#film Review Tom Cruise The Mummy

[oathkeeperoxas]

I watched and ranked every Tom Cruise movie so you don’t have to

Simple premise: 45 movies. One actor. Ranked from worst to best, on a sliding scale of -2 to 6 (scoring will make sense as you read).

Technical score is judged on how well the plot is constructed and how well the characters grow and serve their role in the narrative throughout the movie, as well as how well the narrative is written. Enjoyment score is judged on how much I liked the movie: no stars = didn’t like, 1 star = like, 2 star = really like. Bonus star is awarded at my discretion, for reasons such as costuming, soundtrack, particularly stand out acting, etc. Sexism modifier is a negative if women are treated badly, but can add an extra point if the movie gives women their rights. Overall score at the end determines where they sit in the rankings of this post, with movies having the same score in the order I liked them most.

Vanilla Sky (2001) – David Aames (Starring)

One sentence summary: A man’s reality begins to warp and he is forced to question what is real, and what isn’t.

Technical: -

Enjoyment: - 

Bonus: -

Sexism: 💥💥

Overall: 💥💥

Review: This is a bad movie. Weird acting throughout. Nonsensical plot. Terrible treatment of the women. Definitely the worst movie Tom Cruise has starred in!

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Tropic Thunder (2008) – Les Grossman (Supporting)

One sentence summary: Five actors who are filming a war movie are dropped into a real war zone completely unaware, and must use their wits to escape back to their movie set.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: -

Bonus: -

Sexism: 💥💥

Overall: 💥

Review: LOTS of choices made in this movie! Very few of them good! Why was RDJ in blackface? Was I supposed to find this entertaining? Was any of this necessary? Doubtful. Jack Black and Jay Baruchel had great comedic presences, and honestly the acting and casting was spot on for what the movie wanted, which is why I gave it one technical star.

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Endless Love (1981) – Billy (Cameo)

One sentence summary: A teenage romance goes wrong when a boyfriend burns down his girlfriend’s house in an attempt to win the approval of her parents.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: -

Bonus: -

Sexism: 💥💥

Overall: 💥

Review: They made movies differently in the 80s, I think. The plot is insane, the main characters unrelatable – or maybe I’m just too long out of high school. In any case, this was Tom Cruise’s debut film, and he did it in booty shorts while advising his friend to pretend to set his girlfriend’s house on fire, leading to him actually setting his girlfriend’s house on fire, and it was the best part of this movie. What a way to start a career.

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The Mummy (2017) – Sgt. Nick Morton (Starring)

One sentence summary: After disrupting a tomb, Nick Morton (Tom Cruise) must defeat The Mummy.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: -

Bonus: -

Sexism: 💥💥

Overall: 💥

Review: Yeah… there’s a reason this movie is a meme. Cruise’s acting feels weak, the plot is verging on nonsensical, and the special effects made me laugh. A rare miss in Cruise’s later years of acting!

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Mission: Impossible 2 (2002) – Ethan Hunt (Starring)

One sentence summary: Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) must stop a plague by teaming up with a thief who knows the man who intends to kick off the disaster.

Technical: -

Enjoyment: - 

Movie: ⭐

Sexism: 💥💥

Overall: 💥

Review: One star is discretionarily awarded because it’s set in Sydney and I recognise a lot of the locations they filmed in. Though I have no clue how Luther was getting internet connection on a sheep farm out somewhere in western NSW. Did they have satellite internet in 2002?

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Eyes Wide Shut (1999) – Dr. William Harford (Starring)

One sentence summary: After his wife confesses to fantasising about cheating on him, Dr William Harford (Tom Cruise) toys with the idea of actually cheating on her, and has an insane night out in the process.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: -

Bonus: -

Sexism: 💥💥

Overall: 💥

Review: Well SOMETHING happened in this movie. Hot tip, do not go into this one blind on Saturday movie night with your family in attendance. I think, personally, that Dr Hartford could have just sat down with his wife and asked her if she wanted to get into roleplay instead of doing all that. Also, did we really need to see Nicole Kidman pissing? I just really think that wasn’t necessary.

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Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) – Himself as Austin Powers (Cameo)

One sentence summary: Austin Powers must stop Dr. Evil from world domination by travelling back in time to 1975.

Technical: -

Enjoyment: - 

Bonus: -

Sexism: 💥

Overall: 💥

Review: This is some blend of satire and crack, and I’m not really enjoying the flavour. Tom Cruise’s cameo is pretty funny, though.

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War of the Worlds (2005) – Ray Ferrier (Starring)

One sentence summary: When aliens land and start destroying Earth, Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) must do all he can to keep his family alive.

Technical: -

Enjoyment: -

Bonus: -

Sexism: 💥

Overall: 💥

Review: Well… this exists, I guess. Some of these old sci fi novels should not be made into movies. They were not meant for the big screen. Not even Tom Cruise can save this one.

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All the Right Moves (1983) – Stefen Djordjevic (Starring)

One sentence summary: After a disagreement with a teacher, Stefen (Tom Cruise) thinks that he might never get to college and never leave his hometown.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: -

Bonus: -

Sexism: 💥

Overall: 💥

Review: This sure exists. Very unmemorable, even while I was watching it. Generic in music, plot, character, and romance. Anticlimactic ending too!

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The Color of Money (1986) – Vincent Lauria (Starring)

One sentence summary: Vincent Lauria (Tom Cruise) tries to make money by playing pool, but is too good at it for the betting scheme his mentor attempts to set up in order to get rich.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: -

Bonus: -

Sexism: 💥

Overall: 💥

Review: I will admit I found this movie fairly uninteresting, though I enjoyed Tom Cruise’s wild haircut. Nothing but respect for Vincent’s “Vince” shirt, however.

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Days of Thunder (1990) – Cole Trickle (Starring)

One sentence summary: A street racer is pulled onto the Nascar track, where his attitude gets him into trouble with his team, other drivers, and the woman he’s interested in.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐

Bonus: -

Sexism: 💥💥

Overall: ⭐ 

Review: Two sexism bangs for Nicole Kidman’s ‘romance’ scenes (girl why did you come back to do more movies with this man). The car racing is pretty cool though. I am partial to a good car race, I must admit.

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Interview with the Vampire (1994) – Lestat de Lioncourt (Supporting)

One sentence summary: A vampire sits down with a reporter to tell the story of his life: one that starts with how he was turned into the vampire, and continues to the present day.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: -

Bonus: -

Sexism: 💥

Overall: ⭐ 

Review: Lots of stuff going on in this movie. However, mostly I agree with the well known review that spawned a thousand memes: “Not gay enough.”

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The Outsiders (1983) – Steve Randle  (Supporting)

One sentence summary: Two friends are caught up in the complicated politics between the “Socs” and “greasers” gangs; when one friend accidentally kills a rival, they go on the run from the police before returning home to face court, their family, and the opposing gang.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐

Bonus: -

Sexism: 💥

Overall: ⭐ 

Review: Patrick Swayze is kinda carrying this movie honestly. Though Tom Cruise’s denim on denim, wild accent, cake-stuffed-in-face beat ‘em up sure is a performance too. You can tell this is an old movie by how affectionate the boys were allowed to be with each other. Absolutely none of that around nowadays.

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Mission: Impossible (1996) – Ethan Hunt (Starring)

One sentence summary: When his team of Impossible Mission Force agents are killed, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) must track down the person responsible. 

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐

Bonus: ⭐

Sexism: 💥💥

Overall: ⭐ 

Review: While there are many (many, many, many) liberties taken with reality in order for this movie to be made, it is iconic for a reason. That being said, the wild subplot of Ethan’s tutor trying to set Ethan up with his wife sure was something! Bonus points for starting such an iconic franchise and, of course, the spy movie scene of dropping from the ceiling and barely not hitting the floor.

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Magnolia (1999) – Frank T.J. Mackey (Supporting)

One sentence summary: I don’t know how to summarise this movie. Taking suggestions from the audience.

