5½ Pies

Reviewed by Limey

Plot Summary

A retired Rick and Evelyn O’Connell find themselves back in the mummy slaying business when their son, Alex discovers Emperor Han and his Terracotta Army.

Review

Boy was I confused as I walked through the foyer of my local cinema this afternoon. I had just finished watching this, the third entry in the latest Mummy franchise and was reflecting upon how entertaining it had been when I suddenly wondered how it could be that I had so enjoyed a movie so widely panned as ‘Tomb of the Dragon Emperor’.

The more I thought about it, the less sense it made. Sure, there were problems, such as the notable absence of Rachel Weisz. I also felt that despite all its special effects and action sequences, this third Mummy was somehow smaller than its two predecessors. To me it just seemed to be missing that vital sense of adventure that a movie like this needs to truly soar.

So no, it was not a perfect picture, nor was it as good as its older brothers, but the fact remained that I was leaving the cinema having thoroughly enjoyed myself. What then was the reason for the almost universal scorn inspired by this feature?

I found my answer just a moment later. See, as I was stepping outside, I overheard the woman behind me turn to her companion and utter the words – “It was all right…a little over the top…too unbelievable…not the best film I’ve ever seen.”

Someone had just finished watching a movie entitled ‘The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor’ and her big complaint was that it was a little over the top and unbelievable. If that isn’t an example of someone going into a picture with the completely wrong set of expectations, I don’t know what is.

Quotes:

Rick O’Connell: I. Really. Hate. Mummies.
Evelyn Carnahan O’Connell: I think the feeling is mutual.

Jonathan Carnahan: You guys are like mummy magnets!

Spook Factor: ¼ Pie

This movie may have its roots in horror and indeed feature some surprisingly grisly sequences, but they serve more to detract from the fun than to actually scare or spook you. Make no mistake, the primary genres here are action, adventure and comedy.

Antagonist: ½ Pie

The idea of an ancient Chinese emperor and his army being brought back to life sounds amazing and some scenes really are impressive, but all in all he really didn’t do very much. The secondary bad guys that pop up here and there don’t last long enough for you to care.

Story: ½ Pie

Much like the Originality rating in that there are many features we have seen before within both this and other franchises, but the change in setting and introduction of a few new elements spices things up a little bit. A sense of fun is generally maintained throughout even if the sense of adventure isn’t.

Oh, but may I add – I thought the last line of the film was a funny and intelligent way to float the possibility of a third sequel. What I did not appreciate, however, was the big bold explanation of that final line that appeared on the screen a moment later. It was the only moment in the whole film where I felt they were treating us like idiots.

Acting: ¾ Pie

I thought everyone did fine, with Fraser and Hannah leading the way. Ford surprisingly annoyed me a whole lot less than he did in the trailer, whilst Yeoh, Leong and Li did what they were asked to do, which wasn’t very much. I do have to mention that Bello was presented with the unenviable task of filling Weisz’ shoes and made an impressive if ultimately unsuccessful attempt at doing so.

Directing: ½ Pie

Cohen has received a lot of flack for his work over the years, and this offering has so far been no exception. I must concede that the directing is partly responsible for the loss of the epic feel that permeated the previous films, but when taken as a standalone effort, he did what was necessary to keep the action moving.

Soundtrack: ½ Pie

The nods to the original score were gratefully received, especially considering the tease was followed up with something rather less satisfying. By the numbers, but composers continue to fall back on these generic samples because they continue to serve their purpose.

Special Effects: ¾ Pie

I wonder whether there was a single scene that didn’t feature some special effect or other. I thought it was all fantastic except for the realisation of the emperor’s death in the prologue, which looked like they had forgotten to go back and add in the detail.

Gore: ½ Pie

More violence than I expected, with some rather nasty scenarios cropping up, though inevitably with their conclusions taking place off screen. I can enjoy violence, I often feel off screen works best, but here it often feels just a little too grim. The action scenes at large were more successful.

Replay, Rewatch, Rewind: ¾ Pie

Definitely, because it entertained me despite its flaws and so it deserves a revisit. Would I be devastated if for some reason I could never see it again, though? No.

Pros

It is an entertaining and often funny action/adventure romp through special effects world.

Cons

No Rachel Weisz. Oh, and an unoriginal score, somewhat useless villain and the lack of atmosphere.

Final Word

The good thing about our review system here at Yank-Lime Pie is that it exposes the strengths and weaknesses of a film whatever our personal opinion is. That, of course, can also be a pain in the arse when you are trying to defend a movie. I believe that this film is more than the sum of its parts, as long as you realise ahead of time that you are in for mindless entertainment and not an intellectual challenge. There’s a mummy on the loose!