LEE CRONIN'S THE MUMMY; THE HORROR OF CONSEQUENCE

Director:Lee Cronin

Release Date: April 17th 2026

Genre:Horror/Body Horror

Director Lee Cronin, best known for his visceral, character driven horror , has taken a decisive step away from bombast and instead delivers something far more unsettling , intimate and undoubtably tragic. Lee Cronin’s The Mummy doesn’t reimagine the legend of the mummy, it reinvents it. At its core, The Mummy is less about spectacle and more about desecration of history, of identity, and of the human body itself. Cronin leans heavily into the idea that the mummy is not just a monster but a victim of time, colonial greed, and spiritual violation. This thematic focus is immediately evident in the film’s opening act, which trades grand exposition for a slow, almost suffocating unraveling of an archaeological discovery gone wrong. The pacing here is deliberate, occasionally to a fault, but it establishes a tone of creeping dread that pays off later.

Cronin’s horror background is unmistakable. The film’s most effective moments are not its set pieces, but its quiet, deeply uncomfortable scenes such as bodies contorting in unnatural ways, whispers in dead languages bleeding into the soundtrack, and the persistent sense that something ancient is not just awake, but aware. Unlike previous iterations that leaned into curses as plot devices, this version treats the supernatural as something invasive and personal. Similarities between said movie and Cronin’s Evil Dead Rise are seen through the body horror and gore driven scenes . Something I personally love about Cronin’s movies, is that nothing is left to the imagination, its raw, gruesome and exceptionally stomach turning.

Visually, the movie avoids the typical mummy overproduction and heads in its own direction. The movie looks suffocating to say the least, which is exactly what is wanted in the portrayal of the situation of our main girl Katie. The cinematography favours shadow over clarity, which works to the benefit of the film when building tension. What I like about this is how the visuals are relating to the feelings of the family. Lack of clarity= The feeling of the loss of Katie. Suffocation= Katie’s situation before she was uncovered .

The performances are grounded which helps sell the films more outlandish elements. Rather than having heroic archetypes, our cast portrays realism. They’re flawed, morally compromised people who’s actions are motivated by feelings of guilt, grief and desperation. This shift makes the unfolding horror feel earned. The results are not fate or something unavoidable, it’s consequence.

Towards the third act is when the film takes a bit of a downfall, starting to seem predictable . The pull toward resolution comes too overbearing . While still effective to an extent, it lacks the thematic sharpness from earlier in the film. That said, Cronin’s The Mummy succeeds in redefining what the monster can represent. The adventure is stripped away and a sense of horror rooted in morality, history and the arrogance of living is restored. It may not reach some expectations of those comparing it to the Mummy Franchise, but personally this has easily become my favourite version of the mummy as an avid horror fan.

In the end, this is not supposed to be a crowd pleasing blockbuster, it’s a slow, grim meditation wrapped in the trappings of a classic monster film. For viewers willing to embrace its measured pace and oppressive tone, The Mummy is a compelling, if imperfect, resurrection.

Side note… Do not watch on a full stomach!