Tom Cruise wants (or maybe doesn’t want) his ‘Mummy’

If you try to marry a major star to a familiar story where the plot is really the star, the result is likely to be uneven at best.

So it is with “The Mummy,” which probably seemed like a good idea at the time. Tom Cruise vs. a legendary monster? “Sure!,” said those who gave it the green light.

The problem is that Cruise’s enormous fame and presence counterbalance whatever scares there are, which is why a movie like this almost always works better with actors who are just under the radar. Even if it has flaws, it’s more believable.

A mummy targeting Tom Cruise? Gee, who do you think is going to win? (You have 0.2 seconds. We’ll wait.)

As utterly predictable as the outcome is here, it’s strangely amusing to watch Cruise attempt this genre. He plays a seeker and seller of ancient artifacts, and he’s invaded by the spirit of a sinister princess (Sofia Boutella, the agile alien of last year’s “Star Trek Beyond”). What’s weird is that Cruise treats the infiltration as no more bothersome than the common cold. Call us crazy, but being occupied by a mummy would seem to merit a more desperate response.

Russell Crowe turns up as another famous figure of horror lore – that won’t be spoiled here – and Annabelle Wallis is appropriately beautiful and brave as the archeologist who partners with Cruise in more ways than one. “New Girl’s” Jake Johnson does what he can with the traditional hapless-sidekick role.