Lee Cronin's The Mummy
The brief
Lee Cronin trades the gonzo splatter of Evil Dead Rise for something more psychologically twisted, building dread through family trauma rather than chainsaws. Jack Reynor anchors the horror with a father's desperate confusion, while the film cranks tension through what feels wrong rather than what jumps out at you. The desert setting becomes genuinely unsettling as Cronin lets paranoia and doubt fester in every family interaction. Perfect for fans of The Babadook or Hereditary who want their scares rooted in broken people trying to heal impossible wounds.
The verdict
If you crave psychological horror that crawls under your skin through family dysfunction and creeping dread rather than gore and jump scares, this is a genuinely unsettling experience that earns its chills. If you're expecting monster movie thrills or the blood-soaked chaos of Cronin's Evil Dead Rise, the slow-burn approach and focus on emotional trauma over supernatural spectacle will likely leave you cold.
Watch with
- 👫 Horror fans who appreciate slow psychological builds
- ⚠️ Parents may find child endangerment themes distressing
Heads up
- Child disappearance and endangerment (moderate)
- Psychological manipulation and family trauma (moderate)
- Desert survival elements (brief)
Credits
- Director
- Lee Cronin
- Cast
- Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, Veronica Falcón, Shylo Molina, Billie Roy
Official synopsis
The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace—eight years later, the broken
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with Desert Warrior (2026)
Both films explore desert settings with family trauma and supernatural horror elements.
