Hopefully you have a strong stomach. You'll surely need it if you plan on seeing Lee Cronin's The Mummy.
A sick and twisted take on the old Hollywood classic really leans into the body horror, almost enough to sink the film. Cronin comes in hot off 2023's Evil Dead Rise, which was successful enough to launch a new trilogy from the long running franchise.
So how does Cronin's take on The Mummy appeal to horror enthusiasts? So far, its been a mixed bag. Most of us will immediately think of the 1999 version of The Mummy starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. The 2026 version is a far cry from the fun, witty action-adventure trekking through the desert.
Our story centers around the Cannon family. Charlie Cannon (played by Jack Reynor) and his wife Larissa (Laia Costa) are living in Cairo when someone snatches their young daughter, Katie (Natalie Grace). The Cannon's, with their son and a new daughter, then move to Albuquerque to live with Larissa's mother to start a new life.
Eight years after her disappearance, Katie is found in Cairo, wrapped in bandages and seemingly rotting in an ancient sarcophagus. After getting her home in a catatonic state, the Cannon's world turns descends into a living nightmare as Katie begins a horrifying transformation into an ancient evil.
I'll just come out and say it. The body horror on display here is excessive. It feels like Cronin and Co. were simply going for shock value at the price of the story. I appreciate the desire to take a classic story and give it a darker twist. But too much feels borrowed from other, better movies (Evil Dead, Hereditary, Annabelle Creation).
I'm not one to turn my nose up to body horror. Bring Her Back was one of my favorite films of 2025. However, Lee Cronin's The Mummy takes some of those concepts and cranks it up to 11.
The saving grace here is the sound design and cinematography. Every bone and nail crack is intensified and does a great job of getting under your skin. This movie also might set the record for diopter shots and has tons of long takes.
Lee Cronin effectively builds up the tension, with a strong setup and first act. But by the third act, things fall apart and become horror by-the-numbers. It starts to feel like Evil Dead: Mummy Edition, and its to the detriment of the film.
I'm giving Lee Cronin's The Mummy 2.5/5 stars.
