A Treat for Eid

I don't know if this is cheating, but I thought I'd give myself a little treat after some appalling experiences that I'd previously shared with you. I decided to watch The Mummy, Alex Kurtzman's latest take on the franchise at Star Cineplex. Star Cineplex, since its inception has been trying to emulate the higher-end cinema halls which international audiences are used to. However, tickets tended to be overpriced, but I still had the opportunity to go there often as a teenager. This Eid ended the void of almost four years since I had watched a movie there.

Star Cineplex's appeal lies primarily in its cleanliness, good management and updated architecture. As expected, the crowd was overwhelming since it was Eid season. Even though I had to wait in the queue, I noticed it moving fairly fast because of their well-trained staff at the counter. The lobby brought forth a rush of nostalgia; I had saved money in my teens just for a trip to Cineplex with my friends. If you are someone from the late 90s or even a millennial, you can likely relate to juvenile gatherings, awkward first dates, and the expressions on your face when you heard the price of a bowl of pop-corn from the food court in the lobby. As I entered Hall 2 for The Mummy, I was insanely excited to see what the film had in store for me. The hall was a fresh deviation from the murky and unattained ones that I'd been to for weeks prior. 

My expectations from The Mummy, however, fell flat on its face as I watched in horror of how poorly the star cast was handled. Tom Cruise, usually a fantastic actor, gave a mediocre performance at best, whereas Russel Crowe's involvement in the film as Dr. Jekyll (and Mr. Hyde) was confusing to say the least. The actual mummy, which was played by Sofia Boutella, was invigorating. She brought just the right amount of intensity to the table, but unfortunately it was not enough for the numerous plot-holes and deficiencies in the script. Annabelle Wallis was the typical “I don't need you, I'm a strong independent woman” female lead, although ironically she turned into a damsel in distress at the end of the film. She was, of course, saved by Cruise, but at a cost. I will not spoil the plot for you, but do keep your brains at home if you're going to watch this mess of a story. The audience in a way was much more disappointing than the movie itself. A little movie theatre etiquette is needed to be conveyed to us, especially when someone considers bringing their crying one-year olds to the hall. Also, some of the gentlemen passing rude comments during various scenes made me feel like I was back in Jonaki Cinema Hall again. The film and the audience, however, cannot take away from the fact that Star Cineplex has their operations sorted out very neatly, providing good service to its viewers, albeit a bit more costly.

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