Technical: ⭐⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐

Bonus: -

Sexism: 💥💥

Overall: ⭐

Review: I don’t know how to review this movie. Was NOT expecting the frogs, that came out of left field to be sure. I think Kubrick’s vision passed me over. Anyway, two sexism bangs for having Tom Cruise invent the incel motivational speaker 😭

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Born on the Fourth of July (1989) – Ron Kovic (Starring)

One sentence summary: Ron Kovic (Tom Cruise) signs up to the Army, fights in the war, and deals with the repercussions when he comes home.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐

Bonus: ⭐

Sexism: 💥

Overall: ⭐⭐ 

Review: This movie suffers from the same problem that all movies which are ‘true stories’ have, which is that life rarely neatly fits into a narrative structure, but it manages fairly well anyway. Bonus points given for the BTS trivia that apparently Cruise asked to be injected with some drug that would temporarily paralyse him so he could experience what it was like to improve his acting??? Cruise’s insurance company wisely refused to let him do this.

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Minority Report (2002) – John Anderton (Starring)

One sentence summary: In a future where murderers are arrested before they commit their crime, Chief John Anderton (Tom Cruise) is predicted to kill a man he’s never met – and must escape his own police force in order to prove his innocence.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐

Bonus: ⭐

Sexism: 💥

Overall: ⭐⭐ 

Review: I had to watch this about 10 times in high school so I was hesitant to come back to it now, but it’s an okay watch when I’m not discussing its contribution to dystopian literature.

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Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) – Ethan Hunt (Starring)

One sentence summary: On the hunt for the two parts of a key which will allow him to control a new AI threat, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) must sacrifice in order to save the world.

Technical: -

Enjoyment: ⭐

Bonus: -

Sexism: ⭐

Overall: ⭐⭐

Review: Media very rarely gets plots around AI right, and this one unfortunately misses the mark. It asks no new or interesting questions about how AI is being used or will be used in our modern world, and seems to take a detour from previous Mission Impossible films in terms of tone and consistency of plot. However, Haley Atwell slaps absolute ass, and there are genuinely funny and enjoyable scenes scattered at random throughout the movie, so it definitely could be worse.

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Legend (1985) – Jack (Starring)

One sentence summary: After a princess plunges her kingdom into endless winter, she must reverse the curse to save the land.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: -

Bonus: -

Sexism: ⭐

Overall: ⭐⭐

Review: A win for diversity! The princess almost ends the world, and also is allowed to save it! Special effects were pretty decent for the mid-80s, even if the plot was a bit basic. Seeing Tom Cruise go all Tarzan and also have a sword was very good, however.

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Oblivion (2013) – Jack Harper (Starring)

One sentence summary: Jack Harper’s (Tom Cruise) mission in life is to protect the last of humanity – or so he thinks.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐

Bonus: -

Sexism: -

Overall: ⭐⭐

Review: Morgan Freeman steals the show here. I enjoyed the plot twist both at the middle and the end of the movie, and the ending scene wrapped everything up emotionally. 

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American Made (2017) – Barry Seal (Starring)

One sentence summary: Barry Seal (Tom Cruise) works triple time for big money while dodging the law, taking aerial photos for the CIA, smuggling cocaine into the USA for the Medellín Cartel, and delivering guns to the Nicaraguan Contras based in Honduras.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐

Bonus: ⭐

Sexism: 💥

Overall: ⭐⭐ 

Review: A movie that’s “based on a true story” and which does it right. The informational sections were balanced neatly with the character development and exploration of what this amount of money might do to a family. 

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Rock of Ages (2012) – Stacee Jaxx (Supporting)

One sentence summary: Two burgeoning singers meet at a rock bar, which needs to put on a hell of a show in order to avoid closing down.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐

Bonus: ⭐

Sexism: 💥

Overall:  ⭐⭐

Review: Extra points for the killer soundtrack. Otherwise, this movie is fairly unmemorable. Tom Cruise’s hairstyle sure was a choice though!

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Taps (1983) – Capt. David Shawn (Supporting)

One sentence summary: When the students of a military boarding school hear that their school is to be shut down, they stage a protest that rapidly spirals out of hand.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐

Bonus: ⭐

Sexism: 💥

Overall: ⭐⭐ 

Review: It’s hard to have sexism in a movie where there are literally no women, so this one is getting a default 💥. Other than the fact that women don’t exist, this was a pretty good movie, with the extra star granted for the depth of character portrayed, Tom Cruise’s buzzcut, and the acting of all the younger kids on set. 

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Rain Man (1988) – Charlie Babbitt (Starring)

One sentence summary: After his father dies, Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) discovers he has a brother after he inherits everything in his father’s will. 

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐

Bonus: ⭐

Sexism: 💥

Overall: ⭐⭐ 

Review: I really liked how this movie showed that despite how money-hungry Charlie Babbitt originally appears, he goes through an entire journey where he realises how important family is – no matter what form that takes. To see a main male character reflect and regret on his poor relationship with his father and also express the ups and downs of other emotions throughout this movie is refreshing, and Tom Cruise does an excellent job at portraying the journey taken. While it’s obvious he prefers action movies, I actually think Cruise’s true strength is in the dramas he does.

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Top Gun (1986) – Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (Starring)

One sentence summary: Pete Mitchell (Tom Cruise) attempts to prove that he’s the best Naval Aviator by winning the Top Gun trophy, and also by winning the heart of his teacher too.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐⭐

Bonus: ⭐

Sexism: 💥💥

Overall: ⭐⭐

Review: Wow. There’s a LOT going on here. It’s impossible to discuss Top Gun without mentioning the blistering sexism that pervades this movie, but since it’s about the Navy in the 80s, no one should be surprised it’s there. However, it also manages to be one of the gayest movies of the decade. Contains multitudes! Bonus points for Val Kilmer’s amazing performance and the insane homoerotic tension that is as inextricable from this movie as the sexism is.

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Valkyrie (2008) – Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Starring)

One sentence summary: Before D-Day, a plot to kill Hilter from within the German government unfolds.

Technical: ⭐⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐

Bonus: ⭐

Sexism: 💥

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐

Review: Full of tension and drama, this is a ‘based on a true story’ movie that’s done right (probably because liberties were no doubt taken). A different type of WWII movie, I definitely liked this one. Bonus star for the set and costuming, which were truly excellent.

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Lions for Lambs (2007) – Senator Jasper Irving (Supporting)

One sentence summary: Over 90 minutes in real time, 2 marines defend a position in Afghanistan, a Senator is interviewed on a new military strategy, and a college student decides if he’s going to commit to his classes or not.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐

Bonus: ⭐

Sexism: -

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐

Review: I’m not American, and it’s not 2007 anymore, but this still hit really hard. Excellent use of the real time narrative to drive the story home deliver the message to the audience.

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Cocktail (1988) – Brian Flanagan (Starring)

One sentence summary: While attending university, Brian Flanagan finds work as a bartender to pay the bills before he finds the way he’s going to get rich – and finds friendship and love along the way.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐

Bonus: ⭐

Sexism: -

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐

Review: This soundtrack slaps, it’s a cute romcom, and there are cool bartending tricks scattered throughout. It also deals with some more serious topics, but these add to the depth of character and the main relationship to bring extra flavour to the movie.

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Losin' It (1983) – Woody (Starring)

One sentence summary: Four friends travel to Mexico in order to party hard and lose their virginity.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐⭐

Bonus: -

Sexism: -

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐

Review: The second half of the movie is far better than the first, with a spiralling series of events that had me laughing at every new development. Tom Cruise playing the straight laced kid was a genius decision, and I can see why he repeated this type of role a few times in future movies. 

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Far and Away (1992) – Joseph Donelly (Starring)

One sentence summary: Irishman Joseph Donelly (Tom Cruise) joins forces with Shannon Christie (Nicole Kidman) to cross the sea to America, where they aspire to travel to Oklahoma in order to start a new life, where land is being given away for free.

