The Dark Universe began and ended with just the one film in Tom Cruise’s The Mummy, a film much hyped before its release but one that delivered a lackluster performance. There was more bad than good in this movie, but it would be incorrect to claim that everything was wrong here.
There were elements that had solid execution, although the direction of the movie meant these points weren’t able to stand out. Before you go out and search for other alternatives in this genre, we think The Mummy deserves a second chance, and have brought these 10 things we actually liked about it.
Comedic Moments
While the film’s uneven use of comedy was one of the main criticisms it got, we did enjoy the content of these moments. Nick Morton’s awkward personality made for some hilarious scenes, while his banter with Jenny also brought about a funny chemistry.
Sure, these scenes could have been positioned better than they were, but watching them on replay does make one appreciate the funny bits. For instance, Chris’ antagonism of Nick seemed strange in the context of the story, but one does find the dark humor in it when independently viewed.
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
Easily the best character, or characters, in the film, the appearance of Dr. Jekyll piqued interest upon arrival, and Mr. Hyde’s appearance only raised that interest further. Although he was clearly placed as something of a Nick Fury figure for the Dark Universe, Dr. Jekyll’s mysterious background was certainly intriguing.
Also, since Mr. Hyde wasn't portrayed as the brute the character has been in recent times, it made the dynamic between Hyde and Jekyll worthy of notice since the lines between where Jekyll ended and Hyde began were blurred.
Action Sequences
Tom Cruise films rarely, if ever, fail at delivering great action scenes, and The Mummy does deserve credit in this regard. Of course, the most notable scene had to be the one set on the airplane, which had audiences gripped for the most part.
Although there certainly should have been more outright fight scenes, the ones we did get had a great fast paced feel to them. Even the fight between Nick and Mr. Hyde was well choreographed, being one of the few scenes fans tend to replay.
Special Effects
One could argue that if the film had focused as much on the story as it did on the effects, we might have had a better movie. As it was, though, The Mummy had nothing wrong in the effects department, where the titular character’s design also deserves special mention.
Scenes depicting the sandstorms or the final battle landed home the theme of the movie, and the cinematography was something to admire as we got moments where the epic scale of the conflict was striking.
Soundtrack
Continuing on from the point about the film’s cinematography, these sequences were bolstered due to the effective use of music. Scenes where the horror element was meant to be the focal point had slower-paced tunes attached to them, while the bigger sequences featured music fitting for a big budget feature.
The desert setting of the film carried the appropriate soundtrack you want to hear, something that felt familiar due to The Mummy trilogy also having had a similar beat in those films.
Chase Scenes
Sure, this might be a bit of a gag entry, but you can’t deny the entertainment value brought in the scenes we saw Tom Cruise take off. His commitment here can’t be downplayed, as it did seem as if Nick Morton was running for his life.
Had the running sequences felt even a bit lazy, you could have accused Tom Cruise of not believing in The Mummy. Yet, watching him gallop away from danger has to be one of the more entertaining pieces from the movie.
Reference To The Previous Trilogy
Rather than pretend that the preceding The Mummy trilogy didn’t exist, this film had a full-blown easter egg referencing those films. In the scene where Mr. Hyde battled Nick, Jenny was seen using a book to attack Dr. Jekyll’s associate.
This was none other than The Book of the Dead from the original film, the same one that had been used to cast Imhotep to hell. It was nice to see the previous storyline be acknowledged, which told fans that the trilogy hadn’t been forgotten.
The Titular Mummy
It would be a downright lie if fans claimed that the Mummy in this movie was inferior to the previous trilogy’s antagonists, since the villains played by The Rock and Jet Li were certainly far worse. In fact, this Mummy did well given the material she had.
Her scenes, particularly those set within the past, were fraught with tension, bringing in the horror theme the film meant to have. Even the final confrontation had her character feel like the real deal, feeling something like a survival game. And her taste for sadism made watching her certainly uncomfortable.
Chemistry Between The Leads
Say what you want about the story, but its characters aren’t really to blame for the plot’s execution. While Nick Morton was a bit of a jerk, his development into a more selfless individual was punctuated through his interactions with Jenny and Chris.
His friendship with Chris was unfortunately cut short, but the scenes they did have were entertaining and had a breezy feel to them. Nick and Jenny’s subtle romantic tension was something that didn’t fade till the end, making it something worth following.
Set-Ups For Sequels
One thing that can be agreed upon is that there were a lot of plot threads that can be revisited, namely the fact that Nick is supposed to be housing a godlike entity within him. We’ve already mentioned Dr. Jekyll’s exploits, and his further adventures are something that we wouldn’t mind seeing.
Although The Mummy wasted time setting up the Dark Universe films, these set-ups were still fascinating. The tease of bigger things to come for Nick, the resurrection of his friend, and the mystery behind other monsters in the world were all potential storylines that the movie did a fair job at.