Mummy, The (2017) [Blu-ray]
Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Thriller

Tagline: Ancient evil returns

Thought safely entombed in a crypt deep beneath the unforgiving desert, an ancient queen (Sofia Boutella of Kingsman: The Secret Service and Star Trek Beyond) whose destiny was unjustly taken from her is awakened in our current day, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension. From the sweeping sands of the Middle East through hidden labyrinths under modern-day London, The Mummy brings a surprising intensity and balance of wonder and thrills in an imaginative new take that ushers in a new world of gods and monsters.

Storyline: Though safely entombed in a crypt deep beneath the unforgiving desert, an ancient princess, whose destiny was unjustly taken from her, is awakened in our current day bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia, and terrors that defy human comprehension. Written by Universal Pictures

Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Martin Liebman, September 8, 2017 Universal may not have a piece of the Superhero pie, but the studio is sitting on something of a goldmine of classic monsters that, in today's movie marketplace, are just screaming to get the cutting-edge VFX treatment. The studio is hoping to translate all of those properties into new, revitalized ventures as part of what it is calling the "Dark Universe," which sounds like Marvel meets Stephen King. And with that vast roster and ripe opportunity for franchise interconnection, and without resorting to, Heaven forbid, venturing out and making something entirely new, it seems like the studio's best bet to get in on the action that's propelling Disney and Warner Brothers to box office riches. First out of the gate in the DU is The Mummy, a re-imagining that's slick, fast, and stars Tom Cruise, usually a recipe for success. Unfortunately, the movie never quite nails it, flailing about and grasping at anything to give the movie an edge it never finds. Plodding, dull, repetitive, overly complex, and playing as if it was made by reading a guidebook rather than with human spark and creativity, the film offers passable popcorn entertainment but doesn't set a positive pace for Universal's new push into the expansive franchise cinema world.

While digging out a tunnel for a new transportation system, British workers uncover a vast archaeological find that will "reveal antiquity's darkest secret:" a dangerous Egyptian ruby that has been long buried. In Iraq, treasure hunter and U.S. military Sergeant Nick Morton (Tom Cruise) and his friend Chris Vail (Jake Johnson) survive an enemy attack. An airstrike reveals an ancient Egyptian tomb under the sand. Morton and Vail, accompanied by the mysterious Jenny Halsey (Annabelle Wallis), enter the tomb and discover that its occupant, Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella), an ancient Egyptian princess who, after murdering her father and his family for her own gain, was there entombed and cursed forever. When Ahmanet is resurrected and still obliged to kill in order to resurrect an ancient spirit known as Set, she unleashes ancient hell on the modern world.

The Mummy is slow to start and its pacing never recovers. Action scenes are scattered and most of them were in some form or fashion teased to downright depicted in trailers. The film plods through backstory and narrative development with little concern for accessibility. Various plot devices entwine the core story and characters with suffocating complexity and interconnectivity. That's not to say the movie is difficult to follow through its basic machinations, but the endgame remains shrouded (and rightly so...to an extent, particularly is it relates to whatever Universal may have coming up next for the franchise and as part of that larger Dark Universe). But its in-film purposes feel vague, and scenes are often connected together by flimsy-at-best narrative arcs. Supporting action scenes don't deliver much that feels new; most of them would probably wok just as well edited into most any other Tom Cruise Action flick from the last decade or so. The only real difference is what he's shooting at, and where he is doing the shooting. The film struggles to find rhythm or even a real, tangible hook. But even with a sharper narrative and more efficient editing, it's doubtful that the movie could ascend all that far beyond big-budget mediocrity.

While the cast capably wades through the film -- Cruise still looks good running and swinging a gun around -- the players are not afforded much of an opportunity to stretch beyond the script's limitations that hinder their ability to shine. The movie does, at least, seamlessly intermix its live-action and digital support structure, which is significant. But it all rings hollow. The villain is unmemorable, the resolution leaves the movie and the DU in some limbo, and the film's overall tone is one of contrasts between rip-roaring Summer action, stale humor, grand digital effects and locations, and darkly intimate secrets and character moments. The film lacks the classic lines and straightforward ease and accessibility of the older films in the franchise. It doesn't capture the same sense of buoyant playfulness of the Brendan Fraser pictures. The film lacks any sort of identity and even, really, purpose. As a pure popcorn muncher it satisfies but as a way to kick off a new sprawling expedition into the depths of Universal's treasured catalogue? It's a failure: too much emphasis on presentation and not enough on heart or identity.

The Mummy falls into that dreaded "see the trailer, see the movie" category. Sure there are some surprises and the film sets in motion some elements and introduces some characters who will play a pivotal part in Universal's plans for its Dark Universe, but as a standalone film it's rather dull, trite, poorly paced, and lacking identity. It's a serviceable escapist watch but plays like any other big, generic, effects-laden contemporary film. Universal's Blu-ray is at least a winner. Picture quality is stellar, audio is right here with it, and the supplemental package is fine. Worth a look.

[CSW] -2.2- The Mummy steals pieces from older movies and tries to sell them to us, the viewer. It had very good special effects and the action, although good was not great. There are some genuinely entertaining moments, but overall this movie is not scary enough to be horror, not funny enough to be a comedy and not action-packed enough to be the summer blockbuster it's trying to be. Give credit to Sofia Boutella, she did a remarkable job as the Egyptian princess. But the premise of the film was laughable, on dealing with evil once and for all. The most honest remark in the film was "I don't know what I'm doing." This film didn't either.
[V5.0-A4.5] MPEG-4 AVC - D-Box


º º