Like so many great movies that became dragged-out trilogies, the newest Mummy falls right in. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved the first movie. But like so many sequels, this story line becomes repetitive. The first rule of sequels is to keep the cast. Rachel and Brendan and an amazing chemistry, but Maria Bello was abysmal as the new Evelyn. Her fake British accent and melodramatic acting was inexcusable. The sets looked like they were built by 3rd graders, the effects were overwhelming, the scenes were disjointed and the cheesy one-liners got old fast. Sure, Brendan Fraser still looks hot in a tux, but he still looks 35 even though his son is in his young 20s. Overall, I was terribly disappointed. I wouldn't even bother seeing it in theaters...and please tell me this series is finally over.

In ancient China the warlord Qin Shi Huang conquered the surrounding kingdoms, learnt magical powers and was declared emperor; that wasn't enough though… he wanted immortality. To this end he summons Zi Yuan, a sorceress, who has the power to make him immortal. She casts a spell then he kills his friend and closest ally, who is also Zi Yuan's lover. It then turns out she has cursed him and his army; he burns while his army turns to terracotta.

In 1946 Alex O'Connell, the son of Rick and Evelyn, the protagonists in the original two film, is searching for Qin Shi Huang's tomb. He finds in and, after surviving a number of traps, excavates it. Its contents are then taken to Shanghai. In an apparent coincidence Rick and Evelyn have been asked to transport the 'Eye of Shangri-La' to China. They are reunited with Alex just as they all learn that they have been betrayed; General Yang, a rogue military commander, has plans to use the eye to raise the emperor from the dead so that he can rule not just China but the whole world. The Emperor is brought back to life but is still effected by the curse; if he is to be free of the curse and raise his army the Emperor must travel to Shangri-La… something that the O'Connell's, along with Lin, a beautiful Chinese woman who is charged with guarding the tomb and has the only weapon that can kill the emperor, and Rick's brother in law, Jonathan Carnahan, are determined to stop.

This the third of the Mummy movies was entertaining for the most part; I liked how the action had moved to a new location… even if it was probably motivated by a desire to make money in China. The action is almost non-stop and for the most pert it is pretty exciting. Introducing Rick's son added a sense of danger as at one point it looked as though Rick was going to die and pass the baton as series protagonist to Alex. The cast did a solid enough job although I missed Rachel Weisz, in the role of Evelyn; Maria Bello wasn't bad in the role but I think it would have been better if she had been an entirely different character. Luke Ford was a good addition as Alex and I enjoyed Isabella Leong's performance as Lin. Michelle Yeoh impressed as Lin and Jet Li was okay as the Emperor… sadly most of the time he was hidden behind CGI so felt somewhat underused. As well as action there was plenty to laugh out; some of the gags were more groan inducing than laugh out loud funny but that didn't matter. Overall this isn't a must see film but it is solid enough and while there is a lot of action it is of the type that can be enjoyed by most ages.

For the third Mummy film, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, the location and time and place have now shifted to China in the post World War II years. For those of you historically minded, this was the years of struggle between the Chinese Communists and the Kuomintang government of Chiang Kai-Shek. But there's another guy with bigger ideas than all of them. Someone of course we don't hear about in the history books.

That would be Anthony Wong Chau-Sang playing one General Yang. He's got a plan all his own to take over China and maybe the rest of the world. He's been dabbling in the Chinese occult and he's on to a way to raise the legendary Dragon Emperor and his entire army. The Dragon Emperor discovered the secret of immortality, but a girl who was two timing him for his chief general and was also a Chinese witch, puts a curse on him.

First things first and that is raise the Mummy. For that we get the son of that famous archaeologist Brendan Fraser and Maria Bello from the twenties and that would be Luke Ford. Then get the magic jewel needed to raise him. After that it's a merry chase through war torn China to, and I kid you not, Shangri-La.

Tomb of the Dragon Emperor moves at the pace of an Indiana Jones flick and this one bares no small resemblance to Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade. Imagine that one set in Tibet and you've got some idea of what this one is like. Tomb of the Dragon Emperor also makes Indiana Jones look like a Shakespearean classic.

The computer graphics are nice and the trick is not to take this kind of film too seriously. The actors sure didn't I can tell you. Then you can enjoy it.

And if you don't break into convulsions when the Abominable Snowmen are called in to aide Fraser and company, you have no sense of humor. Or when Emperor Jet Li turns into a three headed dragon. This film is an absolute hoot.