By Chris Kavan - 06/08/17 at 06:49 AM CT
Wonder Woman has proven that not only can a female-led and female directed movie do well at the box office, but that DC finally can hang with the MCU. It's going to be tough to dethrone the kick-ass heroine but Tom Cruise is going to try his best with the reboot of The Mummy. While it's not likely to be as big of threat, the horror film It Comes at Night has been getting rave reviews and, much like It Follows, looks to be a cult favorite among horror fans. Finally, for those wanting a dose of reality, the war-time drama Megan Leavey, starring Kate Mara, is also going to drop. It should be another big weekend as summer gets in to full swing.
THE MUMMY The first step in Universal Picture's plan to launch their own monster-themed shared universe starts with Tom Cruise taking on Sofia Boutella - even as they share a dark connection, in the rebooted The Mummy. The last time The Mummy franchise broke out, it was a hit, generating over $150 million (over $200 million for the sequel) in domestic grosses alone. This time around, Boutella is a princess scorned, and through dark magic and a millennia to stew in her anger, she is unleashed upon the modern world, which is unprepared to deal with such a dark power. Cruise is along as the person who frees her - and in doing so becomes entangled with her fate. To prove this is indeed a new monster universe, Russell Crowe is on board as Dr. Henry Jekyll - who is sure to get his own movie some day. Annabelle Wallis, Jake Johnson and Courtney B. Vance help round out the cast. This Mummy comes with a $125 million price tag and early reviews are not exactly helping things. The film is going up against Wonder Woman and all signs point to The Mummy only being able to hit $45 million at best - not exactly a thrilling start to the so-called Dark Universe. Still, as long as it can top Dracula Untold ($56.2 million) and break out a bit overseas, I don't think Universal is going to can their shared monster universe idea. It might not open as high as they want, but I think in the long run it is going to be OK.
Now this is more my kind of horror movie. It's a taught, end-of-the-world thriller that follows a family (Joel Edgerton, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Carmen Ejogo) who wind up in the middle of nowhere in order to escape a deadly virus that threatens humanity. Edgerton (so good in films like The Gift and Midnight Special) is a history teacher turned survivalist who will do anything to protect his family. You would think moving out to an isolated cabin in the woods would suffice, but no, a couple and their young son (Christopher Abbott, Riley Keough and Griffin Robert Faulkner) manage to find them and convince them to take them in. But soon enough paranoia, tension, jealousy all rear their ugly heads as trust quickly breaks down leading to a violent confrontation. It plays on themes of survival at any cost and reflects the modern-day isolationist standpoint that has become all too common in our current political climate. It's claustrophobic and keeps you on the edge of your seat. This could very well be in the running for the best horror film of the year.
For those who want a little more inspiration and patriotism in their movie viewing pleasure, Megan Leavey is sure to scratch that itch. Based on the true story, Kate Mara takes on the role of the young Marine corporal, who finds herself cleaning up after the K9 unit following a disciplinary hearing. But this is where she forms a bond with Rex, an unusually aggressive dog who none-the-less forms a bond with her. Together, after going through training, the two complete over 100 missions in Iraq, saving countless lives, before an IED puts both their fates in jeopardy. I'm guessing they're going to play things a bit more safe in this PG-13 story. We're not going to get gritty like Sniper, Zero Dark Thirty or The Hurt Locker - no, this is going to be light on the horrors of war and heavy on the inspirational tale. This is not a war movie for Father's Day, this is a strong woman for post Mother's Day - too bad Wonder Woman is already there to fill that role. This should open modest and probably only last a week or two before exiting theaters.
Wonder Woman should have little problem ruling the roost for a second straight weekend. The Mummy faces an uphill battle for audience support while It Comes at Night will attract horror fans, but probably not a wider audience. I'll be back on Sunday with the final results.
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