The Mummy (2017) Movie Review

The Mummy (2017)

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Written by: David Koepp and Christopher McQuarrie and Dylan Kussman (screenplay by), Jon Spaihts andAlex Kurtzman & Jenny Lumet (screen story by)
Directed by: Alex Kurtzman
Starring: Tom Cruise, Jake Johnson, Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis, Courtney B. Vance, Russell Crowe
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
Ancient Egyptian princess Ahmanet is awakened from her crypt beneath the desert, unleashing terror as she strives to complete an ancient ritual.

Verdict
This is just mediocre. It feels like something I've seen before. It's a clumsy attempt to start a movie franchise of monsters. Jake Johnson really feels like he should be the lead. It wouldn't save the movie, but it would help. There's plenty of filler and groundwork for future movies until we get to the boring ending.
Skip it.

Review
This is the attempted start of Universal's 'Dark Universe,' well a restart. Dracula Untold (2014) was the original entry to start the franchise, but was quickly ignored after a poor performance. I'm guessing there might be a new, new start after The Mummy. This franchise starter might have worked better if this movie was decent. It has a solid if uninspired start as we see the tale of Egyptian Queen Ahmanet and her fall into darkness as she desires power and prominence.

Fast forward a few hundred years and we have enlisted military men Jake Johnson and Tom Cruise playing grave robbing duo Chris and Nick. While currently active duty, they "liberate" artifacts on the side. Cruise just isn't shady enough to play morally ambiguous. I have to think this movie would be more fun with Johnson as the lead and Cruise as the sidekick. Sure it seems like a misfire from a marketing standpoint, but it certainly would added to the comic relief. I was disappointed this wasn't more of a buddy action movie.  Johnson is underused.

Nick (Cruise) teams with the female lead to fight monsters. He's at the center of the plot as he cursed himself when exploring Queen Ahmanet's tomb. She wants to complete an ancient ritual to bring the Egyptian God of death Set to physical form by inhabiting Nick's body.

If you're starting a franchise, you've got to get those cameos in. Dr. Jekyll is head of a secret organization. He's mostly plot filler as we delay the eventual final show down.
 It's just such a cheesy ending, every part of it. It's dubious at best, ludicrous at worst, from saving the girl, to overcoming one of the greatest forces of evil through sheer force of will, to leaving this wide open for a sequel. This didn't leave me wanting more, I didn't want what I got.

I would think if you're trying to start a movie universe, you'd start with a well known character. If you're going to use The Mummy franchise to introduce characters for future movies, wouldn't you introduce more than just one?
The Dark Universe planned to include Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Invisible Man. So far no more movies in the universe have been given release dates.