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Early 'The Mummy' reviews, "Dark Universe is dead on arrival"

Aww, I was looking forward to some monster mashing. I must have missed or had forgotten that Alex Kurtzman was directing this though, expectations tempered further.

Best Mummy movie is still the Karloff film.
 

Korey

Member
It's been a while since I saw the mummy movies (like with the rock). Weren't they like Indiana Jones style comedy movies? I don't remember them being scary lol
 

morningbus

Serious Sam is a wicked gahbidge series for chowdaheads.
So, the point of these cinematic universes is that they'll enhance the appeal of one another and prompt people to see multiple movies. The "halo effect".

But so far we've seen two would-be cinematic universes deliver dud films, and the irony is that these just drag down and weaken the appeal of future films.

I guess Wonder Woman is fine, but when I think about how it's technically canon with MoS, BvS and Suicide Squad, I wince.

The real appeal of these universes is to the studio heads, who realized that a "cinematic universe" allows them to sell sequels that aren't sequels.

The hardcore obsessive knows the difference between these things, even down to how Deadpool isn't actually a Marvel movie like how Dr. Stranger is a Marvel movie, but the average movie-goer mostly can't tell the difference.

I saw Batman v. Superman with a group of friends, explained to them the difference between Marvel and DC, and still had to field questions about whether Spiderman could be in it. These people aren't dumb: they just don't care about it.

The biggest effect it has is that you can generally build marketing off the back of the previous project. Marvel can advertise that they're the studio that brought you Iron-Man when selling you Ant-Man. DC, for example, didn't really say, "You loved her in Batman v. Superman, a movie you probably didn't like, now see her again!" because, you know, that's pretty weak. It didn't stop Wonder Woman being advertised as its own movie and doing really well on its own, like most movies not set in interconnected universes.
 
So, the point of these cinematic universes is that they'll enhance the appeal of one another and prompt people to see multiple movies. The "halo effect".

But so far we've seen two would-be cinematic universes deliver dud films, and the irony is that these just drag down and weaken the appeal of future films.

I guess Wonder Woman is fine, but when I think about how it's technically canon with MoS, BvS and Suicide Squad, I wince.

Eh. I think that "halo effect" is something that needs to be built up. If you feel it pretty strongly for Marvel films, that's because that franchise has had almost a decade to get to this point.

Pre-Avengers, I would argue that that effect didn't really exist at all outside of pre-established Marvel fans. I certainly didn't feel compelled to see Thor or The Incredible Hulk because of Iron Man or Captain America. I did go back and check them out later because of The Avengers though.
 

Fury451

Banned
It's been a while since I saw the mummy movies (like with the rock). Weren't they like Indiana Jones style comedy movies? I don't remember them being scary lol

The first had sme genuinely creepy moments, especially in the first half.
 

Ridley327

Member
I just don't see the appeal of a monsterverse or a kaijuverse. The latter I can see the appeal of a big dumb kaiju wretlemania. I don't see what the appeal of the former is.

The thing with the Godzilla/King Kong stuff is it has already worked for decades with how much cross-pollination Toho did with their movies, and we already have a proven "kaiju Wrestlemania" in Destroy All Monsters, but the danger there is that Toho never really fussed over having those team-ups make much sense beyond saving a few bucks by reusing costumes and props.
 
It's been a while since I saw the mummy movies (like with the rock). Weren't they like Indiana Jones style comedy movies? I don't remember them being scary lol
The original was 1930s classic horror in the vein of Dracula

Fraiser's films were action-adventure/comedy loose remakes
 

Cuburt

Member
The latest trailers and commercials make it look like a bore with lots of spectacle to fill the gaps. Probably the worse blockbuster trailer after Transformers Last Knight or whatever it's called.
 

Nekofrog

Banned
Who is shit taking the first Fraser mummy movie, fite me

”HEY BENNY, LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE RIV-URRRRRR."
 
The sequels are whatever, but the first film is one of the best pulpy period action-adventure films out there and it fully embraces its inherit silliness in a very genuine way, along with a top-to-bottom stellar cast. It's not much of a horror movie (though I'd argue that it does at least try prior to Imhotep being fully resurrected with the various stalking scenes and how much they get away with in the organ stealing department), but I really enjoyed the direction they took with it all the same.

Yup.. I rolled my eyes when I saw how "dark and gritty" this new one was
 

squallheart

Member
They first one is a legit fun movie. The second one is terrible and has a kid that was even more annoying than Anakin. I can't remember anything about the third it was so forgettable.

This. Enjoyed the first one and when they added the kid I'm like why? I'm still going to see this film. It would of been awesome if cruise turned into the mummy and Fraser has an extra cut scene being recruited. XD.
 

FairyD

Member
Fuck the critics! The Cruise Missile is always on point.

I'll wait for the dvd/netflix release and will watch wonder woman instead
 

Tom_Cody

Member
The movie can never live up to how great and memorable and suspenseful the leaked trailer was, though. Surely, you can accept that undeniable fact.
The GOAT

How is that a perfect example? I follow the opinion of critics/friends/family who have proven over time to have similar tastes to me. Tom_Cody's opinion on the film does little to sway me one way or the other. He may have completely opposite taste in films for all I know.
2FQhgE8.gif
 

BocoDragon

or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
Yup.. I rolled my eyes when I saw how "dark and gritty" this new one was
Ironically, I remember rolling my eyes that they turned a classic horror franchise into a comedic adventure movie back in 1999.

