Taking aim amidst the snowflakes: Brendan Fraser
(left) as Rick O'Donnell, John Hannah as Jonathan and Maria Bello as Evelyn
O'Donnell in the latest "Mummy" sequel, which opened today in the U.S. and
Canada. (Photo: Jasin Boland/Universal Pictures)
THE POPCORN REEL FILM REVIEW/"The Mummy:
Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor"
Mummified, And On Ice
By
Omar P.L. Moore/August 1,
2008
Opening today in the U.S. and Canada, "The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor" is
over almost instantly by the time it begins. Well, not quite, but almost.
And whether you've seen the first two films in this series needn't matter (this
critic has not). This new "Mummy" film, directed by Rob Cohen, who has
seen better days directing episodes of the 1980's TV series "Miami Vice" is a
tired, wooden, dreary exercise -- but serves a useful purpose as the perfect
antidote to insomnia. Nodding off to sleep happens in bursts during this
film, which after the first 20 minutes has nothing going for it whatsoever.
Michelle Yoah and Jet Li are the principal performers for the film's opening 20 minutes and both are overwhelmed by special effects. Ms. Yoah, who plays Zi Yuan, a sorceress who curses an ancient Chinese Emperor (Mr. Li) and his 10,000-member army to remain entombed for at least 2,000 years. Brendan Fraser is Rick O'Connell, the alternately bumbling and intrepid explorer whose wife Evelyn, an archaeologist, is up to the challenge of returning the Eye of Shangri-La to Shanghai in the post-1940's era. The couple vows to stay retired, but of course, the prospect of returning the Shangri-La jewel is just too good to pass up.
You don't have to be a bettor to know the odds
that the dormant Emperor and his legion army are brought to life will be high.
Very high.
In the final analysis Mr. Cohen's film features a collection of mostly overeager
performers who either seem to be trying too hard or just walking through the
scenery. Only Ms. Bello, whose British accent is one of the better ones
cultivated on film by an American actor lately, seems to be enjoying herself as
does John Hannah as Evelyn's brother Jonathan. Chinese actress Isabella
Leong makes her American feature film debut as Lin, the ageless tomb guardian
for the Dragon Emperor and does what she can, but just about everyone else --
Mr. Fraser included -- looks tired, bored or is going through the motions.
Mr. Fraser who was one of the many actors that sparked the flawed film "Crash"
(2005) to life, can also currently be seen in the 3D-adventure film "Journey To
The Center Of The Earth", which opened in the U.S. and Canada three weeks ago.
Alfred Gough & Miles Millar wrote this latest "Mummy" sequel, the script of
which feels harried in a film which presents scenes without any discernable
coherence or narrative transition, and at that, scenes that leap from one
circumstance to another in a blink of an eye, without much plausibility or
interest, even for an action-adventure film. The events simply dissolve
without engaging us. The film feels as if the life has been sucked out of
it, and we feel as we've lost some life and liveliness while we watch.
Much of the audience will care little about whether the Eye of the Shangri-La is
returned, for they will be too busy yawning and looking at their watches.
With: Luke Ford, Russell Wong and Liam Cunningham.
"The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor" is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture
Association of America for adventure action and violence. The film's
duration is one hour and 52 minutes.
Copyright The Popcorn Reel. PopcornReel.com. 2008. All Rights
Reserved.