Technical: ⭐

Enjoyment: ⭐

Bonus: ⭐

Sexism: ⭐

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review: Very much the best of the movies that Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise collaborated on, I did enjoy this one from start to finish. The costumes are great, but the bonus points go to how bloody and beat up Tom Cruise consistently is in this movie. Yes, go and get back into that fighting ring again. It’s good for my health.

(continued in the next reblog because tumblr will only let me add 30 images per post)

[below-average-fangirl]

i finally watched the mummy (2017) the other day and nick morton really was made to be objectified omg why did i not watch it earlier 😭😭 my brain is SO rotted for him now i can’t stand it

anyway… mummy thoughts? 🎤

Ah, Nick Morton, my beloved HIMBO of a Golden Retriever explorer. Look at his dumb, confused face, he's adorable. 

So, when this film was released, it was trashed, like, royally kicked around by critics and, apparently, general audiences. I remember Mark Kermode being so unimpressed with it that he almost wondered if it was time for him to stop reviewing films because he found it so dull, so tbh, I doubt I would have sought it out if I hadn't become a TC obsessive; thank you, TGM. I'm pointing all that out because my expectations for this film were low, but even then, when I watched it, I was genuinely surprised that it received the hazing it has because I found it so much fun and I was not bored at any point.

Now, don't get me wrong, I know there are problems with it, mainly that they're too focused on setting up a shared universe when they should have simply focused on making one film; also, the CGI is a little dodgy in places and they don't utilize Vail at all once he's dead. It's unclear as to why Set wants to become human, especially if that will make him easier to kill despite his powers. Some of the dialogue is a little clunky. Annabelle Wallis has the thankless task of doing all the exposition, but she does it well. And they don't play up Nick and Ahmanet's connection nearly enough, but despite that, I had a great time watching it; it's a solid three-star film, not brilliant but not the dumpster fire that some made it out to be. And I absolutely love how much fun Tom Cruise is having playing Nick.

Look at him! He is having so much fun, and I dig it. And the film is funny. I love the opening sequence with Nick and Vail as they're running for their lives; it's so chaotic. But it's also sentimental in places. The scene where Nick and Jenny are in the water and he's holding her face and asking if she's okay and trying to reassure her that they'll figure it out and pleading for her to stay with him makes my heart hurt. And I think that underwater sequence with the knights coming out of the tombs is beautiful and scary because the sets are amazing.

Also, like Bill Cage, Nick is not an evil man, nor is he as selfish as he believes himself to be. He stands in front of Vail when the other soldiers are pointing guns at him, and he saves Jenny. Whether or not he thought it was the last parachute is irrelevant because as soon as the plane begins to fall, he assists her in finding a parachute and ensuring she is strapped in one, saving her life. My head canon for Nick having such a low opinion of himself is that an authority figure, such as a parent, grandparent, or possibly a teacher, disliked him and turned the smallest transgression into the biggest sign that he was a terrible person, when he probably wasn't any worse than most kids, but he's been told his entire life that he's a terrible person, so he's just thought, "Fuck it. If you think I'm that worthless, I'll be it." Even Jekyll just sees him at face value and uses that as an excuse to justify wanting to sacrifice Nick so they can kill Set. Fuck you, Jekyll.

So yeah, The Mummy's not the best film ever made, but for what it is, it is fun and better than it's given credit for, and Nick Morton needs to be protected, mainly from himself, at all costs.

[fearsmagazine]

RENFIELD - Review

DISTRIBUTOR: Universal Pictures

SYNOPSIS:  Renfield is the tortured aide to history’s most narcissistic boss, Dracula. Renfield is forced to procure his master’s prey and do his every bidding, no matter how debased. But now, after about 100 years of servitude, Renfield has found a new spark and is ready to see if there is a life beyond the shadow of The Prince of Darkness. As part of a support group he is trying to figure out how to end his codependency.

REVIEW: Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ridley take on the age old story of master and servant as they take Stoker’s “Dracula,” shift it 100 years into our time, and deliver a hilarious gorefest that hits all the right notes, in the tradition of “Evil Dead 2” or “Shaun of the Dead.” It largely falls on the shoulders of writer Ryan Ridley whose name might be familiar to you as a writer on the “Rick & Morty” series.

The script is fantastic. It's loaded with a great plot, fun jokes and tons of visual gags. While it is Renfield’s story, Dracula gets his fair share of screen time. The screenplay lays the groundwork for what’s transpired for all those unfamiliar to the story, and adds some nice touches for those diehard Universal Monster fans. After that, all best are off as this thrill ride is balanced with a character arc that serves up an instant horror classic.

In terms of cast, Hoult and Cage are great together, but Cage steals the show. Both deliver performances of a lifetime, but Cage is on fire. His Dracula is comparable to Campbell’s Ash in the “Evil Dead” franchise, and earns its place in the catacombs of horror film history. Awkwafina and Ben Schwartz have a bunch of memorable screen moments, but Holt and Cage get more screen time and totally rock the film. The fantastic thing is that the entire cast is channeling the feel of the film that makes it a fantastic ride.

The production values are dazzling. Dracula has a wardrobe to rival Cher and it pays homage to all the incarnations of the count. I loved Dracula’s coffin design, the lair of the gangsters, Dracula’s lair and the restaurant where Renfield encounters the Lobo gang. The film is loaded with practical effects that deliver all the delightful gore. The visual effects enhance and complement them seamlessly and just ramps up the energy of the film. RENFIELD is simply a feast for the eyes.

Nicely wrapping all this up is a contemporary soundtrack and a sensational score by Marco Beltrami. The best way to describe it is that it adds a baseline to the film. It underscores the action and adds to the emotional intensity to the film.

Universal has been struggling to revitalize their monster franchise for a contemporary audience. They’ve had some okay films, such as 2014’s “Dracula Untold,” and some misses like 2017’s “The Mummy,” with Tom Cruise. Kirkman, Ridley, McKay, Cage and Holt get it and come together to deliver, I believe, an unsurpassable genre fan pleaser and I think a real crowd pleaser. If the fans are lured to the theaters this could be the shot to reinvigorate the Universal Monster Franchise. If there is a sequel, it’s going to need to be a reteaming of those in front and behind the camera. Otherwise, they could easily do a new film in a similar theme called “Igor!” On my radar to see again.

CAST: Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage, Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Adrian Martinez. CREW: Director/Producer - Chris McKay; Story/Producer - Robert Kirkman; Screenplay - Ryan Ridley; Producers - Bryan Furst & Sean Furst; Cinematographer - Mitchell Amundsen; Score - Marco Beltrami; Editors - Ryan Folsey, Giancarlo Ganziano and Mako Kamitsuna; Production Designers- Julie Berghoff & Alec Hammond; Costume Designer - Lisa Lovaas; Special Effects Supervisor - Matt Kutcher; Special Makeup Effects Artists - Steve Costanza, Dan Crawley, Alex Rondon and Brian Sipe; Visual Effects Supervisor - Andrew Byrne; Visual Effects Companies - Crafty Apes, Skulley Effects, ILM and Pixel Magic. OFFICIAL: www.renfieldmovie.com FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/renfieldmovie TWITTER: www.twitter.com/renfieldmovie TRAILER: https://youtu.be/qZjAPG9uY3c RELEASE DATE: In theaters April 14th, 2023

**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay),  or 👎 (Dislike)

Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri

[luxshine]

Happy Friday frights The Mummy is now better known as an action film because Brendan Fraser is love and we absolutely ignore that thing with Tom Cruise, but it was originally a very subtle horror film! I loved reviewing it last year for More chainsaws needed, so today I just wanted to share the link with you again.

