The Mummy (2026) Review: Lee Cronin’s Grotesque Horror Is Not for the Faint of Heart

⭐ Star Rating: 3.5/5

Lee Cronin's The Mummy (2026)

Director: Lee Cronin

Writer: Lee Cronin

Cast: Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy

Release Date: April 17, 2026

A Body Horror Experience That Pushes Limits

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is not for those with a weak stomach. Bodily fluids, bug-eating, rotting flesh—it’s all here, front and center. Cronin doesn’t just show it, he amplifies it. The sound design is almost weaponized, growing louder and more invasive whenever something particularly vile hits the screen—squelching, teeth clicking, vomiting. You don’t just watch this movie, you endure it.

If that kind of body horror turns your stomach, this is an easy “stay away.”

And yet… I don’t exactly have the strongest stomach myself—and I kind of enjoyed it.

A Disturbing Mystery Beneath the Gore

Underneath all the grime is a surprisingly compelling story.

Eight years ago, Charlie (Jack Reynor) moved his family to Egypt with his wife Larissa (Laia Costa) and their children for a career opportunity as a foreign correspondent. Just as his dream job—an anchor position in New York—comes within reach, tragedy strikes. Their daughter Katie is abducted during a sudden and violent sandstorm by a mysterious woman.

Cut to eight years later: the family is fractured. Charlie is stuck producing at a small New Mexico TV station, Larissa has stepped down from her career as a doctor, and they live with her mother, Carmen (Veronica Falcón). Life has settled into something resembling normal—until the impossible happens.

Katie is found.

Alive.

The Horror Truly Begins at Home

Katie’s return isn’t a miracle—it’s a warning.

Discovered inside a 6,000-year-old Egyptian sarcophagus, she appears as though she’s been entombed the entire time. Doctors insist she needs care, stability, and family. So Charlie and Larissa bring her home.

That’s when things get worse.

Katie isn’t just traumatized—she’s wrong. When she isn’t catatonic, she crawls, consumes insects, and behaves like something that only vaguely remembers being human. Even more unsettling, her presence begins to affect her younger sister, triggering disturbing behavioral changes that ripple outward.

What follows is a slow descent into something ancient, invasive, and deeply unsettling, as Charlie becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind Katie’s disappearance—with help from Detective Dalia Zaki (May Calamawy), still investigating from Egypt.

Familiar Horror, Brutally Executed

Let’s be honest—there are no surprises here. The trailers already gave away the central hook. This is possession horror with an ancient evil twist. You’ve seen the structure before.

But Cronin isn’t here to reinvent the genre.

He’s here to make you feel it.

And he does—through a mix of old-school practical effects and modern CGI that work together to create moments that are genuinely hard to sit through. It’s excessive. It’s gross. It’s effective.

At times, it’s also a little silly. But Cronin understands tone just enough to keep the film from tipping into parody.

Lee Cronin’s Signature Style Continues

Lee Cronin may not carry the name recognition of filmmakers like Steven Spielberg or Christopher Nolan, but in horror circles, he’s quickly carving out a reputation.

After the visceral chaos of Evil Dead Rise, his approach here feels like a natural continuation—detail-oriented, unrelenting, and deeply committed to pushing physical discomfort as a storytelling tool.

It’s not elevated horror. It’s not subtle.

It’s hands-on, squirm-in-your-seat filmmaking.

Final Verdict: Gross, Effective, and Surprisingly Engaging

What can I say—it works.

Despite the relentless gross-out factor, I found myself invested. The characters are likable enough, the mystery holds together, and Cronin knows exactly how far to push things before you look away… or maybe right after.

But let’s be clear—this comes with heavy, heavy caveats.

If you can’t handle extreme body horror, The Mummy is not for you.

If you can?

You might just find a new cult favorite.

Tags

The Mummy 2026, Lee Cronin, horror movie review, body horror films, possession horror, Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Evil Dead Rise director, horror movies 2026, new horror releases, cult horror films