The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
(C- or 1.5/4 stars)
Chinese mummies? Yes, apparently they exist in the Far East, as well. In 'The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor' (or The Mummy 3), directed by Rob Cohen, Alex O'Connell unearths the 1st Emperor of Qin, a shape-shifting being who was cursed by a sorceress some 2,000 years ago. It's up to the O'Connells (and their Yeti allies) to combat & defeat this foe before he regains enough strength to dominate the entire world. You would think that the exotic locales, ancient lore, & special effects would be enough to save 'The Mummy 3'. Think again. Usually Brendan Fraser's unabashed silliness/charisma saves a movie (think Journey to the Center of the Earth). But he looks strangely tired throughout this whole film. Aiming for brainless fun, the buck stops a tad short at the 'fun' part.
This film opens with a prologue (very similar to the first Mummy's). Pre-Christ China: Emperor Han (Jet Li) has finished uniting his country. With nothing left to control, he decides to look for a way to live forever (to revel in his domain forever). His scouts find a witch, Zi Juan (Michelle Yeoh), who claims to know the secret of immortality. Unfortunately (for her), she falls in love with Han's head general; and the jealous emperor disposes this general in violent fashion. Furious, the witch curses the emperor & his army ... turning them into terra cotta statues for all eternity.
Flash forward to 1947: College-aged Alex O'Connell (Luke Ford) follows his parents' footsteps by discovering & awakening the slumbering statues. Now in some hot water, his parents, Rick & Evelyn (Brendan Fraser, Maria Bello) come out of retirement to his rescue. Aiding this threesome are Alex's Uncle Jonathan (John Hannah), the witch (alive thousands of yrs. after drinking from an immortality fountain), & her daughter, Lin (Isabella Leong). Can this team (including a band of Himalayan Yetis) keep the emperor from gaining full omnipotence? Who lives? Who dies? Will there be a 'Mummy 4'? Ugh, regrettably ... probably.
The plot to 'The Mummy 3' is preposterous. Then again, I really didn't expect anything less. Sometimes I put aside the absurdity & just enjoyed the mania. For example, I loved an energetic car chase through Shanghai. The mythology of the tomb of the dragon emperor is intriguing (involving the Great Wall of China). The sets (catacombs, tombs, estates) are wondrous. And the best parts of the film involve a Yak & some Yetis (need I say more?). The film's goal was probably to distract its audience with pretty actors, decent special effects, & ineffable 'fun'. But the beginning is uncomfortably flat. Only occasionally do entertaining sequences pop up (Yetis in the Himalayas). And then the plot falls back into a state of joyless, witless torpor.
To follow that, the concluding climax is frantic, cheesy & loud. I already don't remember large chunks of the story; probably because I miss the Egyptian mummies! Jet Li's Emperor lacks the sense of menace and conflict that Arnold Vosloo's Imhotep displayed. In fact, all of the performances are fairly poor. Maria Bello lends a surprisingly passable British accent, but her forced attempt to duplicate Rachel Weisz's Evelyn doesn't work. As mentioned, Fraser seems a bit haggard. And anything involving Luke Ford & Isabella Leong (young love interests) felt unnecessary; we already HAVE Fraser! It's a shame. 'The Mummy 3' has its moments of charm & excitement, but it's just a disappointing mess. Since a sequel is probably pre-ordained, the $$ made from this film should inspire the filmmakers to create a film with better special effects, better acting, & much better dialogue. Ditch Asia, & head back West to the land of sand, pyramids, & hieroglyphics.
This film opens with a prologue (very similar to the first Mummy's). Pre-Christ China: Emperor Han (Jet Li) has finished uniting his country. With nothing left to control, he decides to look for a way to live forever (to revel in his domain forever). His scouts find a witch, Zi Juan (Michelle Yeoh), who claims to know the secret of immortality. Unfortunately (for her), she falls in love with Han's head general; and the jealous emperor disposes this general in violent fashion. Furious, the witch curses the emperor & his army ... turning them into terra cotta statues for all eternity.
Flash forward to 1947: College-aged Alex O'Connell (Luke Ford) follows his parents' footsteps by discovering & awakening the slumbering statues. Now in some hot water, his parents, Rick & Evelyn (Brendan Fraser, Maria Bello) come out of retirement to his rescue. Aiding this threesome are Alex's Uncle Jonathan (John Hannah), the witch (alive thousands of yrs. after drinking from an immortality fountain), & her daughter, Lin (Isabella Leong). Can this team (including a band of Himalayan Yetis) keep the emperor from gaining full omnipotence? Who lives? Who dies? Will there be a 'Mummy 4'? Ugh, regrettably ... probably.
The plot to 'The Mummy 3' is preposterous. Then again, I really didn't expect anything less. Sometimes I put aside the absurdity & just enjoyed the mania. For example, I loved an energetic car chase through Shanghai. The mythology of the tomb of the dragon emperor is intriguing (involving the Great Wall of China). The sets (catacombs, tombs, estates) are wondrous. And the best parts of the film involve a Yak & some Yetis (need I say more?). The film's goal was probably to distract its audience with pretty actors, decent special effects, & ineffable 'fun'. But the beginning is uncomfortably flat. Only occasionally do entertaining sequences pop up (Yetis in the Himalayas). And then the plot falls back into a state of joyless, witless torpor.
To follow that, the concluding climax is frantic, cheesy & loud. I already don't remember large chunks of the story; probably because I miss the Egyptian mummies! Jet Li's Emperor lacks the sense of menace and conflict that Arnold Vosloo's Imhotep displayed. In fact, all of the performances are fairly poor. Maria Bello lends a surprisingly passable British accent, but her forced attempt to duplicate Rachel Weisz's Evelyn doesn't work. As mentioned, Fraser seems a bit haggard. And anything involving Luke Ford & Isabella Leong (young love interests) felt unnecessary; we already HAVE Fraser! It's a shame. 'The Mummy 3' has its moments of charm & excitement, but it's just a disappointing mess. Since a sequel is probably pre-ordained, the $$ made from this film should inspire the filmmakers to create a film with better special effects, better acting, & much better dialogue. Ditch Asia, & head back West to the land of sand, pyramids, & hieroglyphics.