Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello

Explorer Rick O'Connell to combat the resurrected Han Emperor in an epic that races from the catacombs of ancient China high into the frigid Himalayas. Rick is joined in this all-new adventure by son ...( read more  read more... )Alex, wife Evelyn and her brother, Jonathan. And this time, the O'Connells must stop a mummy awoken from a 2,000-year-old curse who threatens to plunge the world into his merciless, unending service. Doomed by a double-crossing sorceress to spend eternity in suspended animation, China's ruthless Dragon Emperor and his 10,000 warriors have laid forgotten for eons, entombed in clay as a vast, silent terra cotta army. But when dashing adventurer Alex O'Connell is tricked into awakening the ruler from eternal slumber, the reckless young archaeologist must seek the help of the only people who know more than he does about taking down the undead: his parents. As the monarch roars back to life, our heroes find his quest for world domination has only intensified over the millennia. Striding the Far East with unimaginable supernatural powers, the Emperor Mummy will rouse his legion as an unstoppable, otherworldly force... unless the O'Connells can stop him first.

Flixster Users

40% liked it

95,731 ratings

Critics

14% liked it

162 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 54 min.

Directed by: Rob Cohen

Release Date: July 24, 2008

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DVD Release Date: December 16, 2008

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Stats: 21,637 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (21,637)


  • November 7, 2009
    Many people hated this blockbuster but I actually found this latest installment to the Mummy franchise much to my satisfaction The storyline was OK. It is different from the first two movies but this was a better idea rather than being in Egypt again and using the same mummy or t...( read more)ype of mummy otherwise it would have been a bit of a put off and a repeat of the previous movies. I really enjoyed the action sequences. The best I've seen in a summer blockbuster this year. The CGI was pretty impressive. And then there is the comedy. The Mummy films had very good humour and the new installment is no exception. I will admit that there are one or two silly moments which did displease me.

    Overall I thought this was an enjoyable blockbuster.
  • October 8, 2009
    Erm... no, don't bother. Save yourself the time and do something way more interesting like watching paint dry or grass grow.
  • August 9, 2009
    I thought it was as fun as the first two. So I gave it a higher rating cause I felt sorry for all the poor reviews it got.
  • June 27, 2009
    A fairly forgettable addition to the Mummy series. An abundance of CGI effects and a pretty cool battle scene do not make up for a rambling script and some lacklustre performances. For me the biggest irritation was having the always watchable Rachel Weisz replaced by a thoroughly...( read more) average Maria Bello. By comparison to it's predecessors, it certainly is nice to look at, but somehow lacks the sense of fun and adventure that the other two managed to pull off. Looks like a good candidate to demo BluRay with.
  • April 7, 2009
    There are just too many complaints here to write everything in prose. So, let's do the pros and cons thing, and see where we land:
    Pros
    1. Brendan Fraser. Who cares if he's nearing forty, the man is still sexy. And it's hardly his fault that he has no decent dialogue to sp...( read more)eak of (oh, I beg your pardon - pun).
    2. John Hannah. At least you tried, guy.
    3. The special effects. Sure, they come in overdose, but you still have to hand it to the people behind the scenes.

    Cons
    1. The most godawful script in history (Yeah, I know it's just an action movie, but this is just unacceptable). Unlike the first in the series, the dialogue seems forced and tries so hard to be witty it's painful. Falls flat every time, and is definitely my main complaint.
    2. Maria Bello. She is not exactly the problem, so much as the transformation of her character. From the smart, adventurous Evelyn Carnahan in the 1999 movie, to an overbearing, fussy Mrs. O'Connell, who still treats her circa 20 - year - old son like a toddler. And there is absolutely no chemistry between her and Fraser, which gave the first (and even the second) movie a push.
    3. That Luke Ford guy. Horrific actor, and doesn't even provide something to look at as redemption. And don't even let me get to the whole clichéd Chinese girl/Western guy thing, or the estranged father/son formula.
    4. No suspense. The first film (here I go with the first film again) provided tension. Here? Don't even ask.
    5. We have a Mummy movie, but no Imhotep, and no desert. I mean, what the f!*k? That's the whole idea gone down the drain! The Dragon Emperor doesn't even touch the concept. He's just another guy in need of moisturiser and a throat lozenge (just wanted to give an example of the flat one - liner concept).

