"The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" Review - Written by Freelance

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor


Director: Rob Cohen
Cast: Brendan Fraser, Maria Bello, Jet Li, Luke Ford, Michelle Yeoh, and Tian Liang
MPAA: PG-13

Freelance rating: *1/2 out of *****

For a long time and still to this day, we as humans have trouble not buying into a gimmick. Movies; in particular movie sequels are easily found to be prone gimmickly. Even though I really didn’t care for them, The Mummy and (the weaker) The Mummy Returns had a lot of things that work well for them. Stephen Sommers is not a fantastic director, though in the perspective of the Mummy movies, he has done a finer job than director Rob Cohen.

To the same repetition of action pack display that was seen in the first two Mummy films, a third one has been dispensed. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is the same scheme that was routine for buying into any kind of gimmick. “The Mummy 3: Now with new China-plot action, and less Rachel Weisz.”

Since the previous mummy Imhotep has finally been put to an end, another undead immortal has risen from the dead. Emperor Han (Jet Li), was on the brink of obtaining the secret of immortality over two thousand years ago. For seeking such power, Han was put under a curse (and frozen in carbonate…haha!) by a sorceress (Michelle Yeoh). Shooting ahead, it’s 1946 and we are reintroduced to Rick (Brendan Fraser) and Evie O’Connell (Maria Bello). Retired from the expedition lifestyle, they reside in Britain. Evie writes about her journeys and Rick… well, uh… he’s Rick. The two of them are called back into action by Her Majesty’s Service to deliver a stolen relic back to China. Subsequently, Rick and Evie’s son, Alex (Luke Ford) is twenty some years older, a college drop out, has lost his English accent, and picked up what his dad was doing (do I smell LaBeouf/Crystal Skull?). He was excavating the tomb of the Dragon Emperor in China when he is attacked by a mysterious young woman (Tian Liang). With the intentions of keeping Alex from doing something foolish with the tomb, he has it transported to Shanghai. While in Shanghai, Alex runs into his parents. The three of them are fooled into handing over the tomb and the relic to a double crossing official. Of course in the attempt to further the plot, the corrupt official has awakened the Dragon Emperor. It is now up to Rick and his family to stop the Emperor and save all of humanity.

If I took the first and second Mummy films, the director of Stealth, and replaced Rachel Weisz for someone who is not Rachel Weisz and then put them in a meat grinder, the final product would be the rancid meatball known as The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. In a lot of perspectives; this film is the exact same as the other two. Unfortunately, the few things that worked in The Mummy and The Mummy Returns have cleaved the head from the body and replaced it with a big silly CGI yeti body.

The cast was one of the major things that bugged me. I want to know who actually enjoys seeing Brendan Fraser do the same loud, over the top, performance/life sucking bit. He has been hitting that same chord since Encino Man. I must also mention there was an actor that was more annoying than Fraser… if that is possible? Luke Ford who plays Rick O’Connell’s son. Sucking more life than Fraser; when they both appear on screen they are like the wonder twins of annoyance. Fraser takes the form of a pesky mosquito and Ford is a wet blanket. I’m in bewilderment about Maria Bello. Not about her performance. Just the whole ordeal about casting her after Rachel Weisz stated she didn’t like the script. That would have given me enough reason to believe that the film would blow. Not that I think Weisz is the be-all and end-all to knowing everything thing about movie making. It seems to make sense that one of the successful performers from the previous films may know what she is talking about.

The entire storyline seemed absolutely recycled. Writers Miles Millar, Alfred Gough, and director Rob Cohen gave us the exact same film that was seen in 1999 and 2001 by Stephen Sommers. Oh, there were differences, so I guess I can’t say completely recycled. The disjointed CGI characters, the high greenscreen use, and the fact it takes place in China. Those are all fantastic reasons to watch this movie (rolls eyes…). I also can’t help to state the uncanny dialogue and how it seems that they must spell everything out for the audience. It’s not enough that Brendan Fraser has to run down a corridor, shooting at the Dragon Emperor, and then also telling us that he is running away from the Dragon Emperor, because he is really tough. Great Googly Moogly!

Surprisingly enough, I saw a few things worth salvaging. I enjoyed the idea of there being a mummified emperor from China. It was too bad that half of Jet Li’s performance was encased in a CGI statue and the other half was a big, shitty, CGI, three headed dragon. I like Jet Li, but this felt like a huge downgrade.

I did not like The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. I can’t recommend it. If you enjoyed the first two Mummy films, you might find this decently enjoyable. Don’t be surprised that when you watch it, that it’s the same damn movie just less of the things you likes about the first two.