One of Hollywood’s favorite actor debuts on a franchise that has wowed many from the 90’s for its sheer storytelling and startling action factor - The Mummy and its sequels. Now 2017’s Mummy is entirely new and not a part of the early movies, it has a Princess Mummy who wants the world for herself and the usual our hero comes to save the world at a cost. Set in London majorly, the film is mediocrely coated with not too many great twists and just straightforward action, failing to impress a normal Mummy fan.
It's a long time ago, somewhere in the times of Kings in Egypt is Princess Ahmanet who plans to rule Egypt but is denied and sets upon on a killing spree, finally mummified for her actions. Now all these we get to see as soon as the movie kicks off to give a hindsight of what’s in store and rather seems too rushed, not falling into the screenplay. Cut to present day is Tom cruise and his friend, soldiers from war but also moonlight into thieving antiques. Tom is at his best, witty, tad innocent and cuts slack when and as desired. Enter an archaeologist, you don’t get to see an old lady who has spent her lifetime working on history, instead here is Annabelle, a glamorous archaeologist, she is the no-nonsense technician showing shades of Rachel from the 90’s movie, however it’s not entirely the same except for her work life. From then on its anybody’s guess, once Tom Cruise’s character gets established, the film falls into an all familiar plot.
The Mummy works on parts when Tom Cruise’s mouth gets to the rescue on a run-of-the-mill storyline, his witty counter arguments with his friend Jake and Anna are one of the highlights. This isn’t a film which is content with Egypt, or the pyramids, which barely get a look in, unlike the previous movies in franchise the film is majorly set in England and seems the makers have tried hard not to emulate by keeping the viewers glued in with Egypt, Pharaohs, slaves and all that aerial view shots of Mummies. Instead we see England getting devastated at the hands of Princess.
The action sequences, fewer though they are in number than we might have expected, are a mixed bag. The much-promoted plane sequence in particular lands. It’s thrilling and inventive. Director Alex Kurtzman lets the action play out, as he does for his entire film, without leaning on quick cuts or erratic camera movements. It looks good, it’s fun, it’s exciting and you can actually tell what’s going on. It’s also subject to a great reference later in the film, a single line that provides perhaps the best moment of the entire movie. Much credit should go to Sofia Boutella, whose Ahmanet is unquestionably the most fleshed-out - pun entirely intended - character in the film. Boutella plays Ahmanet as a woman who knowingly damned herself for a seat at the table. Russell Crowe as Henry Jekyll is ferocious, but his character seem to have sort of ushered without much establishment, in the end the part he comes and goes is like a brief headache.
The VFX and CGI are done aesthetically, nothing sore to the eyes and spot on. So much for re-engineered sound design, it doesn’t bring any oomph factor to its Background score or rather the sequences being played out are very ordinary to show its presence. In the end, the direction, screenplay and most of it are at loss with only Tom’s star presence and his buddy relationship with Jake that brings relief. It will be a miracle if the sequel is signed and they decide to take forward the series, but for now..the movie is just a fair watch, nothing compelling.
Verdict: With stringent action and light hearted comic moments, The Mummy is an averagely made action movie, strictly for time pass and Tom Cruise fans.