    All this together brings me to the conclusion that this movie should never have been made.
  • November 7, 2009
    My first thoughts on this before seeing it was that it was going to be crap. It was alright actually. Well the first half was at least. It's just when they use CGI on all the extra beasts and creatures it really shows whereas I loved the look of the special effects in the first t...( read more)wo. Also the fact that the mummy from the first two isn't in it the whole film feels weird. Jonathan's character is still the best thing about the whole film as his witty comments and how he fails at everything is amusing.
    The film is ok overall and has some good scenes but also some bad ones. This means the overall film is pretty forgettable.
    So worth seeing if you've seen the other two and want a bit more out of the series otherwise I wouldn't worry too much about seeing this.
    6.5/10
  • November 7, 2009
    Diissapointed. Even with stars like B Fraser, n Jet Li.
  • November 6, 2009
    Great..... Worth ur time n money u spent.
  • November 2, 2009
    The other 2 were all right I guesss
  • November 2, 2009
    No me gusto como actua la actriz principal a la anterior le quedaba mejor el personaje...

Critic Reviews


August 3, 2008
Kurt Loder, MTV

...an assembly-line action movie. full review

August 1, 2008
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

The best news about this clangorous clunker is that it may well have vanquished the Mummy franchise. full review

August 1, 2008
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is more of the same -- and yet less. full review

August 1, 2008
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

The new Mummy is, how can I put it? Just freakin' awful. full review

August 1, 2008
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

It's serviceable summer twaddle, but you might as well see Hellboy II: The Golden Army -- similar plot, much better film. full review

August 1, 2008
Pete Hammond, Back Stage

If Universal wants to continue the tired series after this one, we suggest they take it to Broadway instead, maybe as a musical. How about 'Mummy Mia!'? full review

July 31, 2008
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Full of exclamatory one-liners ripped from a copy of Indiana Jones for Dummies, and with the breathless cast spewing putatively witty rejoinders that get drowned out by pows and bangs, Mummy 3 should ... full review

July 31, 2008
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Now why did I like this movie? It was just plain dumb fun, is why. It is absurd and preposterous, and proud of it. full review

July 30, 2008
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

The Mummy series has been dead for a long time, but like the mummies it depicts, it won't stay buried. full review

July 29, 2008
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine

Makes the first two Mummy films seem like The Godfather I and II. full review

View more The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • alicecorduneanu
    January 25, 2009
    is very nice movie!
  • MizasterJ
    January 8, 2009
    Probably the worst of the 3 Mumm films but, def has the most action and special effects, yet the story is just a quick and mindless revenge piece. dissapointing. but you might as well watch it anyway.
  • carla223
    November 12, 2008
    Avoid at all cost. Coma inducing boredom.
  • SkywalkerJones
    October 2, 2008
    Sorry.Indiana Jones is a lot better.
  • haseeenaa
    September 18, 2008
    not as good as the first two mummy.and what happened to weisz???she s better than bello!!!
  • 08aleemic
    September 13, 2008
    I thought the movie was ok, but I still think the first two were better. Maria Bello didnt do justice to Evy's character and i think it was a pity Rachel Weisz was unable to star in this one.
  • jkashyap
    September 8, 2008
    The Mummy: Tomb Of Dragon Emperor is gud enough but The Mummy And Mummy Returns was awesome….!!!Don’t you guys think so…..?
  • wolfpackua
    August 26, 2008
    Dont go to the theatres expecting to see a sequal to the first 3 Mummy Movies... This movie is good, I enjoyed seeing it, but it doesnt even qualify as a sequal imo. The Change of actress's was a terrible mistake too.
  • aka2be
    August 16, 2008
    omg i dying to see this movie, the other 2 were so great this is going to be amazing.cant wait!
  • kerrystrauch
    August 11, 2008
    I thought it was good. The special effects are fantastic, especially at the end in the final battle. Worth the watch and very enjoyable.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Trivia

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emp... Trivia


  • Which actress is replacing Rachel Weisz in the upcoming movie The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor?  Answer »
  • In the Mummy 3 Tomb of The Dragon emperor who plays the Mummy??  Answer »
  • In the movie The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, the tomb of the Dragon Emperor with its Terracotta warriors is inspired by the real-life tomb of the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty.  Answer »
  • out the following which one is the name of the movie Mummy part 3?  Answer »

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