The Mummy (2017) - Movie Review

The Mummy (2017) - Movie Review

Cast : Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis

Directed by Alex Kurtzman

Review by Zulfiqar 

 Rating - 2.5/5

There goes another production house reincarnating another franchise so that it can mint coins for another 10 to 12 years with just its title. Movie franchises in this day are the symbols for our concession of defeat in the field of creativity. In this new Mummy, whose title has no numbers or follow-tags to differentiate it from the previous movies, the makers make it clear that this is the first in the franchise. Taking a new stab at the old formula might be a stimulating experience. But the director and the writers fall prey to the many hallmarks of the old movies so much that they can’t shrug off many ‘déjà vu’ moments in the movie like screaming face in the sand-storm, spiders (earlier beetles) creeping out in patterns out of the catacombs, bidding walking skeletons chasing the cars and the list goes on.

            The movie starts with a momentary prelude to the age of crusades and then another one of the time of the pharaohs. The latter tale tells about a princess, Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella), who in lust for the empire chooses the cursed life of immortality, and is mummified alive as punishment. The writers show their brilliant spark of weaving the tale by connecting her weapon of ritual to the times of crusades. This helps when in the present age soldier cum treasure-hunter Nick Morton (Tom Cruise) accidentally lets out the hibernating mummy of Ahmanet in Iraq. At another angle of the story is Dr Henry, (Russell Crowe) head of a secret society dealing with myths, who is at England going through the tombs of the crusaders, which relates Ahmanet with her purpose. How Ahmanet finds her way to England, feeding on the flesh of the local cops by French kisses is something which should be seen to connect the dots, but then they aren’t many.

            Screenwriter David Koepp (Dark Knight fame) and further list of writers try to provide relish and relief by infusing some other old myths to the tale, but all of this falls flat on the face owing to many cinematic loopholes. Director Alex Kurtzman, who also provides the story (with Jenny Lumet and Jon Spaihts), fails to score when he couldn’t colour his characters with more life and vividness. The chemistry between the two central characters Nick and Jenny (archaeologist and Nick’s companion) is forced and contrived. We never live out that spark of romance between them and when the climax comes to let off the play-off moment, we just don’t get it. The writing far from being witty doesn’t even have moderate quips in the footloose moments. Russell Crowe, a vibrant actor, is wasted off in a portent of evil role, but his purpose in the middle of the movie is fleetingly enjoyable. Tom Cruise though still clings to his nice looks doesn’t get the support of narrative power.

            There is his side-kick’s character, which could have been hilariously drawn out but there isn’t much effort in that area. The movie continuously engages in some or other action set-ups but it doesn’t stick when the plot loses its direction before it is properly or fully explained. The earlier Mummy movies had such vivid resurrection scenes with lot of humor from the leads. The latest one tries to tread this basic blueprint, but while walking with huge names, requirements of the franchise and other such commercial purposes, it loses the thread of detailing and of having fun.

            The movie however has some of its worthy moments when we get an inside look of mercury being used for mummification, having the arisen princess in chains and a side story regarding Henry. But the director shouldn’t have counted much on the climactic episode and the touché of the finishing stroke  forgetting the spirit of the movie, which is the plot and its shape. The resurrected Mummy may live on endlessly, but the movie will have a much shorter half life.