Product Details

• Actors: Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello, John Hannah, Russell Wong
• Directors: Rob Cohen
• Writers: Alfred Gough, Miles Millar
• Producers: Stephen Sommers, Bob Ducsay, Sean Daniel, Jim Jacks
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed: French, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Universal Studios
• DVD Release Date: December 16, 2008
• Run Time: 112 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (290 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001HQZJMU
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,333 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (Widescreen)" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The third film in the The Mummy series freshens the franchise up by setting the action in China. There, the discovery of an ancient emperor's elaborate tomb proves a feather in the cap of Alex O'Connell (Luke Ford), a young archaeologist and son of Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) and his wife Evelyn (Maria Bello, taking over the role from Rachel Weisz). Unfortunately, a curse that turned the emperor (Jet Li) and his army into terra cotta warriors buried for centuries is lifted, and the old guy prepares for world domination by seeking immortality at Shangri La. The O'Connells barely stay a step ahead of him (climbing through the Himalaya mountains with apparent ease), but the action inevitably leads to a showdown between two armies of mummies in a Chinese desert. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor has a lot to offer: a supporting cast that includes the elegant Michelle Yeoh, Russell Wong, and Liam Cunningham, the unexpected appearance of several Yeti, and a climactic battle sequence that is nightmarishly weird but compelling. On the downside, the charm so desperately sought in romantic relationships, as well as comic turns by John Hannah (as Evelyn's rascal brother), is not only absent but often annoying. Rarely have witty asides in the thick of battle been more unwelcome in a movie. Rob Cohen's direction is largely crisp if sometimes curious (a fight between Fraser and Jet Li keeps varying in speed for some reason), but his vision of Shangri La, in the Hollywood tradition, is certainly attractive. --Tom Keoghbr>



Stills from The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (Click for larger image)

Product Description

Brendan Fraser reprises his role as explorer Rick O'Connell for a third time. This time, O'Connel is attempting to thwart a resurrected emperor's (Jet Li) plan to enslave the entire human race. It's been 2,000 years since China's merciless Emperor Han and his formidable army were entombed in terra cotta clay by a double-dealing sorceress (Michelle Yeoh), but now, after centuries in suspended animation, an ancient curse is about to be broken.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

137 of 145 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars I love the series, but..... January 5, 2009

By T. A. Wauldron

Format:DVD

...the ball was dropped on this film. Someone in Hollywood believed Brendon Fraiser and Jet Li in the same film would miraculously make this a winner. That someone should lose his job.

Synopsis: Ancient Chinese warlord is reawakened (along with 10,000 Terra Cotta warriors) to conquer the world. And there are Yetis....

The first two movies in the series were fantastically entertaining. You had action, emotion, love, despair, and discoveries of a linked past that made the movies engrossing. They had excellent scripts, beautiful effects, and acting that made it look real. I watch them over and over. This dog...well, at least I watched until the end.

Whoever cast this movie screwed the pooch. Fraser, as Rick O'Connell is, of course, excellent. I love the gung ho balls ahead character. He IS the character. In fact, he is the franchise.

Rachael Weisz declined to return citing problems with the script. Boy did she make the right call. So Maria Bello is cast as Evy. Dear God In Heaven. what where they thinking! Where Weisz played Evuy with emotion, perfect timing, and a boatload of sex appeal, Bello is a block of freaking wood who phones in her part. She has NO fluidity, no sense of timing, and not a trace of sex appeal. In fact, a block of wood could have done a much better job.

In the 2nd film, The Mummy Returns, the son, Alex, has a very strong `proper' English accent and typical `Brit' attitude. In this movie, Alex (Luke Ford) has NO trace of accent or his English upbringing. He plays the role like a young John Wayne, as if he was raised in Arizona. It totally fails.

Jet Li as Emperor Han...well, I loved him in Lethal Weapon 4, Unleashed, and The One.... He should have done the role of Emperor Han with the same soft-sneering attitude he had in LW4. But he wasn't directed that way in this film. He was concrete, and wooden. There was no sense of surprise upon awakening 2000 years later. No marveling at the changes in the world. No wonder at how the world had changed. Totally unrealistic.