[usagirotten]

REVIEW: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is an impeccable, surprising, exciting and almost perfect series

A concept that is very fashionable in the entertainment industry is parallel universes and multiverses, other places with almost identical characters, we already saw this concept more specifically with The Flash or Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on a large scale. This is very interesting when it is carried out well and the context is perfectly understood, each one has even had a name that evokes the franchise they represent in film and television, MCU, DCU, Monster Verse, this referred to what that Universal Studios wanted to do with its classic monsters that began with The Mummy (2017) starring Tom Cruise and although it was a freer version it promised that the following projects would give shape and meaning to this universe and it did not work. Although the term Monster Verse is in the public domain, it was Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures who knew how to take advantage of it since 2014 with the release of Godzilla, the North American version of the popular Japanese Kaiju. As part of this extended monster verse, Apple TV premieres a new series, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters in which we will see in more detail what has happened how this mysterious organization was founded, and what role it has played throughout. years in his supposed protection of humanity from those titans who are believed to want to dominate the planet.

What is the series about?

After surviving Godzilla's attack on San Francisco, a creepy secret once again surprises Cate (Anna Sawai). Amid monstrous threats, she embarks on a worldwide adventure to discover the truth about her father, her family, and the mysterious organization known as Monarch. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters as a television series is an excellent work that complements and contributes to that Monster Verse from the perspective of those affected by this destructive invasion of a colossal titan called Godzilla. The history of this monstrous character over the decades has caused expectations in different generations. The attempts to make it's North American version have had failures and major failures. Ronald Emmerich, under pressure from the studios, tried to do the same with his version of Godzilla in 1998 continued in an animated series that only had 2 seasons and intended to continue with its already terrible history. The reinterpretation of and the invention of new characters has given us the advantage of having something that we like as viewers and with which we can identify, some out of nostalgia and others because they know the modern versions of the classics have supported these projects that are ushering in a new era. Godzilla (2014) and Kong: Skull Island (2017) directed by Gareth Edwards and Jordan Vogt-Roberts respectively are the basis for this series to reveal the secrets of this organization called Monarch, which is a sub-organization created by the US government to stop threats. kaiju around the world, as expected, their intentions have a double meaning that we have already seen throughout these films. The series is currently broadcast on the Apple TV platform. It already has 3 episodes which are: 1. Aftermath. Cate (Anna Sawai) travels to Japan to get answers about her father. She discovers a shocking secret while in the past scientist Keiko (Mari Yamamoto), a young military adventurer Lee Shaw (Wyatt Russell), and cryptozoologist Bill Randa (Anders Holm) follow a theory that will lead them to discover that the myth of the titans that inhabit our planet is true.

The episode opens with the sequence that we had already seen in Kong: Skull Island and the surprising appearance of this titan and its attack on the helicopters, the escape of Bill Randa (John Goodman) from a giant spider, when he finds himself trapped he carries a briefcase with recorded tapes and notes that he throws into the river while a giant crustacean fights with the arachnid, then we have the part that perhaps we all wanted to see, Godzilla attacking San Francisco on the Golden Gate Bridge, from this moment the series is telling us which part of the story We will see it from the point of view of an ordinary person who has witnessed these attacks, the sequence defines and conveys perfectly well how impressive and traumatic this event is for Cate, the school bus in which she was traveling is on the edge and about to fall, in a desperate attempt he tries to save all the children but fails, the plot is divided into subplots and these are told as flashbacks, the change between the past and the present and the presentation of characters can be confusing and even more so if you do not have the previous background of these 2 films, each event is explained little by little, for example when we discover that Keiko is the grandmother of Cate and Kentaro and we see her supposed death when she is attacked by giant insects, everything is worth it. It's another great scene that magnificently shows the desperation of the character, the central axis of this is discovering the origins of Monarch as an organization. 2. Departure. Monarch wants Cate's recently discovered files, Kentaro (Ren Watabe) and May (Kiersey Clemons) put them in the sights of this organization who follow them closely, while Keiko, Lee, and Billy make an important discovery that will change the course. of things and possibly the existence of humanity on the planet.

In this episode we can already see more emotional scenes that can fall into drama, Emiko and Kentaro accept that the father of this family was not what they believed and much less knew his activities, although the plot that they are developing in the present is good, almost nothing important happens and this is because they are still presenting things and better defining the characters in the past and how they are placing the events within this universe, the plot of Keiko and her relationship with Lee when she meets a young man Bill's mission is to find an impossible creature known as the dragon, but even so, all this only serves to help us understand how this friendship and search team is being forged and not so much about the creatures and Monarch, the narrative structure of this episode is very similar to what we have seen in the movies and balances very well what is happening before and what is happening in the future, we know that in each episode we will see a new and different creature like Godzilla and the insects in the first episode. 3. Secrets and Lies. An elderly Shaw (Kurt Russell) leads the team he has formed with Cate, Kentaro, and May on a dangerous mission to Alaska in search of Hiroshi (Takehiro Hira) who mysteriously disappeared while Keiko, Lee, and Billy present their findings to General Puckett who Skeptic of the discovery he will soon discover that everything they have said is true as he tries to destroy the alpha titan, Godzilla. This episode is more dynamic than the previous ones, we see a very interesting flashback about the army's first attack on Godzilla, we can complain and say that the sequence is not as presented in the 2014 film but what does it matter if what they are doing It is to restructure everything so that we better understand the order of things and how they are happening, it is exciting to see that the plot is already becoming more solid in terms of the characters, the presentations are over and now comes the development and motivations of each one, almost At the end of the episode we see the emotional moment between Cate and Du-Ho about what they have seen and what they are about to face, this team already has a clear idea of where they are going and what they want to know about Monarch, the best thing about this episode is still the presentation of the creatures, in Alaska they are attacked by a mole-like monster that can freeze things, this is a big step in the series because not only will we see the past but they will also have to deal with these titans in the present. The 3 episodes of 10 that make up this first season have been spectacular, we can say that Apple TV Plus is risking too much with this proposal, this may be because Godzilla: Minus One is already premiering in Japan, on the one hand, and the other, they want to connect and make more concrete in this universe with the 2024 premiere of Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, it is inevitable not to make comparisons between what Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. are presenting with what Toho Co. Ltd. studios have been doing for decades. In Japan, let's clarify that each thing is different and has no relationship between them, each one belongs to a different universe if we put it in that context.

Something that has characterized these productions about kaiju is the fact that the stories of the human characters are more relevant than the creatures themselves and it is the rule to follow in this series, writers Chris Black and Matt Fraction have drawn all this partially out of nothing, although we know from the beginning that there is an evil organization with very sinister purposes for humanity that is behind everything that happens, giving it meaning and an origin that explains to us what we already know and what What we are about to see is one of the great successes. Every detail has been meticulously taken care of so that as viewers we sympathize with humans to the point that they have normalized in Japan the use of weapons and announcements of shelters in case of an unexpected attack, humanity as such in this universe is already prepared and has aware that these threats arise and we must confront them if we want to continue defending our place as a society and humanity on the planet. The directors Matt Shakman and Julian Holmes are the ones who in these 3 episodes manage to synchronize the script and the events very well without letting it look and feel fluid, the narrative is so agile that we can notice the change in direction, each one understands perfectly well the things and the vision they have about this project, although there are action sequences, they are not so exaggerated, the same happens with the comedy and drama parts. The special effects are impressive, Apple TV Plus has not spared a single cent in spectacularly presenting things, the setting, the photography, the locations, and the measured use of CGI find a balance in what we are seeing, so much so that the duration of each episode is over 40 min seem to be insufficient for everything we have to discover as viewers and what they want to present to us. Perhaps the biggest flaw it has is obvious, the series is supported by the previous material that without that is incomprehensible, even more so by the changes between times and sequences, we must be aware as an audience that if we see this series of 10 long episodes it is because the studio assumes and assumes that we already know at least the basics, they are not trying to play with us but rather to make things clear from the beginning so as not to waste screen time on things that they have to tell us again. The cast so far is made up of Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett, Elisa Lasowski, Wyatt Russell, and Kurt Russell with the special participation of John Goodman, each of them is doing the best they can. They have and more so that these characters seem more empathetic and unforgettable than boring, each one understands perfectly well the characteristics that each one has, the dramatic moments are genuine, a good job at the height of a great production. The music composed by Leopold Ross (Black Mirror) is undoubtedly one more character in this entire project, pieces with samples of works that we have already heard before in Godzilla with Alexandre Desplat and in Kong by Henry Jackman are present in a subtle way without leaving to give it your style and personality. In conclusion, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is an almost perfect exercise in what a good spin-off can be, an impeccable production that is shaping up to be one of the best series of 2023. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is now available on the Apple TV platform. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLHsM4bpfxY Read the full article

