Movies and More reviewer John Gillispie thinks that "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," rated PG-13 and starring Brendan Fraser, Maria Bello, Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh, is an amusing adventure tale that makes a fine addition to the series of "Mummy" films.

What do people who love adventure do when they retire from their daring escapades?

Apparently, they get bored.

At least, that's what has happened to our heroes Rick and Evelyn O'Connell (Brendan Fraser and Maria Bello). Years after their adventures in Egypt, retirement sees Rick turning a simple fishing trip into a misadventure and Evelyn writing about their exploits. Evelyn is of the mind that writing about adventure is much less exciting than living through it.

Following on the heels of "Journey to the Center of the Earth," Fraser gives another solid performance, and I thought Bello did a fine job of stepping into the role previously played by Oscarwinner Rachel Weisz.

Meanwhile, their son Alex (Luke Ford) has unearthed a very significant archaeological find in China. When Rick and Evelyn are recruited to return an artifact to China themselves, the family is reunited and thrown into a new adventure.

This time, the O'Connells must attempt to thwart the efforts of The Emperor (Jet Li) to bring himself and his terra cotta army of soldiers back to life.

Assisting them is Lin (Isabella Leong) and Zi Yuan (Michelle Yeoh). Many people will remember Yeoh from her moving performance in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." In this film, she plays an immortal, who placed the original curse on The Emperor and his soldiers. She has spent hundreds of years trying to keep The Emperor from somehow seeing through his plan to dominate the world.

The special effects are pretty amazing in this film and stealing the show as far as I am concerned are the Yeti or Abominable Snowmen who come to the assistance of our adventurers. If you are in the Himalayas fighting an extremely evil dead dude, you definitely want the Yeti to be fighting on your side. Trust me on this one.

Anyway, some of the chase and battle scenes were a little less exciting because they did not stand out from similar scenes in other movies.

But, all in all, "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" was entertaining and a fine addition to this line of films.

John Gillispie is the public relations director for the Huntington Museum of Art. Contact the writer at jgillisp@hmoa.org.

The Associated Press

Brendan Fraser returns as explorer Rick O'Connell for an all-new adventure in "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor." Our movie reviewer John Gillespie thinks the movie is an amusing adventure tale that makes a fine addition to the series of "Mummy" films.

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