Director: Alex Kurtzman
Starring: Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, Sofia Boutella
Most Friday nights, our family head off to the cinema to see the latest offering. Usually it's something the whole family can see, even though our 17 year old son is rarely with us as he's at that age where we're too embarrassing to be seen with. A few weeks ago, I was excited to see Tom Cruises latest offering, in a reboot of the Universal Monsters franchise, with The Mummy.
The trailer for this had me interested, curious and a bit skeptical all at the same time. I loved the Brendan Fraser versions of The Mummy, and I think a lot of people were annoyed that they were remaking something that was so recent. But when you read the numerous articles and the interviews that are out there, the furthest thing from their minds was remaking the Brendan Fraser version. This was a reboot of the 1932 Boris Karloff version, or more a reboot of the Universal Monster movies as it were. It was meant to start with Dracula Untold, the 2014 movie starring Luke Evans as our Carpathian Count, but sadly, it was a flop. So they called in the big guns and brought Tom Cruise on board. I like Cruise, not a fan of his personal life, but more his work ethic and generally most of what he puts out there. Let's face it, the guy can do action better than most and he's not a spring chicken anymore. So a Mummy movie, with Tom Cruise as the main character..........sure, I'll give it a go.
Three Fridays ago, there wasn't much else on, so we decided to bite the bullet and take our 12 year old to see this as well. She was a bit worried it would be scary, but she ended up really enjoying it.
Nick Morton (Tom Cruise) and fellow mercenary Chris Vail (Jake Johnson) find themselves in war torn country looking for treasure. What they uncover is a mystery that brings more than either of them bargained for.
When Nick accidentally awakens the imprisoned and cursed Egyptian Princess Ahmanet, (brilliantly played by Sofia Boutella) he and Vail are taken on an action packed adventure with archaeologist Jenny Walsey (Annabelle Wallis) which sees them smack bang in the middle of London. Walsey works for a secret organisation called Prodigyum, headed by Dr Henry Jekyll (Russell Crowe) and so the Mummy is captured and taken to their headquarters to be studied. But Ahmanets desire for revenge and chaos has festered during her years of imprisonment and she sets her sights on Nick as her future King and partner.
The special effects were basic, but well done. The acting is not exactly Oscar worthy, and I do think at times the actors are playing themselves rather than their characters. But the action sequences are awesome and the stand out for me is definitely Sofia Boutella as Princess Ahmanet. Her make up is gorgeous and the intensity she gives the role is exactly what is needed.
Russell Crowes character falls slightly short for me, and I questioned why they would bring a character as famous as Dr Jekyll into a movie that centers on another famous monster. I'm not saying I disliked his character, but I disliked the fact that they put him in this movie. It took away from the Ahmanets story, which should be been more developed than it was. It felt to me like they had tried to cram too much into the first movie of what they hope will be a series of reboots.
There were was one little nod, or Easter Egg if you like, to the Brendan Fraser version, with the inclusion of The Book of Amun Ra. It is prominently displayed on the shelf in the library at Prodigyum. During a fight sequence, the book is picked up and one of the guards is hit over the head with it. I noticed it straight away, but only because it has a distinct star shape on the front.
The ending felt very rushed, and although we know there are plans for further movies, I think it will depend on how this is received in the long run. If the reviews on IMDB are anything to go by, the reboot is doomed. But my suggestion is to take out your brain before you press play, and just enjoy it for what it is, a fun, action movie that you don't have to think too much about.