[kevinsreviewcatalogue]

Review: The Mummy (1932)

The Mummy (1932)

Approved by the Production Code Administration of the Motion Picture Producers & Distributors of America

<Originally posted at https://kevinsreviewcatalogue.blogspot.com/2023/10/review-mummy-1932.html>

Score: 4 out of 5

The second classic Universal monster movie I was able to check out at Cinema Salem this October, The Mummy is one of the few such films where the classic 1930s version isn't the definitive example these days. In 1999, Universal remade it as an Indiana Jones-style action/adventure flick starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, and if I'm being perfectly honest, having now seen both movies I kinda prefer the '90s version. The original still has a lot going for it even more than ninety years later, but the remake's pulpy, two-fisted throwback style is just nostalgic for me in ways that hit my sweet spot. That said, I will argue that this was a better and more self-assured film than The Invisible Man, having a monster and effects just as memorable but also remembering to keep a consistent tone and, more importantly, have a compelling non-villainous character for me to root for in the form of its female lead. It is, shall we say, of its time in its depiction of Egypt and its people, but there's a reason why Boris Karloff is a horror legend, and here, he made Imhotep into a multilayered villain and a compelling presence on screen -- rather appropriately given how he's presented here as ominously seductive. At the very least, both it and the Fraser version are a damn sight better than the 2017 Tom Cruise version.

The film starts in 1921 with a tale as old as the first exhibit at the British Museum of ancient Egyptian artifacts, as an archaeological expedition in Egypt led by Sir Joseph Whemple discovers the tomb of a man named Imhotep. Studying his remains and his final resting place, they find that a) he was buried alive, and b) a separate casket was buried with him with a curse inscribed on it threatening doom to whoever opened it. Sure enough, Joseph's assistant opens that casket, reads from the scroll inside, and proceeds to go mad at the sight of Imhotep's mummified body getting up and walking out of the tomb. Fast-forward to the present day of 1932, and Joseph's son Frank is now following in his father's footsteps. A mysterious Egyptian historian named Ardeth Bey offers to assist Frank and his team in locating another tomb, that of the princess Ankh-es-en-amun. It doesn't take much for either the viewer or the characters to figure out who "Ardeth Bey" really is, especially once he starts taking an interest in Helen Grosvenor, a half-Egyptian woman and Frank's lover who bears a striking resemblance to the ancient drawings of Ankh-es-en-amun.

Let's get one thing out of the way right now. Lots of modern retellings of classic monster stories, from Interview with the Vampire to this film's own 2017 remake, often throw in the twist of making their monsters handsome, even sexy, as a way to lend them a dark edge of sorts. In the case of the Mummy, however, doing so is fairly redundant, because Karloff's Imhotep is already the "sexy mummy", if not in appearance than certainly in personality. He is threatening and creepy-looking, yes, but he is also alluring and erudite, his hypnosis of Helen presented as seduction and Frank becoming one of his targets because he sees him as competition. He may be under heavy makeup in the opening scene to look like a mummified corpse, but afterwards, Karloff plays him as an intimidating yet attractive older gentleman, the famous shot of him staring into the camera with darkened eyes looking equal parts like him peering into your soul and him undressing you with his eyes. And if it wasn't obvious when it was just him on screen, his relationship with Helen feels like that of a predatory playboy, especially in the third act when she's clad in a skimpy outfit that would likely have never flown just a couple of years later once they started enforcing the Hays Code. He's a proto-Hugh Hefner as a Universal monster. I couldn't help but wonder if Karloff was trying to do his own take on Bela Lugosi's Dracula here, perhaps as a way to make this character stand out from Frankenstein's monster; if he was, then he certainly pulled it off.

Zita Johann's Helen, too, made for a surprisingly interesting female lead. As she's increasingly possessed by the spirit of Ankh-es-en-amun over the course of the film, she's the one who directly challenges Imhotep on what he's doing to her, pointing out that, even by the standards of his own ancient Egyptian morality, his attempt to resurrect his lost love is evil and in violation of the laws of his gods, reminding him why he was entombed alive in the first place. It's she who ultimately saves herself, the male heroes only arriving after everything is all said and done, which was well and good in my book given that I wasn't particularly fond of them. Not only was the romanticization of British imperialism in their characters kind of weird watching this now (the fact that they can't take the artifacts they collected to the British Museum and have to settle for the Cairo Museum is presented as lamentable), but they didn't really have much character to them beyond being your typical 1930s movie protagonists. Frank is the young boyfriend, Joseph and Muller are the older scholars, the Nubian servant is... a whole 'nuther can of worms, and there's not much to them beyond stock archetypes. This was one area where the Fraser movie excelled, and the biggest reason why I prefer that film to this one.

Beyond the characters, the direction by Karl Freund was suitably creepy and atmospheric. I was able to tell that I wasn't looking at Egypt so much as I was looking at southern California playing such, but the film made good use of its settings, and had quite a few creative tricks up its sleeve as we see Imhotep both assaulting the main characters and observing them from afar. The direction and makeup did as much as Karloff's performance to make me afraid of Imhotep; while this wasn't a film with big jump scare moments, it did excel at creeping dread and making the most of what it had. The reaction of the poor assistant who watched Imhotep get up and walk away from his tomb struck the perfect note early on, letting you know that you're about to witness seemingly ludicrous things but at the same time making you believe in them despite your better judgment. This very much felt like the kind of classiness that we now associate with the original Universal monster movies, a slow burn even with its short runtime as "Ardeth Bey" spends his time doing his dirty work in the background, either skulking around or manipulating people from his home through sorcery.

The Bottom Line

The original 1932 version of The Mummy still stands as one of the finest classic horror movies. Not all of it has aged gracefully, but Boris Karloff's mummy is still a terrifying and compelling villain, and the rest of the film too has enough going for it to hold up.

[mmorgkiwi]

Similar to the mummy movies

#Similar to the mummy movies movie#

Interested in knowing what the movie's about? Here's the plot: "Though safely entombed in a crypt deep beneath the unforgiving desert, an ancient queen whose destiny was unjustly taken from her is awakened in our current day, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia, and terrors that defy human comprehension." 'The Mummy' is currently available to rent, purchase, or stream via subscription on Apple iTunes, Vudu, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, Redbox, AMC on Demand, Spectrum On Demand, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and DIRECTV.

#Similar to the mummy movies movie#

Released June 9th, 2017, 'The Mummy' stars Tom Cruise, Annabelle Wallis, Sofia Boutella, Jake Johnson The PG-13 movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 50 min, and received a user score of 55 (out of 100) on TMDb, which compiled reviews from 6,070 experienced users. Christopher Lee looks tremendous in the title role, smashing his way through doorways and erupting from green, dream-like quagmires in really awe-inspiring fashion. Question Im looking for movies similar to the ones above where the hero(es) travel the world solving puzzles and find ancient treasures and that may have something to do with religion, the occult, or the supernatural. Now, before we get into the fundamentals of how you can watch 'The Mummy' right now, here are some finer points about the Secret Hideout, Universal Pictures, Dark Universe, Sean Daniel Company, Perfect World Pictures, dentsu adventure flick. Staff (Not Credited) Its qualities are almost entirely abstract and visual, with colour essential to its muted, subtle imagery. Looking for movies similar to Indiana Jones, the Mummy, and the Robert Langdon series. Read on for a listing of streaming and cable services - including rental, purchase, and subscription alternatives - along with the availability of 'The Mummy' on each platform when they are available. O'Connor, and Arnold Vosloo in the title role as the reanimated mummy. 'The Mummy' trilogy, which kicked off in 1999 and concluded with 2008s critically panned 'The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor,' killed it at the box office, raking in a collective 1.25 billion. It is a remake of the 1932 film of the same name, starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Kevin J. Yearning to watch ' The Mummy' in the comfort of your own home? Hunting down a streaming service to buy, rent, download, or view the Alex Kurtzman-directed movie via subscription can be a huge pain, so we here at Moviefone want to help you out. The Mummy is a 1999 American action-adventure film written and directed by Stephen Sommers.

