The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)

Featured Audience Ratings

• John M

  
  Decent action, the wit of the first two movies is gone though and the chemistry between Brendan Fraser and Maria Bello was non existent.

• Phil H

  
  Probably the best film of the trilogy in my opinion, the first was a nice idea but they tried too hard, the second felt like a complete rehash with terrible effects but this is quite a fun romp. Its very silly (having abominable snowmen help out at one point and a rather daft plane… More
  Probably the best film of the trilogy in my opinion, the first was a nice idea but they tried too hard, the second felt like a complete rehash with terrible effects but this is quite a fun romp. Its very silly (having abominable snowmen help out at one point and a rather daft plane crash sequence) and over the top, but the likeable Fraser and classic boy's own adventure style really shines through. The cgi is really smart in this film, its very good, crisp and realistic (accept for a dodgy dragon transformation sequence). I must admit you do get an 'Indy' shiver down your back (duh!) maybe we have seen this all before, especially the predictable story line involving father n son action and even a hint at Peru for another possible story, Indy went to South America didn't he hehe. Did I mention Indy there again? no no no no no...well maybe yes, it can't be helped, really it can't! The setting in China adds a nice or different type of mystical feel, another countries mummies and history well explored, and a touch of class which you always seem to get when a film is set in the East, the landscapes look awesome in the final battle scenario also. The final 20mins of the film are really good, really takes the film up a notch, excellent use of cgi for some epic army visuals and some great magic and monster fun. Better than the lame 'National Treasure' films and a darn good Indy style flick in my personal opinion...I know everyone hated this.

• Candy R

  
  The storyline is interesting about an evil Chinese Emperor (Jet Li) being raised from the dead. There are great special effects in the desert and also in the snow scenes. The fighting scenes are fab between Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh. The disappointing parts include Brendan… More
  The storyline is interesting about an evil Chinese Emperor (Jet Li) being raised from the dead. There are great special effects in the desert and also in the snow scenes. The fighting scenes are fab between Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh. The disappointing parts include Brendan Fraser's poor acting, cheesy lines and the fact that he doesn't look old enough to have a grown up son!

• Michael E

  
  Not as good as the first movie but its still fun

• Jens S

  
  The third film of the Mummy series has very little left of the somewhat old fashioned charm and fun that made the first two highlights of the adventure genre. Rachel Weisz is sorely missed, Maria Bello doesn't fill that character with live for a minute, also thanks to lazy… More
  The third film of the Mummy series has very little left of the somewhat old fashioned charm and fun that made the first two highlights of the adventure genre. Rachel Weisz is sorely missed, Maria Bello doesn't fill that character with live for a minute, also thanks to lazy writing. Lazy is a term that applies to most of the film. It's not slow, it's even rather rushed, but there is hardly a plot to speak of. CGI is used at parts where other creature or visual effects would have worked some much better (Yetis, huh) and it just doesn't look that good most of the time, to the degree where most of the film feels entirely fake, which the former ones did not. You could almost taste the desert sand in those. Here you are watching a cold CGI vehicle. The film is far from boring but it's almost impossible to care about anything that's going on. At least there is plenty of action that keeps this from being entirely catastrophic. But what's maybe even worse: The movie is so forgettable, I forgot to write my review right after watching it last night.

• Thomas B

  
  Incromprehensible and not fun enough to be able to look past it. Should've stuck to one. Full review later.

• Albert K

  
  why'd they make this into a trilogy? the first 2 weren't great either, but this tops it. plus, it's got brendan fraser.

• Richard C

  
  this movie was horrible. it was stupid and had a bad story. one of the worst movies of the year. D

• Anthony L

  
  A soulless cash in with a shoddy story and bad acting. All the charm of the first film is absent, as is Rachel Weisz who obviously knew better and it just reeks of desperation (and laziness). A real shame.

• Veronique K

  
  brendan fraser's the mummy franchise is obviously the assailing target for movie snobs, and it's been nominated by razzie award already. but surprisingly, roger ebert gives it praise and affirms that it's the best among the series. "the mummy: tomb of the dragon… More
  brendan fraser's the mummy franchise is obviously the assailing target for movie snobs, and it's been nominated by razzie award already. but surprisingly, roger ebert gives it praise and affirms that it's the best among the series. "the mummy: tomb of the dragon emperor" is certainly reminiscent of the old hollywood's interpretation of the inscrutable orient which i refer in a positively cheer of camp! (again.) it is permeated with cheese but definitely fun. one amazing item is that this flick has actually some base of authentic chinese history of the first emperor who unifies the nation and is eager to seek the secret of immortal life since he dreams of world-domination. it IS true. and he did build a mighty grave with millions of soldiers to await his promising future to come. it is an intriguing premise to utilize that to associate with the mummy mythology. but in the cinematic version, the emperor died of the sorceress' curse becuz he doublecrosses her by murdering her lover. then he and his army turns into statues. also in the 1940s, brendan frasher's son raids the emperor's grave, then some royalty-crazed milirary man schemes to use his discoveries to ressurect the emperor. later frasher and his wife happen to deliver one secred gold egg (which also happens to be the key to unlock his curse) to shanghai. then the egg is robbed so the emperor lives! surely he's gonna mess around the world and shake it upon his palm! there're several goofs in it, especially its casting. first of all, it is inappropriate for brendan frasher to be the father of a son who looks like his brother and the husband of a wife who looks older than him. second of all, there're times those chinese actors should have talked chinese to each other in some intimate scenes with subtitles but they forget. highly un-natural. third of all, luke ford is absolutely lame as frasher's son, and his chinese stinks! there's no word he utters is recognizable, and the way he flaunts it sucks. and also, he has the worst conversations of interracial flirtations in the film history. "oh, i like guns, but you like knives, so you're not my type" then they kiss?! forth of all, the incarnation of the emperor is apparently an oriental dragon, but the cgi simulates the mid-century flame-spitting dragon. "tomb of dragon emperor" has every cliche of yellow face stereotype in vintage hollywood times, such as the orient as the villain, dragon-robed chic as the sexually compliant love interest to feast the western hero despite her seeming facade of kung-fu vixen ,and of course the western interference to maintain a better world without eastern egomaniac depotism. but the humorous taunting of brendan frasher and john hannah makes it highly watchable. man fights in chinese battlefield, then he tries to clarify his friendly stance by "could you speak english?" then he starts to shout a name of the sorceress awkwardly to dodge the hostility. this flick has its drawbacks but still a feasible banquet of imaginary journey to the orient with its boyish mischievousness. roger ebert puts it in a better way: ""Now why did I like this movie? It was just plain dumb fun, is why. It is absurd and preposterous, and proud of it. The heroes maintain their ability to think of banal cliches even in the most strenuous situations. Brendan Fraser continues to play Rick as if he is taking a ride at the Universal Studios Tour""

