Lee Cronin’s The Mummy – Movie Review (4/5)

LEE CRONIN’S THE MUMMY is a horror retelling of the more classic mummy story. You have never seen it quite like this before. From the violently grotesque special effects that took my breath away to the sound design that made my skin crawl, this horror movie assaults all senses. And I loved it. Read our full Lee Cronin’s The Mummy movie review here!

LEE CRONIN’S THE MUMMY is a horror movie giving us a very unique take on a mummy story. Forget all about the cute and funny 1999 movie starring Brendan Fraser (though I also loved that) or the darker 2017 movie starring Tom Cruise. This is more Sam Raimi and pure dread. This is Lee Cronin’s take on the iconic monster inspired by real Egyptian history and lore.

It’s violent, nasty in disgusting ways, heartbreaking, grotesque, has a few moments of dark comedy, and should take your breath away. Some of the practical effects certainly made me forget to breathe, while the sound design made my skin crawl. Actually, it went even deeper and directly into my bones. And yes, I loved all of that!

Continue reading our Lee Cronin’s The Mummy movie review below. Find it in US theaters from April 17, 2026.

The stuff of nightmares

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy begins in Egypt, where an American family is stationed. The dad, Charlie (Jack Reynor), works as a journalist, while the mom, Larissa (Laia Costa), works at a local hospital. With them are their young son and daughter, Sebastián and Katie. Suddenly, one day, Katie disappears without a trace.

Or rather, initially, it isn’t without a trace as Katie’s dad sees a woman running away with her. It happens during the middle of a sandstorm, and after that, there isn’t a single lead. Then, just as suddenly as she disappeared, the family gets a phone call eight years later: Katie has been found, and she’s alive.

The Cannon family had relocated to New Mexico, where they now live with Larissa’s mom, Carmen (Veronica Falcón), and they are quick to bring Katie back. Of course, the girl they come back with does not resemble their daughter. Or even a normal human being.

During the time away, Katie (Natalie Grace) has been through immense trauma physically. If you’ve watched the trailer, you’ll know that she looks very strange. And yes, Katie’s physical condition will lay the groundwork for some terrifying moments as the mummy story escalates.

While we witness the family trying to help Katie recover, we also follow a detective working to find out where Katie has been. Detective Dalia Zaki (May Calamawy) is working the case back in Egypt, and will learn more about demons and folklore than she ever expected.

Sound design that made my skin crawl… I loved it!

The use of both special effects and practical effects can make or break a horror movie. With Lee Cronin, they always make it all come together in the most violent and nasty ways. In Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, the effects involve skin, nails, teeth, blood, saliva, and almost everything else. During a few scenes, the events made me forget to breathe for several seconds!

Also, I am a huge fan of how sound has come to play a key role in many horror movies. Great sound has always been key to making special effects (including practical effects) work to their full potential. These days, it almost goes beyond that. Recently, sound played a huge role in We Bury the Dead, where teeth gnashing just about drove me up the proverbial wall.

In a good way!

And yes, I am admittedly very proud that my fellow Dane, Peter Albrechtsen, is back as the sound designer, working with Lee Cronin and repeating their successful teamwork on Evil Dead Rise. A movie like Bring Her Back also had a very (in)famous scene involving a knife and teeth, which has stuck with me since I first watched it.

Basically, be ready for some extreme experiences when watching Lee Cronin’s The Mummy.

Watch Lee Cronin’s The Mummy in theaters

As mentioned several times already, and revealed by the title, this movie comes from filmmaker Lee Cronin. He both wrote the screenplay and directed the film, so this is very much his mummy horror movie. If you enjoyed the two previous feature films from Lee Cronin, Evil Dead Rise (2023) and The Hole in the Ground (2019), then you can expect to love this one as well.

Additionally, I should mention that two of the largest horror producers are also on board for this movie. Both Jason Blum and James Wan are producers on Lee Cronin’s The Mummy.

I must admit that I had fairly high expectations because I have been very fond of Lee Cronin’s previous movies. That’s why I was a little nervous going into this, not knowing if I expected too much. Fortunately, this is very much a Lee Cronin movie, which means it’s nasty in all the right ways, is full of heart throughout, and does not shy away from… well, anything!

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is the stuff of nightmares and gets deliciously nasty. And yes, this is definitely the kind of horror movie you’ll want to watch in a movie theater. Everything from the visuals to the sound effects deserves to be fully enjoyed, and you’ll want to immerse yourself in this mummy horror retelling. Enjoy!

LEE CRONIN’S THE MUMMY is out only in theaters and IMAX® in North America on April 17, 2026.

Details

Director: Lee Cronin
Writer: Lee Cronin
Cast: Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, Veronica Falcón