[aaronreinwald]

A review of the Mummy remake - starring Tom Cruise 

[aquitainequeen]

Me: Shouldn't a film called 'The Mummy' actually be about THE MUMMY, rather than yet another 'arrogant (albeit older than average) man-child learns responsibility' narrative?

Dark Universe: Quiet, you.

[re-animatresse]

billed as a reboot of Universal's Mummy franchise, director Alex Kurtzman's Tom Cruise's The Mummy seems to be more heavily influenced by Stephen Sommers's 1999 version than the 1932 classic. the story itself has a lot of plot holes, leaves too many questions unanswered for my liking and is a bit difficult to follow. it also demonises and misidentifies Set as the Egyptian god of death apparently Tom Cruise, who 'stars' in the film, was granted control over every aspect of production and rewrote the script to give his own character a bigger role, while downplaying Sofia Boutella's as the titular movie monster. this turned out to be a complete disaster, as Cruise's character, Nick Morton, is unlikable and largely devoid of personality. why the powerful and stunningly gorgeous Ahmanet would take any interest in him for any purpose, i cannot fathom to quote Brandon Lee of The Crow: 'action-adventure, that genre, only works for me if you can care about the characters. if the hero’s not taking some kind of a journey, then there are no stakes - and no stakes, then you don’t care if he lives or dies, wins or loses' and that's my biggest problem with this film, that i just don't care what happens to anyone, least of all Tom Cruise positive aspects include Boutella's acting and character design, Russel Crowe as Dr. Henry Jekyll, and the movie spared no expense on CGI, which makes for some really cool scenes, visually. unfortunately there's just not enough to redeem the final product the only mummy movies as far as i'm concerned are the Universal classic, Stephen Sommer's loose retelling and Bubba Ho-Tep. beyond those, i welcome recommendations

4/10

[sterlingarcher23]

First of all: I hate this film! For the simple reason that [Spoiler-alert] I don’t know how to rate it. But first things first and to address the elephant in the room that is Tom Cruise. No, he is not a bad actor, I actually like his work as an actor, the reason is simple. He makes this movie bigger than it is. And btw. $ 22 Mio for Cruise, the film had a budget of $ 125 Mio - Big names, big money (for the actors) but not necessarily a big hit. Although I should add that yet again only the (US) domestic box office counts for those movies. So, actually the film made more than enough money … world wide with over $ 400 Mio. When does Hollywood realize that they don’t make films for the domestic movie fans but for tge whole world. They love our money but they don’t appreciate our investment in their films. Self centered morons!

After this rant back to the film. Yes, Cruise just doesn’t really fit into this film. He is an important officer or secret agent or a contract killer or…. but just a military guy who is a part-time grave robber in short: a nobody? That just doesn’t fit in this film. A film that should be named Uncharted: Nathan Drake vs. The Mummy. - First sign was this firefight/hunt in that town and my first feeling was “I played this before” (my sister btw too) but also the humor and some more scenes may rise eyebrows. That’s a problem for people who know these games because the film might feel like a rip-off for them.

So, it’s not getting better from this point? The story has some bumps and could have needed more scenes to make it smoother. But overall it’s fine. But! The Mummy is not a stand alone film. It clearly tells the audience that this story is not finished. And here is another big problem: The Dark Universe seems to be pretty dead by now. And that was a bad move in the first place not so much from a storytelling point but when you know this it’s a big downer. Because the Mummy has an unfinished storyline and this sucks! So, if you intend to make a film series you make sure that you can do them and make it happen no matter the domestic box office. Or make a TV show.

Is there anything good to say about this film? Yes! That it feels like an Uncharted-movie is also good because you can enjoy that this is inspired by the games. And the foundation of the Dark Universe is also very intriguing. Then there are some great atmospheric scenes e.g. the one in the back alley when Nick is ambushed by the mummy. Or the scenes on the graveyard or in the forest. Then the Mr. Hyde sequence. They are just great, humorous and interesting for a movie future that …well. For god’s sake just make 5 other movies - that would make this first one better. Because then you watch it in the full context.

And the biggest plus of the film: Sofia Boutella. I might be biased because I think that she is just a gorgeous woman. But there is specific reason that makes her attractive and in that regard perfect for this role: her face. People might disagree with me but imo she has something androgynous. And that is not bad. On the contrary. I think it works in her advantage because it makes her interesting (At least she looks pretty exotic.). I bet that this was one reason she was casted - just imagine any other actress. And to her looks comes the way she portraits Princess Ahmanet. To reduce Sofia Boutella to her looks does not give her credit. I loved her in Star Trek Beyond and because of all the makeup one doesn’t get much from her original looks…and, Drax [from Guardians of the Galaxy], can you just tell the people what I am trying to say - you always have the right words. Sofia just adds great body language, creepiness and seductiveness at the same time. Even when she is just a creepy, grey monster.

So, how to rate this damn film? I have no idea. Part of me says it’s just a 3 because its a disappointment if your are looking for a movie like the 99 version, part of me says it’s a 5 not really bad, not really good and a part of me just loves the ideas of the Dark Universe, the atmosphere and Sofia Boutella and… I don’t know what to tell you.

So I can give just a “??” out of 10.

[yetanotherfilmreviewblog]

The Mummy (2017)

Silly, ripping-yarn type fun. Don’t read too much into it. Sets up the Dark Universe collection of classic Universal Studios monsters nicely, though.

[sleeplessdave]

Movie Review: The Mummy (2017) *Tough Start for a Universe*

Movie Review: The Mummy (2017) *Tough Start for a Universe*

Dark Universe is a very cool concept: a shared cinematic universe where all the classic Universal Studios movie monsters (Frankenstein, Dracula, Van Helsing, The Wolfman, etc.) are given a new spin for a new generation and set loose in this horror/adventure sandbox.  The first film to come out of that concept is The Mummy.  It has the star power of Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe, the interesting…

[agentnico]

Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) Review

Not once, NOT ONCE in this film do we get to see King Kong’s mighty fine penis!! Although there are some magnificent shots of his perfectly crafted butt cheeks! 

Plot: The epic next chapter in the cinematic Monsterverse pits two of the greatest icons in motion picture history against one another - the fearsome Godzilla and the mighty Kong - with humanity caught in the balance.

It’s been over a year since we’ve been hit by the pandemic and as such its been as long since we’ve enjoyed a proper big crazy popcorn blockbuster flick. To the rescue we have Godzilla vs. Kong, and with that title card all I expect and desire is to witness a couple of kaiju monsters beat the living crap out of each other whilst surrounded by Michael Bay-level explosions and causing various chaos and havoc to the environments around them. Let’s hope everyone’s been paying insurance, cause if these two have decided to have their MMA battle in your hometown, say goodbye to your home as it will be crushed through using majestic CGI visuals as we witness Hollywood throw mountains and mountains of dollar over this! Yes, this money could have gone towards more wholesome and inspiring causes such as world hunger and climate change but, like, also, not gonna lie....I wanna see some monsters fight for no reason. As Ken Watanabe says in the 2014 Godzilla film “Let them fight.” You’re god-zilla right Ken, bet you regret getting killed off in the last movie now, bet you wish you were here now to see these bad boys compare genital sizes!! Well go do one Ken! Go and enjoy training Tom Cruise to be last samurai whilst the rest of us will bathe in the glory of these two mighty mustangs fisting one another (innuendo may be intended)!!

