A Look Back At THE MUMMY

Sometimes I will go back and take a second look at a movie I’ve seen and initially didn’t care for, just because I keep hearing such good things about it from other people. Maybe, I think, I missed something. Rarely, very rarely, I will change my opinion based on this second viewing. (GONE GIRL is the most recent example I can think of. I was initially soured by its lack of an ending, the NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN approach that typically leaves me frustrated and dissatisfied.) Even more rarely, I will rewatch a movie that I initially liked, and realize that it wasn’t as good as I thought the first time through.

When I first saw THE MUMMY, I was not blind to its flaws. Rather I liked it despite its flaws. A repeat viewing reveals those faults more clearly delineated. The script is just a big old mess. Universal made a half-assed effort at creating a “Dark Universe” without any kind of game plan other than to create a shared cinematic universe. I’m glad their plans fell through. We don’t need any more movies like THE MUMMY. My cognitive dissonance comes into play, though, in that I want more of Sophia Boutella as the character. I want more Sofia Boutella, period. It was my being enamored with her that led me to be kinder to THE MUMMY than I would’ve ordinarily. Cursed mummy-lust! (That makes TWO mummies I find attractive. If you count Nefer-tina, it’s THREE!) Is there any way at this point to see her reprise the role in a project that is actually good? Or must we find another Mummy? Having no Mummy at all is not an acceptable option!

I felt the same way about Luke Evans as Dracula. I want to see him play the character again, but the odds are against it. DRACULA UNTOLD was a far superior film to THE MUMMY, but the same scenario applies. The movie didn’t go over well, so he’s probably not going to appear in the role again.

As far as Russell Crowe as Mister Hyde, though, I’m fine with them not using him again.

By TheCheezman

WAYNE MILLER is the owner and creative director of EVIL CHEEZ PRODUCTIONS, specializing in theatrical performances and haunted attractions. He has written, produced, and directed (and occasionally acted in) over two dozen plays, most of them in the Horror and True Crime genres. He obtained a doctorate in Occult Studies from Miskatonic University and is an active paranormal investigator. Is frequently told he resembles Anton Lavey. And Ming the Merciless. Denn die totden reiten schnell!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

%d bloggers like this: