When Lee Cronin unleashed Evil Dead Rise, both fans and critics responded with open arms. It’s not easy to create a new version of a previous concept, especially without Ash himself. Yet the filmmaker is a master of intense, gory practical effects. And then came the Dublin-born director’s latest, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. And yes, there are plenty of Evil Dead-inspired shocks in this new feature.
In The Mummy, a married couple faces their worst nightmare after the disappearance of their daughter. After years of searching, the two find themselves losing hope of finding out what happened. Yet things get horrific after the young girl is discovered in a centuries-old sarcophagus. It all leads to a blood-soaked family reunion. One that will bring delight to audiences, a little practical, effect-driven horror show. And my goodness, you’ll never look at trimming your nails the same way again.
Recently, I had the pleasure of attending the press day for The Mummy. The event took place at The Lighthouse in Venice. Before the interviews began, the roomful of press was treated to one of the goriest Blumhouse movies ever made. Then came the discussions. As well, for those of us brave enough, we stepped inside a “real-life sarcophagus.”
When I sat down with James Wan, Lee Cronin, and Jason Blum, I asked the trio about the idea of creating a different variant for a Mummy flick. From there, the three excitedly shared their energy for the new film. And yes, the three discussed how they approached the subject. Mr. Blum even added that James Wan has pushed Blumhouse to embrace gore, even though he’s not that type of filmmaker. It was a spirited conversation.
Lee Cronin’s The Mummy opens this Friday at a theatre near you.