easily the film at its strongest. Set against the oppressive heat of Aswan, the early descent into the buried pyramid lands with real menace. Cronin builds dread patiently, letting unease seep in before unleashing something far uglier. It feels controlled, deliberate, and genuinely eerie. Once the story shifts to the Cannon family, the emotional angle also lands well. Jack Reynor plays Charlie with a convincing sense of exhaustion, while Laia Costa gives Larissa a quiet fragility that grounds the chaos.
When the horror escalates, it does so without restraint. This is not a subtle film. It is grotesque, often shockingly so, and at times borders on the deranged. Cronin clearly leans into practical effects and visceral imagery, and the result is a series of moments that are hard to shake. The infamous toenail scene alone will test even seasoned horror fans, and the film keeps finding new ways to unsettle. It has that grim, sticky texture that lingers long after the credits roll.
There is also something undeniably creative in how the possession is handled. The use of ancient scripture embedded in living skin is a strong concept, (Sound familiar Evil Dead fans?) and the gradual peeling away of those bindings gives the film a ticking clock. The Morse code communication adds a strange, almost tragic layer beneath the violence, hinting at the trapped child still fighting inside.
Yet for all its strengths, the film struggles to hold itself together over its full runtime. At over two hours, it begins to sag. The pacing becomes uneven, with stretches that feel padded rather than purposeful. Tension builds, then dissipates, then has to be rebuilt again. That stop start rhythm weakens the overall impact, especially in the second half.
There is also the unavoidable issue of identity. Despite the title, this rarely feels like a reimagining of The Mummy in any traditional sense. Instead, it plays more like a demonic possession story that happens to involve ancient Egyptian elements. At times it even drifts into territory that feels closer to Cronin’s previous work than anything associated with the franchise. For viewers expecting sweeping adventure or gothic mythology, this will likely come as a disappointment.
Even so, the film rarely becomes dull. Its commitment to excess keeps it watchable, even when it loses focus. The kills are inventive, the imagery is bold, and there is a certain reckless energy that carries it through its weaker stretches.
In the end, this is a film that works best when taken on its own terms. Forget the title for a moment and it becomes a brutal, often effective horror piece with flashes of real originality. Hold it up against expectations of what The Mummy should be, and it starts to falter.
It is messy, too long, and occasionally unfocused. But it is also memorable, unsettling, and unafraid to go places most mainstream horror avoids. For that alone, it earns a degree of respect.
Lee Cronin’s The Mummy settles as a flawed but striking entry, one that will divide opinion but rarely be forgotten. A fair 7 out of 10.
In Cinemas now
And coming soon to digital
Apple TV - https://apple.co/4tTPmvU
