The Magnificent Finale: Brendan Fraser's Epic Journey in the Mummy Trilogy
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor's weak ending led to its failure, but can the franchise redeem itself? Discover why this installment failed to captivate audiences and whether it has the potential for a triumphant comeback
Highlights
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is not a bad film, but it falls short compared to its predecessors due to a change in director and the absence of Rachel Weisz.
The film's action sequences are thrilling, but it lacks the humor and emotion that made the first two movies so enjoyable. However, despite these shortcomings, the Mummy franchise has consistently managed to blend horror, adventure, and action in a way that is worth considering a sequel with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz reprising their iconic roles.
Since its inception in 1999, the aim of The Mummy franchise has been to not just recreate the original 1932 film starring Boris Karloff, but to blend elements of horror with action and adventure, reminiscent of the Indiana Jones movies. As a trilogy, it achieved considerable success, with the first film garnering widespread popularity in the late 90s.
Furthermore, the Mummy films acted as a launching pad for actors Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, propelling them into stardom. However, the third installment, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, was met with criticism and considered the weakest link in the series, failing to provide a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. This raises questions about what caused such a negative reception for the third film and whether the franchise can make a comeback.
What is The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor About?
After their previous victories against the Egyptian mummy Imhotep, married adventurers Rick O'Connell and Evelyn Carnahan come out of retirement to assist their son Alex in his own adventure. This time, they face Han the Dragon Emperor, a new mummy who has a dark past as the ruthless founder of the Qin dynasty and the builder of the Great Wall of China. Han's quest for immortality led him to use a sorceress named Zi Yuan, who ultimately cursed him and his entire army after he killed her lover.
In the 1940s, Alex discovers Han's tomb and finds himself and his parents held captive by a rogue Chinese general and his partner. These two awaken the Dragon Emperor using mystical water from the Eye of Shangri-La. The O'Connells, determined to prevent Han from reviving his army and taking control of China, assemble a team of allies including Evelyn's brother Jonathan, an experienced fighter pilot named Mad Dog Maguire, and the sorceress Zi and her daughter Lin, who falls in love with Alex.
The thrilling adventure takes the O'Connells and their allies through gunfights, swordfights, and knife fights, as well as exhilarating chases on planes, cars, and horseback. They travel to various stunning locations, from the bustling city of Shanghai to the snowy Himalayan mountains, in their pursuit of Han and his accomplices.
How does The Mummy Tomb of the Dragon Emperor end?
The film concludes with Han regaining his human form and acquiring supernatural abilities, such as transforming into a three-headed dragon. The Dragon Emperor successfully resurrects his army, captures Lin, and steals the cursed dagger that can end his life. In a selfless act, Zi sacrifices her and Lin's immortality in order to revive Ming and his team to fight against Han and his forces. While the O'Connells engage in a war against Han's army, Zi engages in a sword fight with Han, but is overpowered and fatally wounded.
As Zi lies dying alongside Lin, Rick and Alex take the dagger to use against Han. Evelyn and Lin manage to defeat Yang and Choi, while Rick battles Han in hand-to-hand combat. Though initially dominated by the Dragon Emperor, Rick fights back and, with Alex's assistance, uses the cursed dagger to stab and kill Han. This action sends Han and his entire army back to the afterlife.
Why was The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor unsuccessful?
Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, the third installment in The Mummy franchise, offers impressive and adrenaline-fueled action sequences featuring gunplay, sword fighting, and martial arts battles. Brendan Fraser and John Hannah reprise their roles as Rick O'Connell and Jonathan Carnahan, adding depth to their characters. The film takes a shift from Egypt to China, showcasing the potential for diverse storylines if the series were to continue.
While some, including renowned film critic Roger Ebert, praise Tomb of the Dragon Emperor as the best entry, many disagree, considering it the weakest installment. One major factor could be the absence of Stephen Sommers, who directed the first two films. Sommers skillfully blended humor, fear, romance, and action, incorporating themes of archeology and exploration of hidden treasures and ancient mysteries. Rob Cohen, known for directing films like The Fast and the Furious and XXX, brings a similar approach in the third movie, but it leans more towards action and becomes somewhat predictable, despite featuring a new mummy and a change in setting.
Another major issue is the absence of Rachel Weisz reprising her role as Evelyn in Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, as Maria Bello takes over the character. While Bello adequately portrays Evelyn as a tough and sophisticated adventurer, Weisz brought a touch of humor and emotion in the first two installments (and shared excellent chemistry with Fraser, which is noticeably lacking in the third film). Despite performing well in the international box office, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor faced fierce competition domestically from The Dark Knight (the highest-grossing film of 2008). Consequently, the third film of the trilogy became the least successful in terms of revenue, potentially due to the belief that the first two movies had stronger and more exhilarating storylines, leading some to conclude that the series had come to its natural conclusion.
Brendan Fraser's remarkable resurgence, known as 'the Brenaissance', has reignited interest in his career. Following his highly acclaimed performance in the emotionally charged film The Whale, which landed him a Best Actor Oscar, Fraser is now open to the idea of returning to The Mummy franchise. However, he is keen on exploring a sequel with a fresh storyline. While the third installment may have fallen short in terms of excitement compared to its predecessors, the series has always succeeded in delivering a captivating blend of frightful creatures and thrilling action. Rick O'Connell, one of Fraser's most iconic characters, deserves the opportunity to reunite with Evelyn, played by Weisz, in an exciting new Mummy adventure.
