The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Review and Information - NO SPOILERS!

"The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," the next installment in the "Mummy" series will open in U.S. theaters on Friday, August 1^st, 2008. The long-awaited sequel will be starring Brendan Fraser as Rick O'Connell and Jet Li as Han the Dragon Emperor, alongside Rick's wife Evelyn, played by Maria Bello, and Luke Ford as the O'Connell's now-grown-up son, Alex. The story picks up over a decade after "The Mummy Returns" had ended, with Alex appearing as a young man in his late teens or early twenties. The rough-riding, wild Alex stumbles upon the tomb of the Emperor Han, a tomb in which the Terracotta Army had been laying undisturbed for thousands of years. In ancient China, the Dragon Emperor Han (Jet Li) was responsible for the unification of China. But, realizing that one lifetime was not enough to rule all of the new lands, the Dragon Emperor wished to achieve immortality through the help of a sorceress (Michelle Yeoh). However, the sorceress and the Dragon Emperor's general had begun an affair, a matter that was quickly discovered. Facing death, the sorceress placed a spell on the Dragon Emperor and his army, turning them into statues that made up the Terracotta Army.

As the Dragon Emperor rises from his 2,000-year dormancy and attempts to once again unite his lands and restore his kingdom, it's up to Brendan Fraser's Rick O'Connell to stop the shape-shifting Dragon Emperor. Facing an enemy who can morph into fantastical beasts and who can control the elements of fire, wind, water, and metal, Rick O'Connell must draw on the help of his family and the help of another undead army, one comprised of the Dragon Emperor's long-dead enemies who had helped him build the Great Wall of China.

The filming of the movie took place in China and has become the largest Western film to ever be filmed in the Asian country. Visual effects utilizing the newest technologies had been used to create creatures like dragons, beast guardians, and yetis with a texture like never before. Brendan Fraser's character employs Krav Maga, an Israeli martial art form, as his fighting style, a character piece not seen before.

Early movie reviews have been critical of the lack of genuine mummies, but visual effects have been praised and the story-line has appeared to be entertaining. Despite the criticisms, the movie is recommended for viewers who have enjoyed the previous Mummy movies. Also, with its PG-13 rating, the movie makes a great family movie and entertaining on-screen piece for both older children and adults.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomb_of_the_Dragon_Emperor
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mummy_tomb_of_the_dragon_emperor/