Godzilla vs. Kong delivers exactly what it’s title suggests. This is the fourth instalment of Warner Bros’ Monsterverse cinematic universe cause, you know, cinematic universes are so IN right now, unless you’re Universal. Poor Universal, not even Tom Cruise (a second Cruise reference in the same review??) could help you save the Dark Universe with The Mummy. Gosh that movie was a stinker. Anyway, in terms of narrative, do you need to watch the previous three movies to understand what’s happening in Godzilla vs. Kong? Answer: NO! This ain’t no Aaron Sorkin. It’s Godzilla going against Kong, that’s your story! I mean, yes, there is a narrative involving puny little useless humans trying to act all macho, however honestly that stuff is all boring and pointless no matter how famous the actors starring may be. By the way, as with the other Monsterverse films, the main weakness of this movie are the human characters and their story arcs. I get why they are there, as without them the movie would have only been no more than 40 minutes, but also there’s no denying that when the movie focuses on the humans, those are the moments you as a viewer can get distracted or go and have a bathroom break. Maybe make yourself a tea during those moments. Have you ever tried chamomile? With some honey? And but a dash of milk? It’s lovely, you can thank me later. But yes, the human stuff is really uninteresting. There’s a conspiracy theorist who cracks a joke or two but honestly if you’re into that stuff there’s plenty of conspiracy shows out there based on real life events. There’s also a little mute girl that shares a really special connection with Kong. It’s supposed to be very sweet. Personally I found it to be very inappropriate as Kong is really old (let alone also of a different species) whilst the girl is under the age of 18, so like, Kong, what are you doing man? You can’t be doing that kind of stuff! I know that you think you’re so cool, which, I’ll give ya that, you are. You are very cool, but still! Anyway, the actual titan battle of fisticuffs is the reason to enjoy this movie. The last time we saw these two battle it out it looked like this:

Seriously, what are they doing - dancing tango? As purposes for remakes go, this one is justified. Earth’s mightiest creatures deserve better than this! 49 years was probably long enough for these two icons to chill in their respective corners before having their rematch, so now with the help of glorious glorious GLORIOUS visuals we can feast our eyes!! The battles are indeed epic! I mean, who doesn’t want to see Kong whack a punch in Godzilla’s face whilst on an aircraft carrier!? Honestly, how in the heck is that aircraft carrier not sinking under the pressure and weight of those two giants?? But hang on, that’s a stupid question. Why am I questioning physics in Godzilla vs. Kong? It’s Godzilla vs. Kong! That’s the answer!! It’s plain and simple as daylight!

All in all you get what you pay for. Don’t expect any clever narratives or deep character developments. This is literally a film that exists to see two kaiju monsters punch and whack and smack and kick and even tickle each other for as long as possible! Hey, tickling still counts as a fighting tactic, don’t diss! Of course at some point someone is going to edit out all the battle sequences in this film and put it together in a 30 minute video mashup on YouTube and then I’d recommend to go watch that video instead to save you time, but for now enjoy Godzilla vs. Kong as it is. 

A bit sentimental, but what boosted my enjoyment level of this film was that I was so happy to see a full on big blockbuster again, it’s been so long. I wish cinemas in the UK were open for me to have enjoyed this on a massive screen, but even still seeing it as I did was still such a welcome notion. Even though as I watched it my entire household all of a sudden decided that now was the time that they all wanted to have a conversation with me about various things causing me to constantly pause this movie throughout turning it from a 2 hour film into a 4 hour viewing experience. It’s the Snyder Cut all over again!

Overall score: 6/10

[myyearinmovies]

216) ⋆ The Mummy (2017) ⋆ - 9/6/2017 (Spoilers)

Nick Morton is a soldier of fortune who plunders ancient sites for timeless artifacts and sells them to the highest bidder. When Nick and his partner come under attack in the Middle East, the ensuing battle accidentally unearths Ahmanet, a betrayed Egyptian princess who was entombed under the desert for thousands of years. With her powers constantly evolving, Morton must now stop the resurrected monster as she embarks on a furious rampage through the streets of London.

This was an average, no I’d probably say slightly below average film. I didn’t originally put my hopes up for this film and I’m really glad I didn’t. I knew from the first viewing of the trailer that this wasn’t going to live up to the original and frankly better The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001) (We don’t talk about The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor). I must admit I have not seen the originals for a while but I remember liking them whenever they were on TV. No doubt also from the first viewing of the trailer, I was a little disappointed about the leading actor. Tom Cruise is an alright actor and he did an alright job in this film but I felt like they just picked the most generic action lead actor just because they know it was going to bring the money rolling in.

A scene which I liked was when Nick and Dr Jekyll were in Dr Jekyll’s ‘office’ and we saw a bit of Mr Hyde before Mr Jekyll injected himself to keep him at bay. I think that was all we needed. Just a tiny sneak peek. I don’t think however they needed the fight scene between Mr Hyde and Nick. That was just way too over the top. I know there’s inevitably going to be a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde movie so that little taster would have been enough to open a window into another story in the Dark Universe. I don’t know whether it was me being oblivious or behind time but I wasn’t expecting Dr Jekyll to appear in the film which I thought was rather interesting and honestly made the film just a little bit better.

As much as I love Jake Johnson (New Girl is one of my all time favourite shows and he’s a little cutie), I think he was just thrown in for comedic effect. The whole ghost thing(?) didn’t really work for me. There honestly isn’t a great deal I actually liked about this film to be honest. I suppose the costuming and effects of Ahmanet were really cool and I loved the look of her. Wasn’t quite sure about the Crusades playing a part in the film either. I get the link between the two with the gem being hidden in the tomb of a Crusader but it just didn’t seem to... fit? 

Overall, like I said, a slightly below average film for me. Aside from this, great special effects and it’s got me excited for the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde movie in the very distant future. I think Russell Crowe was an excellent choice for the role.

6/10

[terranempire]

The Mummy SUCKS

So, Universal is trying to relaunch their classic movie monsters. For the third time in recent years. I get it. There has been success with them in the past, and even some of the more recent iterations did well and were good (which is not the same thing). Brendan Fraser’s films were good and made money (forgetting the abomination that was the third film). “Dracula Untold” was really good but made no money. But this version of “The Mummy” is a trainwreck. I’ll save the biggest and worst problem for the very end but let’s break it down a little, shall we? SPOILERS BELOW

