Seven years after the Mummy Returns,
Universal finally releases the third film in the Mummy franchise, but with a
twist. The original writer/director, Stephen Somers, had been replaced by
director Rob Cohen. Rachel Weisz, who played Evelyn O’Connell, has been replaced this time out by Maria Bello. And even the sands of ancient Egypt have been forsaken for a new locale: China. Taking place in 1946, after the end of the Second World War, the third Mummy movie deals with an ancient Chinese emperor--played by martial arts superstar Jet Li--who, after conquering all of China, now seeks to conquer death itself through supernatural means.
Alex O’Connell (Luke Ford), Rick and Evie’s boy, is now all grown up and hunting for lost treasures in China when he finds the tomb of this despotic emperor and his terracotta army. Soon, he’s getting ready for the great unveiling of his find in Shanghai--which is also where his parents happen to be, delivering a priceless diamond for the British intelligence service. But this diamond serves a hidden purpose; it’s meant to be used to awaken the great Dragon Emperor--and when that happens, something truly horrible will be unleashed: countless scenes of kung-fu combat.
The third Mummy movie lacks the comedic sense of whimsical fun that director Stephen Somers brought to the first two Mummy movies--John Hannah, who could always be counted on to steal a scene as Evie’s drunken lush of a brother, appears strained and somewhat tired here--but director Cohen still knows how to stage action scenes very well, and many of his set pieces are stunning, and very enjoyable, to watch. The actual locations in China are used to great effect, and the film races along at such a supercharged pace that you can’t help but be drawn into the story.
And by casting Maria Bello as Evie, Cohen replaced a great actress with another great one. Bello, who appears as a brunette and speaks with an English accent is very good here. She’s playing the more tougher Evie from the second Mummy film, rather than the timid librarian of the first, and she pulls it off quite nicely. Brendan Fraiser is in fine form as well. Rick O’Connell is his Indiana Jones, and it’s fun to see him back in action. The single disc DVD I reviewed has deleted and extended scenes, plus a commentary by Cohen. The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor is a fun popcorn flick that a viewer can easily get wrapped up in. --SF
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