In a nutshell, you're either a fan of over the top adventure
movies or you're not. Clearly, an ability to suspend reality is
required to fully enjoy a movie like The Mummy, Tomb of the
Dragon Emperor.
This chapter in the ongoing saga of the O'Connell family,
The Mummy, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, has the gang
fighting the resurrected Han Emperor, played by Jet Li. From the neon-lit
streets of post-war Shanghai to the Great Wall of China and high into the
Himalayas, the Han Emperor fights to resurrect his Terra Cotta Army, give them
Eternal Life and then rule the world. Will the O'Connells and their allies be
able to save mankind?
As
with all of the movies in the Mummy series, there are references to historical
places and facts that are expanded upon. Without the historical references,
there would be absolutely no reason to believe the plot. In this case the Great
Wall becomes the burial ground of an army that can defeat the Mummy and his
Terra Cotta Warriors. What if the Terra Cotta Warriors were really an army
waiting to be resurrected by their undead Emperor?
Maria
Bello steps in for Rachel Weisz as Evelyn O'Connell and within a few
minutes it was clear she is perfect for the part. Maria Bello even does a
halfway decent British accent.
Where the movie really falls apart is with the script. The writing in all of
the Mummy movies has left something to be desired, but in this movie there are
moments when you really have to wonder how corny it is supposed to be? There are
romantic scenes where Rick O'Connell interacts with wife Evelyn and others where
he interacts with his son that just make you want to barf. In all fairness, its
not Brendan Fraser that's the problem, nobody could deliver these gushing lines
believably. And Fraser isn't the only cast member with bad lines.
The
Mummy excels with it's fast paced storyline, over the top special effects and
fight scenes that are so well choreographed, that they can only be called
spectacular. Obviously, when an expert at Martial Arts like Jet Li is in a film,
everyone has to step up their game. For the most part the movie is just a series
of action scenes with a few low drama moments (sub-plots) tying them together.
Fortunately the action is so well done that it makes up for the shortcomings
with the script and sub-plots.
Bottom line, if you like action adventure movies, you'll like The Mummy, Tomb
of the Dragon Emperor. Comparing this movie to the others in The Mummy series,
it is nearly impossible to determine which one is the best. And when we're
talking about Hollywood sequels, that's good, dependable news. Go see it!