Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Director: Alex Kurtzman
Cast: Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis
Run Time: 1 h 50 min
One might imagine that Alex Kurtzman, a Hollywood writer often relied upon for studio mandated filmmaking, would have learned a thing or two from watching those he’s written for in the past. Be it J.J. Abrams, Marc Webb, or hell, even Michael Bay. Any one of these aforementioned directors might have shown glimpses of how to stylize, tap into emotion, or leave a unique impression on a certain popular property, but none of this seems to have left an impression on Kurtzman. One might imagine it would, but it seems that if you did you might have more of an 
imagination than Kurtzman period as his big blockbuster directorial debut is nothing short of a generic action adventure. While Kurtzman is at the helm of this mammoth monster movie the direction is not the weakest aspect of this drab blockbuster; that would be the screenplay.
The chief issue with ‘The Mummy’ though (besides the script), is the fact it doesn’t feel like a “Mummy” movie. While at one point it would seem Kurtzman was very much hoping to tell a contained story it is that studio mandated mentality he’s always adhered to that brings around the other point where they are doing endless world-building and no doubt setting things up for future instalments that none of it comes together in a cohesive manner. Kurtzman is trying to find a balance between the two and that is fine, appreciated even, and while the movie as a whole fails to be satisfying on its own terms the factor that most represents a true attempt at balance is one of the few things that works for the better in this new take on an old tale.
Frankly, I wanted to like ‘The Mummy’ and I think Kurtzman and his team wanted to make a fun, popcorn movie audiences could enjoy, but while the film has a few things going for it here and there it ultimately feels so unoriginal, uninventive, and uninspired it’s hard to muster any kind of reaction at all. Though ‘The Mummy’ doesn’t feel like a “mummy” movie nor does it necessarily feel like a Cruise movie it somehow still plays
into Cruise’s best and most appealing qualities. With that said, this is called ‘The Mummy’ and yet we hardly scratch the surface of what Boutella, a talented actress with a genuine presence as was glimpsed in ‘Kingsman’ and ‘Star Trek Beyond’, might actually have done with such a role. Though we see the origins of 
Ahmanet as well as the power she wields in the present we are never delivered a fully, fleshed-out character with sincere motivations or interesting complexities. This mummy is not a misunderstood monster or a tragic figure in any sense, but more. She is a one-dimensional archetype who craves power and who will go to whatever lengths necessary to obtain it.
From screenplay to direction, everything down to Brian Tyler’s forgettable score gives ‘The Mummy’ this vibe that we’ve seen and heard it all before. The dialogue provides sad excuses for banter, the special effects look cheap when everything about Egyptian lore should at least look magnificent, and the plot is really obvious and rather dumb all of which could have been improved with more focus on the moment and fewer minds looking toward the future. But hey, that airplane sequence you’ve heard Cruise selling on his marketing tour is legitimately exhilarating, so that counts for something, right? Surely, but it’s not near enough to make‘The Mummy’ memorable.
My Verdict
My Ratings
2
It doesn’t feel like a "Mummy" movie.
