Review: The Mummy,Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Wasted Talent When it Comes to Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh
Oct 10, 2008
The third installment in the Mummy series, though enjoyable, was somewhat of a disappointment. Those who flocked to see the summer blockbuster in theatres may have been dismayed to see that while most of the original actors were back in the second sequel, Rachel Weisz was not. Maria Bello replaced her in the role of Evelyn O’Connell. Bello, talented as she is, could not, however, replace the chemistry that Weisz and Brendan Fraser had onscreen. The main attraction of the first two Mummy films--other than the action, adventure and special effects--was the love story between Rick and Evelyn. It was not the same without Weisz.
It was great to see John Hannah back in the role of Jonathan Carnahan, Evelyn's brother. Hannah, as usual, did an excellent job as a comedic actor. But again, without Weisz, it wasn't the same. Hannah and Weisz had great onscreen chemistry as brother and sister. The pairing of Bello and Hannah as siblings is just not as believable in this film.
Talents of Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh Wasted
The biggest disappointment of all was the missed opportunity that this film had by not making more use of two of the most gifted martial artists in the world. Jet Li, who played the role of Emperor Han, and Michelle Yeoh, who played the role of Zi Juan, did not disappoint. They both played their roles well. The only disappointment when it comes to these two actors is that audiences didn't get a chance to see more of them onscreen.
These are two of the greatest martial artists ever; and moviegoers were treated with only one fight scene between the two of them--one. And the scene was a short one at that. Most of the best parts had already been shown in movie trailers. How could the powers-that-be behind the making of Tomb of the Dragon Emperor have squandered such talent this way?
Verdict
It is a good movie to rent, as long as you don't expect too much. There were some very good special effects involving abominable snowmen. There was also a somewhat interesting romantic subplot involving the daughter of Yeoh's character and the son of Rick and Evelyn.
There was talk of Peru during Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, with Evelyn's brother, Jonathan, announcing his intention to move there. We all know that Peru is a country rich in heritage, pyramids and mummies. It looks like the ending to Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is a set-up for yet another sequel. Let's hope that they get it right the fourth time around.
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