'The Mummy' | Welcome to a new world of gods and monsters...
- Jun 6, 2017
- 2 min read
‘The Mummy’ starring Tom Cruise is a reboot of the 1999 film franchise, and the first instalment of Universal Studios' shared Dark Universe, reviving its monster characters. While it had the budget and an A-List cast, is it a strong start to the new franchise?
American solider Nick Morton (Cruise) discovers the tomb of Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella) - an Egyptian princess who has been entombed under the desert for thousands of years. She is accidentally awakened and she embarks on a rampage through the streets of London. It's up to Morton to stop the resurrected monster before it's too late.
Unfortunately, Cruise is miscast in his role as Morton. As the lead, it seems Cruise aims to be the charismatic, humorous soldier and hero, but it just doesn't seem to suit the film at all. He's trying to play the cliche, self-centred jerk who has the potential to be a good person if makes the right choices in life - a role he doesn't play too often. At times, it feels like Cruise is perhaps too mature for a role, and should have made way for a slightly younger actor. He just doesn't seem to have that necessary chemistry with his female co-stars, which is enhanced by the underdeveloped characterisation between Morton and the leading lady.
On the other hand, Russell Crowe's Dr. Henry Jekyll (a character establishment for a standalone film in Universal's monster universe) is a welcome addition to the film, and Crowe's performance is remarkable. Playing the brilliant scientist with a monstrous alter-ego, Edward Hyde, Crowe proves he is able to play the complex character with duel identities well and nails the no-nonsense tone of the movie.
Likewise, Boutella is marvellous as Princess Ahmanet. She's an alluring, motivated villain and brings terror to the role of the Mummy.
Despite two particularly good castings, Alex Kurtzman ('People Like Us’) has unfortunately directed a blockbuster disaster. Unlike the previous Mummy films set in the 1920s, this modern retelling takes place in present day, which may read well on paper, but doesn't necessarily translate well to the screen.
While there are some thrills, most of the movie is lifeless. It lacks the elements of a 'Mummy' film: fun, adventure and romance. The special effects is over-the-top and flimsy. The only thing good in the production is the solid cinematography and editing.
The narrative loses its balance, focussing on setting up the Dark Universe by introducing characters into franchise like Crowe's Jekyll/Hyde and the organisation he works for and taking up a portion of the film. It makes the movie feel rushed and ridiculous to follow. The filmmakers could have focussed more on 'The Mummy' as a whole, giving more importance to character development and story rather than taking a page from Marvel's Cinematic Universe to build a shared universe.
A disappointing and forgettable start to the new monster universe, it seems. Here's hoping the next instalment of the franchise will be an improvement.
‘The Mummy' is in cinemas now.
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