Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Tom Cruise's violent, uneven monster movie isn't memorable.
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The Mummy
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 18 parent reviews
Parents say this movie is darker and more violent than expected, with some reviewers noting it features inappropriate content for younger viewers. Despite mixed feelings regarding the plot and character development, many still found it entertaining, highlighting the action and suspense elements, while others criticized it for lacking coherence and originality.
- darker content
- mixed reviews
- good action
- inappropriate for kids
- lack of coherence
- entertaining yet flawed
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 32 kid reviews
Kids say the film is packed with action and jump scares but has a mixed reception due to its dark themes and complicated plot. While some viewers enjoyed the thrills and humor, others found it disappointing compared to previous versions and noted excessive violence and suggestive content that may not be suitable for younger audiences.
- action-packed
- dark themes
- mixed reception
- excessive violence
- suggestive content
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In THE MUMMY, Nick Morton (Tom Cruise) and Chris Vail (Jake Johnson) are military recon men who use their positions to hunt treasure in the Middle East and sell it on the black market. During one explosive mission, they discover an Egyptian tomb with a most unusual sarcophagus inside, heavily protected by a pool of mercury. Archeologist Jenny Halsey (Annabelle Wallis) and the two men liberate it. But a sandstorm arises, and a flock of birds smashes into their plane, causing it to veer off course. Upon impact, Nick wakes up, miraculously alive but now cursed. He's now the "chosen one" of the mummy, a banished princess called Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella). She's bent on obtaining a special knife and gemstone to carry out a terrifying ritual, at the possible cost of Nick's life. Only Dr. Henry Jekyll (Russell Crowe) can help.
Is It Any Good?
The first entry in Universal's ultimately canceled Dark Universe monster series gets things off to a so-so start. The Mummy tries to be a crowd-pleaser, but it seems that its makers never decided exactly what kind of movie it is. Like the same-named 1999 film, it's an action movie above all. It casts Nick as a lovable scoundrel, and it makes many attempts at snappy humor between him and the other characters. There's also at least one clever fight scene. But aside from a couple of simple jump scares and references to other monsters, it lacks real terror or a compelling monster.
Director Alex Kurtzman has worked as a screenwriter on plenty of big, loud action movies (including two Transformers entries), but he'd only helmed one other movie, the sentimental drama People Like Us, before this one. Though the effects department on The Mummy provided him with great-looking sandstorms, spiders, rats, undead soldiers, and other nifty things, he can't seem to balance the humor with the action or the action with the monsters. Some of it is confusing, dull, or both. Much of it is entertaining in separate chunks, but the chunks don't add up to very much.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Mummy's violence. Does it go over the top, or does it seem appropriate for the story? How did it make you feel? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of scary movies and monster movies?
Is the main character likable even though he's a thief? Why, or why not? How do movies and TV shows make scoundrels sympathetic?
In two scenes, Nick drinks a lot, very quickly. Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 9, 2017
- On DVD or streaming : September 12, 2017
- Cast : Tom Cruise , Russell Crowe , Annabelle Wallis , Sofia Boutella
- Director : Alex Kurtzman
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Middle Eastern/North African Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Universal Pictures
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic , Monsters )
- Run time : 107 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence, action and scary images, and for some suggestive content and partial nudity
- Last updated : May 5, 2026
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