Horror 2022 Countdown: The Mummy (2017)

The Mummy (2017), dir. Alex Kurtzman, Perfect World Pictures/Conspiracy Factory Productions/Sean Daniel Company/Secret Hideout/Chris Morgan Productions

Ah, the Dark Universe. What was supposed to usher in a new era of horror ended with such a thud I feel we owe Brendan Fraser a collective apology. Forgot who said that joke first, but I felt it summed things up pretty well.

In London some construction workers break into a tomb of a crusader knight. Not unusual, but one buried with an Egyptian ruby? That gets some official attention. 

Meanwhile, Sgt. Nick Morton (Tom Cruise) has a prolonged action scene, during which the tomb of Princess Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella) is discovered. The flight back to England goes poorly, as Nick's sidekick (Jake Johnson) gets possessed then the plane crashes. Nick's former fling, Dr. Halsey (Annabelle Wallis) escapes in the only parachute.

Nick is ok, despite waking up in the morgue. Ahmanet is also ok, and she sets about turning people into mummies. Halsey's boss, Dr. Henry Jekyll (Russell Crowe), arrives and info dumps for the increasing confused Nick. 

TLDR version-centuries ago, Ahmanet was upset that her father had another child, so she killed her entire family and gained powers for Set. If Nick would just be a good chap and allow Set to possess his body, they are pretty sure killing him then would destroy Set. 

Pretty sure, maybe? Nick isn't keen on being killed, but it is clear Ahmanet isn't giving him much choice...

Yeah. Not sure what annoyed me more, the confusion of mummies and zombies, the ripping off of American Werewolf in London as Nick's sidekick appears as a more decomposing ghost to warn Nick, or Nick acting as a twentyish 'cool dude' when he's almost ready to collect social security. Cruise does some nice action scenes though, so that's nice. Effects are nice, but they can't overcome a weak story.