'Under Wraps': A 2021 Halloween Remake

This remake of a Disney Channel Original Movie brings a strong representative cast.

Under Wraps is a Disney Channel Original Movie that is based on the 1997 film of the same name. Three friends Gilbert, Marshall, and Amy discover a mummy in a neighbor’s basement. What makes this remake different from the original movie of the same name is that this film brings a strong representative cast. Viewers will understand the analysis of this not-so-entertaining horror-themed story with references to Halloween.

For one, we see that the three main characters–Gilbert (Christian J. Simon), Rose (actress unknown), and Harold the mummy (Phil Wright) bring a strong representation of African Americans in the remake. In addition, we see a feature of LGBTQ+ representation with Amy (Sophia Hammons) being a child with two dads.

However, this remake of Under Wraps is the lowest-rated Disney Channel Original Movie in history, only receiving 0.41 viewers on premiere night despite having a diverse cast. People describe this remake of Under Wraps as “a thinly veiled remake and portrayal” of the original horror-themed movie of the same name. The new cast members who play the main characters–Marshall, Gilbert, Amy, and Harold the mummy–do not resemble the cast members from the original film.

Viewers can tell that this film takes place a few days before Halloween from the Halloween decorations at the neighbors’ houses and the scary movie Marshall and Gilbert see in the opening scene. There is also a foreshadowing element in the beginning scene where Marshall, Gilbert, and Amy encounter a mummy in the Egyptian exhibit in the museum during a class trip. The kids participate in the class discussion about coffins and mummies. The mummy in the exhibit hints to the viewers that the kids will experience something unexpected later during the night.

In conclusion, this remake of Under Wraps is considered to be a boring one despite having a diverse cast. What makes a horror-themed movie entertaining depends on the surprises the main characters face and how original and creative the storyline is.