Movie review
June 6, 2017 · 110 min · PG-13
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The 2017 reboot stars Tom Cruise as a US soldier whose looting in Iraq accidentally awakens Princess Ahmanet, a mummified ancient Egyptian royal who made a demonic pact for power and now seeks to unleash chaos in the modern world alongside a secret monster-hunting organization. The narrative relies on standard action-horror beats, mythological backstory, and supernatural battles with no activist dialogue or reframing. A single audience-visible element stands out: the central monster is reimagined as a female princess rather than the male mummy of prior franchise entries, presented as a story choice that fits her royal origin without identity signaling or modern messaging.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Mummy.
Woke representation / casting
The antagonist is recast as female Princess Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella), a visible gender change from prior male mummies that fits the new royal backstory but receives coverage as a deliberate twist without diversity marketing or signaling.
Woke political dialogue
No political, ideological, activist, or identity-related dialogue appears anywhere in the film.
Identity-driven story themes
The princess backstory involves throne loss to a male sibling sparking evil ambition, handled strictly as ancient mythological villainy without modern gender or identity reframing.
Western institutional / cultural critique
No modern critiques of institutions, norms, masculinity, capitalism, or Western structures; supernatural conflict stays apolitical.
Woke character or canon changes
Gender swap of the Mummy to female Ahmanet marks a clear departure from canon male versions like Imhotep, audience-visible and highlighted in reviews as a reinvention.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Complete lack of woke complaints, backlash over diversity, or accusations of left-wing propaganda; reception ignored politics entirely.
Creator track record context
Director Kurtzman later engaged with diversity themes in other franchises, providing minor supporting context despite no application here.
Production
