Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

Theatrical Release Date: 2008 08 01 (USA)

UPC: 025195052238

Studio: Universal Studios

MPAA Rating: PG13   Contains:[Violence]

Summary: The Fast and the Furious director Rob Cohen continues the tale set into motion by director Stephen Sommers with this globe-trotting adventure that finds explorer Rick O'Connell and son attempting to thwart a resurrected emperor's (Jet Li) plan to enslave the entire human race. It's been 2,000 years since China's merciless Emperor Han and his formidable army were entombed in terra cotta clay by a double-dealing sorceress (Michelle Yeoh), but now, after centuries in suspended animation, an ancient curse is about to be broken. Thanks to his childhood adventures alongside father Rick (Brendan Fraser) and mother Evelyn (Maria Bello), dashing young archeologist Alex O'Connell (Luke Ford) is more than familiar with the power of the supernatural. After he is tricked into awakening the dreaded emperor from his eternal slumber, however, the frightened young adventurer is forced to seek out the wisdom of his parents -- both of whom have had their fair share of experience battling the legions of the undead. Should the fierce monarch prove capable of awakening his powerful terra cotta army, his diabolical plan for world domination will finally be set into motion. Of course, the one factor that this emperor mummy failed to consider while solidifying his power-mad plans was the O'Connells, and before this battle is over, the monstrous monarch will be forced to contend with the one family that isn't frightened by a few rickety reanimated corpses. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Category: Adventure

Awards: Best Art Direction in a Fantasy Film – Costume Guild Awards

Features: Blu-ray exclusive U-Control
The Dragon Emperor's Challenge
Know Your Mummy
Scene Explorer
Visual Commentary
BD Live
Hi-Def features:
Picture in Picture
The Making of the Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
From City to Desert
Legacy of the Terra Cotta
Visual commentary with director Rob Cohen

Additional features:
Deleted and extended scenes
Preparing for Battle with Brendan Fraser and Jet Li
Jet Li: Cfrafting the Emperor Mummy
Creating New and Supernatural Worlds

Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

Format: Blu-ray

Release Date: 12/16/2008

Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 2.40:1

Audio: DHMA null, DTS Digital Theater Systems

Runtime: 112 Minutes

Sides: 2

Number of Discs: 2

Language(s) English,Spanish,French

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish

Jeremy Wheeler

The lighthearted, FX-laden Mummy franchise continues in this flawed yet breezy installment that stays true to the series' mix of humor, expensive eye candy, and wild action spectacle. Much is new in this third outing, as can be seen in its locale (China), its villain (Jet Li), as well as a 20-year old grown-up son character (Luke Ford) and two new leading ladies (Maria Bello and Michelle Yeoh) -- never mind a different helmer at the wheel (Rob Cohen). The changes affect the film dramatically, from the director who's a bit uncomfortable with camp sensibilities to the others who strive to find their own footing in a vehicle not designed for their strengths. The end result is a bit underwhelming, but it's not as if the series was high art to begin with. While not as fresh as the first film -- and nowhere near as gonzo as the second -- Tomb of the Dragon Emperor at least strives to continue the vibe that its predecessors created. As far as audience reactions go, much will depend on what kind of expectations and critical eye viewers bring with them when they see it. If there is one thing that is for sure, though -- like it or not, the Mummy series is back. Right off the bat, this isn't the film that it could be. It's true that the eagerly awaited Jet Li/Michelle Yeoh face-off is a waste of both their talents. One would think that they would be able to come up with something dynamic to hand the viewers, yet it seems that Cohen was more interested in their name rather than their skills. As far as the actual shooting of the scenes, the flick suffers thanks to its reliance on fast cutting and closely cropped framing, thereby giving much of the action an incoherent feel. Acting-wise, while it's refreshing to see Maria Bello getting to play a fun character for once, the talented actress does deserve a bit of drumming for her over-the-top English accent and not-so-sparkling chemistry with her mate. Additionally, her onscreen son, newcomer Luke Ford, seems a bit lost within the confines of the picture -- a thankless spot to be in given how much of a stretch it is to accept him as the son of the still-youthful Brendan Fraser. As far as the series' man goes, the actor still has the power to elevate even the weakest material, thanks to his deft comic timing and the unpredictable quirks he injects into even the most throwaway lines. Yet with all of the critiques on the table, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor still manages to entertain. With its strokes of broad humor and a relatively light tone throughout, the film should certainly appeal to courteous moviegoers looking for fun. Special-effects-wise, the razzle-dazzle factor is certainly there, even if some of the bigger CG creatures aren't given quite enough screen time to fully satisfy -- or provide solid comprehension, for that matter. In a way, there's a certain charm to the shoddy nature of the series. Take this installment's fantastical addition to the series' roster of monsters -- namely, the yetis! Cheese-ball in every way, the big furry blokes would surely go down as an arguable source of contention if the film took itself even vaguely seriously -- which it does not. Plus, this could be the first time that the Yeti nation has been given subtitled dialogue, which might just be the dividing line for those ready to buy into this extremely silly exercise in fluff. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Rob Cohen  Director 
Sean Daniel  Producer 
Bob Ducsay  Producer 
Randy Edelman  Composer (Music Score) 
Stephen Sommers  Producer 
James Jacks  Producer 
Huang Jianxin  Executive Producer 
Chris Brigham  Executive Producer 
Alfred Gough  Screenwriter 
Miles Millar  Screenwriter 
Ren Zhonglun  Executive Producer 
Brendan Fraser  Actor 
Jet Li  Actor 
Maria Bello  Actor 
John Hannah  Actor 
Michelle Yeoh  Actor 
Luke Ford  Actor 
Anthony Wong  Actor 
Isabella Leong  Actor 
Liam Cunningham  Actor 
David Calder  Actor 
Russell Wong  Actor 
Anthony Wong Chau-Sang  Actor 
Jessey Meng  Actor 
Liang Tian  Actor 
Albert Kwan  Actor 

Country: USA