Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Universal Studios Home Entertainment – 112 min – 2008 – Rated PG-13 – Widescreen 2.40: 1 – DTS-HD Lossless Master 5.1 Audio – Digital Copy

The first two Mummy films were fun, and filled the gap that ended with the third Indiana Jones film back in late 80’s. Though the star of the Mummy films, Brendan Fraser, is more of a bootleg version of Harrison Ford, he had the charm to pull off the adventure and keep audiences coming. With the huge box office the previous Mummy films did, it was obvious that there would eventually be a third, and now seven years later it’s officially become a trilogy with The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. The latest Rick O’Connell adventure is now available on Blu-ray from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. So grab hold of your mummies and get ready for the ride.

THE MOVIE

The previous Mummy flicks stayed on familiar ground remaining exactly where you expect to see a mummy, in the dark desert or roaming in pyramids. The latest mummy adventure takes our heroes to Asia where they tackle the dangerous villain they have faced, Emperor Han, played by martial arts superstar Jet Li. As with the other flicks the storyline remains the same, with a mummy unleashing all hell as he attempts to regain power and conquer the world, and our heroes must join forces with a sorceress played by another Hong Kong action star, Michelle Yeoh to stop him.

Most of the characters from the original films have come along for the ride, but one particular cast change stands out. Rachel Weisz who played Evie in the previous two Mummy flicks does not return this time, (I guess winning an Oscar makes you stuck up), so she is replaced by actress Maria Bello, who seems out of place in the role. Rick’s son, Alex, is back, but now he’s a teenager played by Luke Ford. This choice is odd because Rick O’Connell’s character looks way too young to have a kid this old, but maybe he discovered the fountain of youth on a previous adventure. And for comedy relief, Evie’s brother Jonathan, played by John Hannah returns to make the film look like legit sequel.

Being that the third Mummy film has come out in the same summer as the fourth Indiana Jones film, it’s funny to watch them both try to out do one another. In my opinion, The Mummy wins because it delivers the goods without trying to be pretentious, and Luke Ford is more likeable playing the son of a great adventurer over the lame performance by Shia LeBeouf in Indy 4. Sure the Mummy is silly, but it knows that, whereas the last Indiana Jones film was like watching a retired fighter still trying to do the things he used to, but you feel sad for him.

This third Mummy adventure is helmed by Rob Cohen, who directed such action flicks as xXx and The Fast and the Furious, so he’s no stranger to the genre. The film is fast paced, and even though ridiculous in places, it’s not boring and gives you exactly what you expected when you press play. It’s mindless, but so were the other two films, but it rolls like one big videogame, giving you no room at all to think, because you’d get left behind in the dust. If you’re a fan of the Mummy films, this third film should definitely be added to your Blu-ray collection, and unlike Indiana Jones this film is the last one because no one will want to see Brendan Fraser strapping on his guns again for one more adventure twenty years from now.

VIDEO

This is a fantastic looking Blu-ray, and even if you don’t like the movie, the image will make your jaw drop. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor has a full 1080p image in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio. The excellent cinematography by Simon Duggan is highlighted to full capacity, and if you’ve got a kick ass HDTV, you’ll be absorbed. The previous Blu-rays of the first two Mummy films look great, but Universal did a superior job with this transfer, topping the bunch. It’s not perfect and there are hints of grain and soft spots when the special effects take over, but overall this is one to show off.

AUDIO

With a DTS-HD Lossless Master 5.1 audio tracks, the Mummy sounds just as good as it looks. Crank up those speakers and you’ll get the same effects as being in a theater, with bullets, explosions, howls of the a abominable snowmen, and Emperor Han’s army going ballistic, you’ll be sucked in. No complaints here.

EXTRAS

Even if you do not like the movie, you’ve got to give it to Universal for packing this 2 disc edition Blu-ray with a ton of extras, making sure you get your money’s worth.

Director Rob Cohen gives his take of the film via an audio commentary, which he rides solo. Something I personally appreciate, because I hate having five people talk over each other. Not a bad commentary track.

The Making of The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is your basic behind the scenes featurette.

Legacy of Terra Cotta and From City to Desert are two featurettes running a half hour combined and looks a filming in China, the visual effects, other related aspects.

Casting and Preparing for Battle offers a quick look at the cast as well as the hardcore training the actors had to work through.

Creating Supernatural Worlds looks at all the sets and production designs to bring the world of the Mummy to life.

Jet Li: Crafting the Emperor Mummy is a spotlight on the martial arts master, and his involvement with the project.

Via U-Control you can access a video of director Rob Cohen’s commentary track, a split screen showing various clips from all three of the Mummy films, an interactive trivia track, and BD-Live support to collect clips.

A Digital Copy is also available so you can get your Mummy on the go.

BOTTOM LINE

As long as you have fun with it, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is enjoyable and as far as Blu-ray goes, it’s definitely a winner with superior image and sound quality, plus a Digital Copy and a good selection of extras. If you own the first two films, you need to wash the taste of that last Indiana Jones flick out of your mouth, this one is worth taking the ride.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 3.0

Video: 5.0

Sound: 4.5

Extras: 4.0

Bottom Line: 4.0