The movie has really uneven pacing, and is very repetitive. It starts with a scene set in the 1100s in England, which really puts you in mind of Egypt and mummies, right? Some Knights Templar are burying one of their own with a shiny red gem. The gem will come in later. A lot. After that brief foray it jumps to the present, where that same location is being rediscovered when they are cutting a new line for the underground. Still no Egypt, still no mummies. Then we finally get the set up for our titular mummy, an Egyptian princess named Ahmanet. It’s the usual story - raised to rule until Daddy managed to get himself a son and now she’s out of a throne, so she turns to evil and kills them all, and gets “mummified alive” for her trouble (which really just means put in a sarcophagus and nothing else). This is all in the trailer. When she gets captured she is mid-ritual to bring the Egyptian god of death, Set, into the world via sacrificing her apparently quite willing boyfriend. Ahmanet is played by the excellent Sofia Boutella, who I love, but the movie really doesn’t let her do a lot. On to our “hero” Nick - Tom Cruise - who is a frontline recon soldier in modern day Iraq who uses his scouting position to steal artifacts and sell them on the black market before Daesh comes in and destroys all that stuff anyway, clearing up any evidence of his wrongdoing for him. It’s a good scam, until he and his wise-cracking, scaredy-pants parter Vail - Jake Johnson - wind up having to call in an airstrike to get away from some insurgents while 100 miles from where they are supposed to be. The airstrike unearths Ahmanet’s tomb/prison (also in the trailer). Tom has found this location by stealing a map sent to a one night stand archaeologist, Jenny - Annabelle Wallis - who shows up on the site at the same time as the military, or possibly with them. It’s not clear. Either way she browbeats them into retrieving the sarcophagus before the insurgents can return and break everything. She’s meant to be strong, I suppose, but she just comes across as a bit of a bitch, which isn’t unreasonable given the circumstances but makes it almost impossible to root for the inevitable “romance”. In the tomb Vail gets bitten by a spider (which is referred to as not being “poisonous” instead of venemous, and it clearly is since he has visible marks of some kind of toxin all over his face shortly thereafter which no one notices). Then comes the set-piece featured in the trailer of the plane disaster. Vail dies from the spider bite and is taken over by Ahmanet’s power. Plane crash follows, with Nick saving Jenny by getting her in a parachute and off the plane, and then dying with the rest of the passengers. The moment stays on him, stuck on the edge of the hole torn in the side of the plane, which the audience can see the ground rushing up through. It’s arguably the best moment of the film because you really feel the futility and sense of impending death and it goes on longer than you would think. Shortly thereafter he wakes up in the morgue, fully intact but seeing the rapidly decomposing ghost of Vail. It’s very “American Werewolf in Paris”, and Vail repeatedly pops up for the rest of the film, trying to convince Nick that they are cursed and filling him in on some of what Ahmanet has planned for him. The tone is very consistent with Jake Johnson’s other work (New Girl, “Let’s Be Cops”, “Jurassic World”) and it sticks out like a sore thumb in this film. It’s just a little too much to be an effective comedic balance to the horror/action elements. The plan is that since her original boyfriend died before she could complete the ritual and put Set in his body Ahmanet has now chosen Nick to be that vessel. Vail wants Nick to give in and take part in the ritual because it is not something he thinks they can fight, or even should. Nick is obviously less keen. Ahmanet is now out and about, sucking the life out of nearby cops and paramedics investigating the crash site, and returning to “life” in the process. It was done better in the Brendan Fraser version of “The Mummy” - Imhotep was scarier and felt far more powerful than Ahmanet does. The limitation of needing to suck down the life force from only the people who were there when his tomb was opened also gave him an oppressive momentum that Ahmanet’s opportunistic kills do not have. Her reanimated victims are also seriously shitty monsters - they flail and squelch and chase but they don’t feel dangerous or kill literally anyone. Again, the Fraser version is vastly superior here - the secondary mummies are dangerous and will fuck you up. Nick and Jenny are at a pub, and this is where some of the best Nick moments happen. She’s asking him how he survived without a scratch and he basically is just getting hammered and shrugging. He’s not a particularly heroic hero - he’s kind of a dick, in it for number one, doesn’t really know or care what’s going on. I liked that about him, but not enough for me to want him to win. Vail’s gross ass shows up again and does his ‘we’re cursed’ thing some more. Ahmanet and some CGI rats freak Nick out with a vision. Nick and Jenny go to the crash site, pulling off at the church where Ahmanet has set up shop. He’s drawn to her, and there is some interesting temptation going on there. Given that she is the only character in the whole movie with any draw, I was honestly well sold on her. Give in, Nick. Be her eternal boytoy. It’s an offer I’d take up. But Nick freaks out when she pulls her magic knife to shiv a god into his body, and she freaks out when she realises her magic knife is broken. The gem half got buried with the Knight Templar in the opening scene. She only has the blade and it doesn’t work without both. Nick and Jenny run away. Shitty CGI mummies try ineffectually to stop them. Nick drives right back to Ahmanet, because she’s in his head, drawing him to her. I liked that. Right as she’s about to fuck him up and kill Jenny, Jenny’s people show up and tranq dart everyone, bringing them all back to their super-secret lair. The dude who has been giving the voiceover background on Ahmanet the whole time is there - Henry Jeckyll (as played by Russell Crowe). His people investigate, contain, and eradicate evil, and Ahmanet is the oldest thing they’ve come up against. We see some nice bits and pieces indicating where Universal plans to go with future “Dark Universe” films - including a vampire skull. He goes over Ahmanet’s backstory again for Nick’s sake, showing the audience the scenes of her killing her family and getting stopped mid-boyfriend sacrifice again. As I said, weirdly repetitive. Jekyll wants to dissect her (for science!) and even Jenny is like, “That’s kind of fucked up.” He also wants to put the magic knife back together and sacrifice Nick to let Set in, and then somehow kill Set. It’s a bad plan, and both Nick and Jenny are like, “Um, pass.” Jekyll then Hyde’s the fuck out, and Hyde tries to talk Nick into becoming Set and evilling together like pals. Nick manages to get him his Jekyll-juice and knocks him out. He and Jenny escape. Ahmanet, using magic spiders for mind-control purposes, also escapes. The spider thing was weird to me. Why not just use scarabs? She’s a fucking mummy. Apparently scarabs are reserved for Arnold Vosloo. ANYWAYS, Jekyll’s people have unearthed the gem half of the magic knife, so Nick & Jenny (and sometimes Vail’s creepy ghost), and Ahmanet, and Jekyll’s people all go for it. Ahmanet reanimates the Knights Templar to kill the Jekyll-people at the crypt while she breaks every window in London (except those on the cars used by Jekyll’s people) to create a sandstorm with her face in it. It is in the trailer. Again, the Fraser films did it better. Ahmanet catches up to Nick & Jenny after she gets the gem and puts her knife together, dragging Jenny into the flooded part of the Knights’ tomb and drowning her. Some of this is also in the trailer. Seriously the whole fucking movie is in the trailer. Nick tries and fails to save her. So, it’s just him and Ahmanet. She’s offering immortality and the power of life over death AND herself as his queen. Like, bro, that’s a great fucking deal. If you don’t take it I WILL. Ahmanet and I can be immortal death goddesses and lovers and you can cry on that dead blonde girl you fucked that one time who believed “somewhere deep inside” that you’re not a douche, despite the ample evidence you personally provided her to the contrary. So Ahmanet kicks Nick around for a little while, trying to get him to say yes to the whole get-sacrificed-and-become-a-god thing even though at no point was it even implied that consent is required, so if you want him that much girl just stab him, and he’s like no, no, no, I don’t want to, it’s not me, it’s you. They tussle and Nick steals the magic knife, and Ahmanet’s like, wtf, thief! And Nick smashes the stone of the knife on the ground, cracking but not destroying it. She tries to convince him once more to join her instead of breaking it, so he just goes “fuck it” and stabs himself to become Set’s vessel. Ahmanet is freaked out and cautious when Set/Nick gets double irises like her (which btw is a stupid fucking design choice), but then he flashes back to blondie telling him she thinks he’s a good man deep inside, and then comes the oh-so-obvious fight against the darkness within bullshit and Nick single-irises again and sucks the life out of Ahmanet, leaving her a mummy once more. He then screams at Jenny’s dead ass not to be dead anymore, so she gets up and he’s all hiding in the shadows, “don’t look at me, I’m a monster, I wish we had more time together (even though neither of us actually likes the other all that much and we only knew each other for a couple of days)”, blah blah. Anyway, he dips and then Jenny and Jekyll talk about how maybe it’s better because sometimes you need monsters to fight monsters, but who know if the evil in him will prevail, etc., blah blah. It intercuts with Nick in the desert somewhere, with his hand pointlessly wrapped reminiscent of a mummy, and Vail is with him. Vail casually thanks him for making him not dead anymore (which did not happen on screen and sticks out like wtf are you talking about? Do you even know how to movie?). And that’s it. Tom Cruise is The fucking Mummy. Tom Cruise. Tom definitely-not-Egyptian, not-even-African-like-Sofia-Boutella-and-Arnold-Vosloo Cruise is The Mummy. That is how Universal decided to reboot their monster franchise. What the ever-loving fuck? What moron greenlit this shit, seriously? Did they honestly think people were going to say, you know who would make a great Mummy? Tom Cruise. You know: Maverick. Ethan Hunt. Jerry Maguire. Motherfucking Lestat. He’s The Mummy.  And that is some bullshit.