Plot: What’s it about?
I’ll go under the assumption that anyone reading this has at least a passing knowledge of the Universal Classic Monster films. They started with The Phantom of the Opera back in 1925 and with films like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Frankenstein and The Mummy – it’s given us years of film fodder. Over the past few decades we’ve had several incarnations of The Mummy, notably starring Brendan Fraser and most recently with Tom Cruise. With this version, we find the director’s name preceding the title. It’s not becasue he’s arrogant, rather to distinguish it from the aforementioned titles. Taking a page from John Carpenter and Lee Daniels we find the Evil Dead Rise director giving us one helluva ride. Let’s dive in.
This version is a bit unique as we meet TV reporter Charlie Cannon (Jack Reynor) and his wife, Larissa (Laia Costa). Their daughter has been kidnapped while the family was living in Egypt. Nearly a decade later she’s found – alive. Katie (Natalie Grace) returns home in somewhat of a bizarre state, no doubt due to her captivity inside a sarcophagus for the last eight years. She’s a bit deformed and her temper isn’t exactly “even keel.” Larissa believes that she can cure her daughter through love, though Charlie doesn’t necessarily agree, rather he wants to know what happened to her. To do that he works with an Egyptian detective, Salia (May Calamawy) to find the answers.
The plot serves as a means to an end (don’t they all?). But what makes this one stand out is some of the scenes, the graphic violence and the overall “creepy” vibe that this one gives off. I haven’t been this tense watching a movie in years. And while I realize that horror is subjective, I’d wager that anyone who sits through this one won’t squirm in their seat at least once. As he’s shown us with previous efforts, there are some strange things going on in these films but Lee Cronin seems to have a way of telling a story visually in a manner that won’t soon be forgotten. While the general theme of this is similar to its predecessors, it’s some of the scenes and actions in this one that make it among the more memorable.
Video: How’s it look?
It should come as a surprise to no one that this looks spot on fantastic. The 2.39:1 HEVC 4K image benefits from a high bitrate with the usual caveats in place like razor sharp detail, strong colors, and bold contrast. As anyone might expect, this is a dark movie – given the film’s tone there are plenty of opportunities for the transfer to fault and it doesn’t. Shadows look strong, there’s no macroblocking while the Dolby Vision “does its thing” giving us a very nice, pleasing transfer. As if we’d expect anything less.
Audio: How’s it sound?
Equally as impressive as the way this looks is the way it sounds. The included Dolby Atmos mix is chock full of “things” (I use quotes as it’s hard to describe some of whatever happens in some scenes) that are fodder for every speaker in your system. There are thuds, the floors creak (always a nice sound) and things don’t go well for some of the characters on screen. Loosely translated – this is one amazing sound mix and one that your home theater will eat up.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Audio Commentary – Writer/Director/Executive Producer Lee Cronin sits down for a pretty interesting track in which he regales us with, well, pretty much everything in the film’s two year history. All the bases are covered here, so if you’re a fan then this one is required watching (er…”listening”).
- The Making of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy – Director Lee Cronin reveals his striking vision for a terrifying new mummy tale of heart and horror. Explore the film’s claustrophobic atmosphere and meticulous filmmaking as it delivers emotion and relentless terror!
- A Bloody and Grotesque Spectacle – Blood, bugs and toenails fuel this inside look at the film’s wild SFX and practical filmmaking magic! Cast and crew also reveal how Natalie Grace transforms into a demon-possessed vessel through intense prosthetics and chilling physicality.
- Possession and Ancient Demons – Explore the story’s Egyptian roots and demonic rituals. Detective Zaki and the family investigate Katie’s disappearance as the cast reveals the visceral reality of filming possession and terror while building the film’s many unforgettable scenes.
- Deleted Scenes – Seven total, running just over 10 minutes. Given the running time of the film, these were wisely cut.
The Bottom Line
This isn’t an easy watch. If your last experience was with Tom Cruise’s take on this, you’re in for something quite different. It’s dark. It’s creepy. And, according to my wife, it’s “scary as hell.” Warner’s disc is, as expected, spot on perfect.