Redeeming factors: Michelle Yeoh (very big star in China) as Zi Yaun, the witch who betrays Han knowing his merciless character, Isabella Leong as her immortal daughter, and Russell Wong as General Ming Guo (Han's right hand man who falls in love with Zi Yaun). John Hannah plays Evy's gold-digging brother seamlessly from the prior films.

And there are the Yetis. Ya gotta love the Computer Graphics. At first, the Yetis were fluff, but then you start to like them. They are the `untarnished good' surrounded by evil.

The special effects are admirable. The battle scenes at the end are exceptional. The warriors (and Han) turning to sand and clay are so cool, myself and my friends all gave it a big `WHOA!'.

Rent it, just to see it. Own it, ONLY if you need to complete the series.

Hope this helps you decide. Read more ›

54 of 62 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (Widescreen) January 6, 2009

By Bjorn Viberg

Format:DVD

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (Widescreen) is the third movie in the series and it is painfully bad. The plot is a joke. Bredan Fraser phones in a lame performance and the replacement actress for his wife try as she might the chemistry is just not there. The first two movies were full of fun, wit and good adventure. This move is nothing short of a travesty. Pointless violence, a plot written by Dr Nick Riviera from the Simpsons or maybe even Homer himself, shoddy acting. I was so disapointed considering that the first two movies are good enough to watch again and again. This one I will avoid att all costs. 1/5.

76 of 91 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Very Disappointing November 12, 2008

By Matt W.

Format:DVD

This movie was a big let-down. I LOVED the first two Mummy movies in the series and could watch them over and over. This one was written so bad that the lines could be laughed at throughout the entire thing (and I don't mean the comedic lines). The wife is a different person and is awful, son talks like John Wayne and is too old compared to the years that went by, and Jet Li was barely in the movie/had any lines. The special effects in this movie were mediocre in 1995 and that's saying something. The story of it completely broke off from what it was in the first two. The wife has no connection to her past like in the second one whatsoever. I would not recommend this to anyone that loves the first two. If you don't want to ruin the series and have not seen this movie, then don't even think about watching this. I have never been so disappointed in a movie.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Shouldn't have been made. March 30, 2009

By Kurt Cameron

Format:Amazon Instant Video|Amazon Verified Purchase

Without Rachael Weisz, this movie shouldn't have been made period. I was so disappointed. It's completely obvious to me that if Weisz refused the script, you either change it to her satifaction, or don't make the stupid movie.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Unconvincing performances, non-existant chemistry January 6, 2009

By Furiae

Format:DVD

Rachel Weisz was smart to stay away from this movie. The leads give unconvincing, wooden performances, and Bello and Fraser have zero chemistry. The actor who portrayed the son gave a terribly one-note performance (the type that usually befits straight-to-DVD movies). John Hannah's Jonathan is still warm and funny, but that doesn't make up for the fact that the movie is just plain underwhelming. The only relationship that seemed genuine was the one between Michelle Yeoh and Isabella Leong, which, I'll admit, was convincing and tender. Jet Li was woefully underused as he gave as intense a performance as his limited role would allow. Most importantly, however, removing the Mummy franchise from Egypt also removed all of the charm of its predecessors. The first two films were fun, charming, and a joy to watch. The plot sprawls and the movie makes you wonder how the heck the lovable Rick and Evie could become so unlovable and boring. It's not that I disliked the characters--they were just so one-note and uninteresting that I couldn't bother to care. Rent before you buy.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Unwatchable January 18, 2009

By Reviewer VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

This movie was clearly only an attempt to cash in on the success of the first two Mummy movies - the plot was completely unrelated to the earlier films. After the first half hour of being inundated with mindless violence and special effects, I realized there wasn't going to be a plot. It was not going to morph from a bad martial arts film to a real Mummy movie and no one was going to end up in Egypt with the REAL mummy, that cute bald guy with the killer eyes.

I ended up fast forwarding to the end to see if there was any merit here. There wasn't. The actress who played Evie was absolutely horrible - without that sense of continuity and chemistry between Brendan Frasier and the adorable and much-missed Rachel Weisz (if she really did turn it down because of the script I love her even more) there was nothing to hook you - and I wasn't buying that new guy as their son either.

So if you were expecting a real sequel to the Mummy movies, I am sorry to tell you this one isn't it. And a note to big shot Hollywood producers - quit insulting your audience. Special effects don't make a movie.