Tom Cruise has it all wrapped up in the new ‘THE MUMMY’ trailer

Sofia Boutella in THE MUMMY. Courtesy of Universal Pictures.

Courtney Howard // Film Critic

Universal Pictures has resurrected their monster movie franchises before, but this time director Alex Kurtzman’s THE MUMMY is really hoping to breathe new life into a former worldwide sensation. Since Stephen Sommers 1999 film of the same name made money hand over fist, Kurtzman, along with writers Jon Spaihts (PASSENGERS) and Christopher McQuarrie (MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – ROGUE NATION), have some large shoes to fill. Good thing they’ve hired a bona fide action movie superstar (Tom Cruise) and a kick-ass action movie starlet-on-the rise (Sofia Boutella of KINGSMAN, STAR TREK BEYOND).

Set to the Rolling Stones’ classic “Paint It Black,” the new trailer features more of the narrative, villain and insane special effects. Take a look:

This second trailer also hints that we’re perhaps going to see a different kind of “Tom Cruise Action Movie” – one where he’s not always coming out on top. Here it appears he’s placed in many, far more compromised, vulnerable positions (i.e. not totally surviving a plane crash without some otherworldly help, being yanked out of a car, covered in rats, trapped underwater to battle against the enemy’s minions). It also looks like his character, Nick, is the one to put our world into danger in the first place as he releases the monster after Annabelle Wallis’ character, Jenny, hollers what they’ve stumbled into.

Tom Cruise in THE MUMMY. Courtesy of Universal Pictures.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Thought safely entombed in a tomb deep beneath the unforgiving desert, an ancient princess (Boutella) 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.

From the sweeping sands of the Middle East through hidden labyrinths under modern-day London, The Mummy brings a surprising intensity and balance of wonder and thrills in an imaginative new take that ushers in a new world of gods and monsters.

While the first trailer didn’t really do much for me, this second trailer is quite a bit stronger, leading me to believe this will be at minimum an entertaining popcorn flick to beat the Summer heat.

THE MUMMY opens on June 9.

Courtney Howard

Courtney Howard is a LAFCA, CCA, OFCS and AWFJ member, as well as a Rotten Tomatometer-approved film critic. Her work has been published on Variety, She Knows and Awards Circuit.