Movie turned out alright, though.
 

Linkura

Member
Same reason people like Space Jam. They were 6.

Fuck no, I watched the first Fraser Mummy as an adult and really enjoyed it. Didn't see the second. Walked out midway through the movie for the third.

I rewatched Space Jam as an adult and it definitely wasn't as good as I remembered but still entertaining. And the theme song is still primo.
 

Fury451

Banned
I still want to see this but my expectations of always been low, and this whole universe thing is the new version of everything has to be a trilogy. More often than not does ambitious cart before the horse plans mean the individual movie suffers in some form.

Still, I'm crushing on Sofia Boutella and find her very charismatic and entertaining to watch in my opinion, so besides the Cruise Missile I'd see it for her anyway.
 

Poppy

Member
the first fraser mummy movie is great fun, i will always defend that

later on with cgi dwayne scorpion and apparently jet li???? i guess was in the third one? yeah nuts to that

but i do like the first one
 

Oersted

Member
The latest trailers and commercials make it look like a bore with lots of spectacle to fill the gaps. Probably the worse blockbuster trailer after Transformers Last Knight or whatever it's called.

Transformers was atleast nuts. Mummy looked like been here, done that.
 
I'm not sure I understand the sense in giving Kurtzman this big blockbuster. But maybe it scares Fox away from letting Kinberg direct X-Men. Heck, wasn't Orci lined up to direct Star Trek Beyond at a point?
 

Linkura

Member
I'm not sure I understand the sense in giving Kurtzman this big blockbuster. But maybe it scares Fox away from letting Kinberg direct X-Men. Heck, wasn't Orci lined up to direct Star Trek Beyond at a point?

Hollywood never fucking learns with this shit.
 
I'm shocked so many people hold the Fraser movies in high regard

Its a pure adventure film with a "unique" setting and action,
even at the worst levels it works in a niche way like Pirates of the Caribbean.

Thats why the modern setting worried me so much about this.

I'd argue Crystal Skull in there as well but it is harder to derive default enjoyment from just because it so heavily shits on the incredible franchise.
 
Aren't Bardem, Depp, et al. already signed to their movies though?

If this is enough of a bomb I can see the whole lot being cancelled. Provided production on nothing else has been started it's probably not too late.

So are they gonna take a second mulligan on this one and delay the "official" start of this Universal Universe to a third film?

This is already the third attempt. Wolfman > Dracula Untold > The Mummy

Did Disney/ Marvel even plan out MCU before the first iron man?

Yes, I believe that was always the plan. It's a big part of the reason why Disney bought them. Although the universe building in Iron Man was minor enough that had it been a bomb and the others got cancelled I don't think anyone would have really cared.
 

Mechazawa

Member
Gee whiz, I wonder what happens when you get an F-tier writer to become an F-tier director and steward of your multi-film universe.

I wonder.

I WONDER.
 
To be fair, the originals aren't exactly classics. They at least had some semblance of fun and humor...This movie looks void of both.

Bring back Brendon Fraser.
 

Grizzlyjin

Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
Anyone excited to see this anecdotally? Want to get an indication of how much it'll bomb

Eh kinda. I'll probably be seeing this and something else. Might just sit back and wait for Baby Driver to drop, then pair it up with The Mummy.
 

Eppy Thatcher

God's had his chance.
I had kind of convinced my brain that this movie was going to pull a tricky dick on me and halfway through the flick make Tom the bad guy and I was gonna be super happy about it...

sucks that this sucks. But that first trailer/teaser that released without Fx audio was like a bad omen... maybe... you could say... a curse.
 

DrSlek

Member
Not even slightly surprised. Taking a concept like a Mummy, which is kind of campy by contemporary standards, and making it (seemingly) a serious monster action movie was just a very poor decision.
The Brendan Fraser movies got it right by not taking themselves too seriously.

Maybe they'll get it right when they remake The Mummy again in another 20 years.
 

jetjevons

Bish loves my games!
My mistake, I was referring to the Fraser vehicles of the 90s and 00s. I think it's safe to say that this film has more in common with those than the original universal flicks.

The Mummy (first Frasier vehicle) was awesome though! Like the Guardians of the Galaxy of monster movies, at the time.
 

Oersted

Member
Not even slightly surprised. Taking a concept like a Mummy, which is kind of campy by contemporary standards, and making it (seemingly) a serious monster action movie was just a very poor decision.
The Brendan Fraser movies got it right by not taking themselves too seriously.

Maybe they'll get it right when they remake The Mummy again in another 20 years.

If the reviews are anything go by, the mummy gets barely anything to do. So it doesn't seem like much of a monster movie.
 
I just got back from Universals Studios a few days ago and The Mummy ride got me excited to see the movie despite low expectations. I'm finally going to go see Wonder Woman Friday and I was planning on seeing The Mummy as well, but now I don't know.
 

louiedog

Member
What's the difference between THE Mummy and A Mummy? What defines The Mummy that's shared between the old classics, the Fraser series, and this new one? Like if Warner Bros wanted to make a movie about a mummy monster what would they have to stay away from to not encroach on THE Mummy?
 
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