Lee Cronin made a strong impression on the horror genre with Evil Dead Rise, and Lee Cronin’s The Mummy immediately signals that this is not intended to be another traditional take on the famous wrapped monster. Instead, this Warner Bros. production turns its premise into a dark supernatural possession story, following journalist Charlie Cannon, his wife Larissa and their family after their daughter Katie disappears in Egypt. Eight years later, Katie is found alive inside an ancient sarcophagus, wrapped in deteriorating burial cloths and carrying far more than the trauma of her disappearance back into the family home. It is an intriguing setup, and the Egyptian mythology, ancient languages and mystery surrounding Katie’s return provide the film with some genuinely interesting ideas to explore.
Unfortunately, the film is at its most divisive when it moves away from those ideas. Cronin clearly brings his trademark enthusiasm for extreme horror with him, and there are moments when the film’s practical makeup, body horror and willingness to push its violence make for an effectively unpleasant experience. Natalie Grace is particularly unnerving as the changed Katie, while Jack Reynor and Laia Costa give the increasingly desperate family dynamic a stronger emotional foundation than the material sometimes deserves. May Calamawy also makes a welcome impression in a role that could arguably have used more screen time. The problem is that the film’s identity gradually becomes less distinct as it leans harder into possession horror and increasingly familiar Evil Dead-style grotesquery.
That resemblance to Cronin’s previous work is difficult to ignore. The Mummy often feels caught between an atmospheric mystery built around Egyptian curses and ancient mythology, and a loud, blood-soaked possession film that wants to escalate towards increasingly outrageous horror set pieces. The latter certainly delivers spectacle, but it also leaves some of the more interesting mythology underdeveloped. At over two hours long, the pacing can feel stretched as well, particularly during the extended final act, and there are moments when the film seems to favor shock value over narrative development. The result is a visually confident horror film with plenty of memorable individual sequences, but one that never entirely settles into a personality of its own.
That visual confidence does translate exceptionally well to 4K UHD. Presented in a native 2160p transfer with a 2.39:1 aspect ratio and Dolby Vision HDR/HDR10, the disc delivers a sharply detailed and deliberately oppressive image. The film’s muted palette of sandy browns, faded yellows, dusty textures and deep reds suits its grim atmosphere, while Dolby Vision helps preserve detail in the many dark interiors and shadow-heavy sequences. Close-ups are particularly revealing, which is excellent news for the elaborate practical effects, damaged skin, ancient wrappings and grotesque makeup work. Black levels are deep without swallowing important detail, and the image maintains a strong sense of depth even in the film’s dimmest environments. Some digital effects are less convincing than the practical work surrounding them, but the transfer itself is consistently impressive and arguably the clearest showcase for the film’s strongest technical qualities.
The English Dolby Atmos soundtrack is equally impressive, although its sheer aggression may prove exhausting for some viewers. This is an extremely active and powerful mix, with heavy low-frequency effects, frequent surround activity and extensive use of the height channels. Sandstorms, movement within walls, supernatural effects, impacts and the film’s increasingly chaotic horror sequences make constant use of the available soundstage, while the bass has enough weight to make the track a serious workout for a capable home cinema system. Dialogue remains intelligible even when the mix becomes busiest, but subtlety is not really part of the design. That suits Cronin’s sensory assault surprisingly well, although viewers in apartments – and those with less tolerant neighbours – may want to be careful with the volume.
Warner Bros. includes a modest but worthwhile selection of extras. The highlight is the audio commentary featuring Lee Cronin, whose enthusiastic and detailed approach provides the release with its most substantial supplementary feature. The remaining material consists of three relatively brief featurettes – The Making of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, A Bloody and Grotesque Spectacle and Producing Possession and Ancient Demons – alongside roughly ten minutes of deleted scenes. The featurettes offer useful glimpses at Cronin’s approach, the Egyptian and demonic elements of the story, and especially the practical effects and prosthetic work that help give Katie her disturbing appearance. They are not particularly extensive, and the overall package feels somewhat light for a major 4K release, but horror fans should still find enough here to complement the film.
Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is therefore easier to recommend as a 4K presentation than as an outright success as a reinvention of its titular monster. There is plenty to admire in the atmosphere, performances, practical effects and technical craftsmanship, and hardened horror fans may well enjoy Cronin’s willingness to make the material nasty, uncomfortable and spectacular. At the same time, the film’s length, uneven pacing and tendency to resemble a possession-driven Evil Dead cousin rather than a distinctive Mummy movie keep it from fully realising its more original ideas. The 4K disc itself is excellent, however, with a grimly detailed Dolby Vision presentation and an aggressive, room-filling Dolby Atmos mix that make this an impressive technical showcase. The extras could have been more substantial, but Cronin’s commentary is a welcome inclusion. The film may be divisive, but horror fans curious about this unusually bloody interpretation should find the disc worth a look.