• Dead A

  
  I liked the fighting part.

• KJ P

  
  I haven't seen the previous two mummy movies, but I know there better than this movie and I thought that it was decent. Therefore, I will definately watch them!

• Kalel J

  
  Brisk in pace yet short on thrills, high in effects yet lacking in spectacle - the third outing for Brendan Fraser and his pistol proves a complete misfire from the very beginning. This, the third in 'The Mummy' franchise, is entertainment with a lack of skill, wit, and any… More
  Brisk in pace yet short on thrills, high in effects yet lacking in spectacle - the third outing for Brendan Fraser and his pistol proves a complete misfire from the very beginning. This, the third in 'The Mummy' franchise, is entertainment with a lack of skill, wit, and any semblance of dedication to potential. The film is a mash of convenient plot elements thrown together to give it's audience characer relationships we care little for and scene progression that more often than not can confuse and irritate. It's divulging of plot elements is both lazy and - on the other hand - severly washed over, where details are given abruptly and pushingly . The saving grace is Fraser doing what he does best - playing the buffoon hero - but even his trying efforts can't save a script disaster and a pacing issue faster than it's leads wise-cracking antics. Rob Cohen - your revisiting to Chinese culture is an utter dissapointment.

• Wahida K

  
  The third part of The Mummy. Great casting and it was tiny bit different. More adventure and more funny moments.

• Conner R

  
  A disaster and complete disgrace to the previous films. There was no need to follow up on the series, it gave a very finite conclusion at the end of part II. This has none of the fun or the amazing action sequences as the others and feels like a cheap knock off.

• Lanning :

  
  Which disappointment to list first . . . Well, whoever cast the grown son and the replacement wife should be entombed. What horrible choices. The son has zero camera chemistry and delivers lines the way a mummy or other living-dead entity might. Maria Bello, whom I generally enjoy,… More
  Which disappointment to list first . . . Well, whoever cast the grown son and the replacement wife should be entombed. What horrible choices. The son has zero camera chemistry and delivers lines the way a mummy or other living-dead entity might. Maria Bello, whom I generally enjoy, was terribly -- dare I say abominably -- miscast here -- pun intended. She and Fraser do not click at all. I'd rather they'd written the part out if they couldn't convince Rachel Weisz to reprise her role. <p>And maybe the biggest disappointment of all was the waste of Jet Li. He's one of my favorite martial arts stylists. Very little of that here. Really not worth seeing once, even if you enjoyed the first two.

• Cassandra M

  
  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 type… More
  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 type 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.

• Jason O

  
  Definitely the worst of the trilogy, but still a good movie. I miss the excellent special effects and the scarabs though. It's not as action-packed as the first two and doesn't have as much of the exploration factor either.

• Stuart B

  
  Erm... no, don't bother. Save yourself the time and do something way more interesting like watching paint dry or grass grow.

• paul s

  
  this franchise was never long on plot tension or witty reparte, but here we hit new highs (or is it lows?) Any attempt at gravitis is laughable (my daddy didn't love me.. waaaah), and though the action is non-step you can't really root for anyone - just sit back and… More
  this franchise was never long on plot tension or witty reparte, but here we hit new highs (or is it lows?) Any attempt at gravitis is laughable (my daddy didn't love me.. waaaah), and though the action is non-step you can't really root for anyone - just sit back and "enjoy" the CGI - but even that could be better and really, nothing we haven't seen before (although the terra cotta horses were pretty cool and the yeti were a wonderful concept, but the movements were pretty half-ass. Showing one long distance shot of Shangli-La was certainly a wasted opportunity, as was so much of this film. There were some very well done scenes, which made the poor CGI all the more jarring. And speaking of jarring - when O'Connel and Co. first reach the beacon station and have to cross the rope bridge across the chasm, instead of setting up an ambush for the emperor, if the goal was to stop him from using the beacon, then why not simply cut or burn the bridge, thus preventing him access? Of course it would have been so much cooler, since the emperor had power over water and earth to have him freeze a bridge across - now THAT would have been some cool CGI. Marginal entertainment - I think on a par with Gold Compass, another failed effort.

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