Displaying items by tag: Lee Cronin

LEE CRONIN's THE MUMMY

Ireland/US, 2026, 134 minutes, Colour.

Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, Shiloh Molina, Billie Roy, Veronica Falcon, Hayat Kamille.

Directed by Lee Cronin.

While this version of the mummy reminds us of the old versions, the embalmed and buried creature, the breaking of a spell, the rising from the dead, terrorising, Lee Cronin’s very personal version might remind audiences of the young girl, possessed, in The Exorcist.

There is a prologue, an Egyptian family driving, some terror, finding a crypt, the opening of the tomb, the death of the father, the control of the mother, escape with the daughter. Then the tone changes, contemporary Cairo, an American broadcaster, his family. But, literally at the end of the garden for their young daughter, a mysterious presence and her being possessed and becoming the mummy, disappearing, the family distraught.

Eight years later, the family is back in New Mexico, still grieving the absence of their daughter, in touch with the detective who handled the case originally. The couple have a new baby. And they live with the grandmother.

In fact, this is a very long film, 2 ¼ hours. And, probably as a warning to audiences expecting something of a mixture between PG and M rating adventure, much of the film can be described not just as horror but is quite horrible. The recovery of the daughter, her being possessed, her wreaking havoc on returning to New Mexico, the growing desperation of the parents, the intervention of the detective and her coming to the US, all building up to quite graphic horror/horrible sequences.

And, finally, the equivalent of the exorcism, the possession of the father – and, the possibility of a ritual recovery.

This version has the courage of its convictions – but they may be too much for many an audience.

1. The many mummy films? The tradition? Female and older? This time the young girl, others possessed?
2. The treatment, graphic, detailed violence, the horrible in horror?
3. The settings, in Egypt, the family travelling, the vault, Cairo, the family’s apartment, the garden, the play in the garden, the disappearance? The interrogations by the police, the detective, her work Cairo? New Mexico, the home, world of television, the return home of Katy?
4. The situation, the family, driving, the children, the severe mother, the vault, going down, opening the grave, the reawakening, the graphic death of her husband? The mother, magician, her powers, enticing Katy in the garden, the chocolate, the tricks, the friendship with Leo, and her? The pursuit, the loss?
5. The family, Charlie, television correspondent, his gestures, the children’s criticism, 80, mischievous, critical, the clashes with Cinnamon? Lewis, pregnant, Hispanic background? Her work, the interrogations, blaming Charlie?
6. Eight years later, the return to New Mexico, his job? The obsession with Katie? The birth of more, growing up? Said older? Family life?
7. The detective, in Cairo, the situation with the plane crash, the sarcophagus, Katie inside? The explanations of the flooding of the valley, saving the Mummy, the magician, her house, Laylah?
8. Katie and her return, her condition, physical, psychological? The sense of menace? The family, doctors, supervision? Her pervading influence, the influence on board, her behaviour at school, swearing at the teacher? Said, the gradual influence, Katy tantalising him?
9. The grandmother, her presence in the house, jovial and likely? Character Katie? The attack, her death, the funeral, her reappearance, menace?
10. Katie and the influence on her brother and sister, their behaviour, possessed?
11. Larissa, her anxiety, the relationship with Charlie, the blame, wanting to care for her daughter, possesses? The death of her mother? The increasing oppression?
12. Charlie, his devotion, the mystery of Katy’s body, the wounds, the skin coming apart, the text, taking into the expert, his reading of the text? The understanding of the Mummy and family preserving the tradition? Getting the name later, going through all the letters, making connections, contacting the detective?
13. The detective, her confronting the magician, the wounds to herself? Coming to America?
14. The buildup to the confrontation, Katie, personality, her with her teeth, communication, her brother and sister, destructive, cruel? The detective and her memorising the incantation?
15. Charlie, to himself to say Katie, his being possessed, the finale, the survival of the family, the detective, Charlie seated in the chair, wrapped as the mummy? The detective and the possibilities of the incantation releasing Charlie?