This was not expected of the sequel. The storyline was random and undefined while the fight did not seem impressive. The Mummy did not cast an impact. It rather seemed a poor story with average performance. Not convincing.

The original The Mummy (1999) with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz was a bang-up success, its sequel The Mummy Returns (2001) not quite so much, its spinoff The Scorpion King (2002) even less, and now a decade later we have Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008). Actually, it's not bad as popcorn entertainment which doesn't aim terribly high but delivers the goods that you more or less expect. For the purposes I used it for (something to watch in instalments while I was exercising at home), it worked fine.All the standard tropes of Mummy-type films are on display and the plot motors through them with a kind of cheerful energy: discovery of an ancient Chinese tomb, awakening of the evil Emperor (Jet Li) who, of course, intends to rule the world once again, an army of his undead soldiers, Shangri-La and a pool of eternal life, lots of kung-fu action, young romance. Brendon Fraser is back as the square-jawed Rick thrust not entirely willingly back into crazy adventuring, but Maria Bello replaces Rachel Weisz as wife/adventure-partner Evelyn who, after some initial resistance, plunges fully back into action-hero mode along with him. I though Bello did fine, but Weisz in the original pair of movies had an extra degree of charisma that is lacking here.The young-romance leads here are filled by Rick and Evelyn's now-adult son Alex (wholesomely handsome Luke Ford), a chip off the old devil-may-care block, and Lin (the beautiful Isabella Leong), secretly the immortal daughter of the custodian of the Pool of Immortality --- really, the only way to pick up on all the plot complexities is to go watch it on Netflix. Smaller but fun parts are filled by the always-welcome Michelle Yeoh as Lin's mother, and Liam Cunningham as crazy bush pilot Mad Dog Maguire. John Hannah is back as Eveyn's brother, the unrepentedly venal though inept Jonathan, but the third time around his character has become pretty much a bore. There are some surprising "guest stars" in the form of three Himalayan yetis, who are great fun. In the end this whole thing probably falls victim to its own complexity and lack of anything really new, but it's a good cast and a fun ride. Incidentally, pay attention to the end credits. They show fun graphics versions of the characters, along with a nice, driving, energetic score by composer Randy Edelman.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is stupid. The plot is goofy, the dialogue is banal, the actors are going through the motions, and the direction is ordinary. The thing is, nobody going to a movie called 'The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor' is expecting anything from these traditional pillars of cinema. This movie is made for 12-year-olds looking for something cool to daydream about and inner 12-year-olds who want a diverting two hours of adventure. On that front, how does this third Brendan Fraser led Mummy film hold up? Well, let's call it an admirable disappointment. From the perspective of a huge 'Mummy' fan, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is a clear step down from the first two Stephen Sommers blockbusters. Mummy 3 lacks the energy, scale, and humor of The Mummy and The Mummy Returns, not to mention their director and star. With Rachel Weisz gone and Stephen Sommers relegated to producer, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is clearly a lesser caliber popcorn blockbuster. For late summer entertainment, it gets by. The sets and costumes are pretty, the characters are likable, and the action is fun, but there is no escaping that old familiar feeling of franchise fatigue. The most noticeable change for The Mummy 3 is the ancient history the filmmakers plunder for the story. Gone is ancient Egypt and, ironically, mummies. The background of Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is ancient China, where a ruthless emperor, played by Jet Li, and his army are cursed by Michelle Yeoh's immortal sorceress to become terra cotta statues for the rest of time. Of course the emperor has to be resurrected, so retired adventurers Rick and Evelyn O'Connell, as well as they're grown son Alex, can go through another series of conventional Indiana-Jones-style exploits. This is the type of story where there is a sacred book, curse, or crystal to suit any situation. There are admirable attempts to bring some familial drama to the stock adventuring, but the bottom line is, this is dopey, schlocky stuff. Not that anyone really cares about the plot of a Mummy movie.What really matters in an action adventure like this is the action and the adventure. This is where Sommers' movies really shined, and The Mummy 3 comes up short. While the sets and locations are attractive (I can never get enough of hidden temples or secret tombs, and the Himalayan/ Chinese ones here are nice) the director, Rob Cohen, just doesn't have the skill or personality to bring the pretty pictures to life. Stephen Sommers is no Martin Scorsese, but when it comes to personality, energy, or even action staging, he is a major leaguer. Cohen is playing Little League by comparison. Still, what Cohen does with the action is satisfactory. The obligatory shootouts, fights, and chases are diverting, sometimes fun, competently helmed popcorn action. Brendan Fraser and John Hannah, two thirds of the charming and good-natured cast from the previous two movies, return, and they do what they can. The exception is Rachel Weisz, replaced by Maria Bello who tries her best, but can't match Weisz' natural enthusiasm. With Bello, everything seems forced. She looks like Weisz and behaves like Weisz, but she just doesn't have the spark that Weisz brought to the character.In any case, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor can't quite pass this fan's summer adventure test. The filmmaking is subpar, and there are no surprises to discover. It's a hacky job from Cohen, who fails to make use of the lovely set and costume design, as well as Brendan Fraser's always-welcome manic energy. It's not impossible to enjoy The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. It's a high-concept popcorn adventure. That alone keeps me interested, but I can't, in good conscience, recommend the movie. For fans it will be a diverting but disappointing step down in quality, for those who never embraced the goofy Mummy franchise, don't bother.52/100

I am trying to think if I have ever seen a more awful movie and I can only think of one "Carry on Columbus". To give the cast the title of actors would be a breach of the trade description act. The film has all the wit and humour of a funeral on a gray January. The special effects would have been bad 50 years ago. This has to be one of the most miserable offerings ever made. I had to watch to the end to check that the awfulness was maintained throughout. You know when yo watch a film that is so bad it becomes good? This is not one such film. It is so bad that you will want to go and have your memory erased. Truly atrocious in every way.