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The Mummy Trilogy Blu-ray
The Mummy/The Mummy Returns/The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Universal Studios | 1999-2008 | 367 mins | Rated PG-13 | Dec 16, 2008
The Mummy Trilogy Blu-ray ReviewUniversal's trio of 'Mummy' films offer viewers reference-quality picture and sound.Reviewed by Martin Liebman, December 17, 2008 The Mummy franchise is pure cinema gold, as rich, ornate, and grandiose as the ancient resurrected rulers depicted in the film and the cities from which they hail. Starting with an inventive and fun adventure that introduced audiences to a brand new, likable hero and featuring the violent and special-effects laden collision of the ancient and modern worlds, the first film paved the way for what has become a lucrative, and mostly entertaining, trilogy. Despite the originality and through-the-roof fun factor of the first film, the second and third film's journeys to the promised land of large box office grosses and obscene home video revenue (many thanks to its multiple releases across several formats) has stemmed from a rather standard progression of regression. The second film, The Mummy Returns, felt bigger and better, but lacked in the story department, a fault made up for by the retention of the primary cast and director Stephen Sommers, lending both credibility and a sense of continuity to the film. By the time the third film rolled around earlier this year, it seems as if the entire endeavor banked on one thing only: the Mummy monicker. Featuring a new director, a subpar script, and the loss of a key star, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor enjoyed a modicum of box office success but failed to live up to the standards set by the original two films. Nevertheless, all three films are now available on high definition Blu-ray, looking and sounding better than ever, and available to own at a discount via this three-movie set.
The Mummy Rating: 4/5 Engaged in a forbidden love, the ancient Egyptian priest Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo, Darkman II) is condemned to a fate worse than death for his sins, while his mistress, the Pharaoh's beautiful lover Anck-su-namun, commits suicide. Centuries later, in the years following the first World War, bookworm and historian Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz, The Fountain) and her bumbling brother Jonathan (John Hannah, The Hurricane) discover an ancient map believed to lead to the lost Egyptian city of Hamunaptra. Determined to discover its riches and secrets, they enlist the aid of a condemned-to-death, adventure-seeking American, Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser, The Air I Breathe), to lead the way. Squaring off not only against the pitfalls and perils that await every turn, the heroes also face competition from a rival group of American treasure hunters, led by unscrupulous local, Beni (Kevin J. O'Connor, There Will Be Blood). When Evelyn inadvertently revives the mummified and not-wholly-decomposed corpse of Imhotep that was recently unearthed, the ancient priest takes it upon himself to call on an ancient technique to revive his true love, Anck-su-namun, and reclaim his body and power. That is, of course, unless Brendan Fraser has anything to say about it. Underneath the glitz and glamour of the film's locales and special effects, the charms and natural beauty of Rachel Weisz, and Stephen Sommer's slick direction, what really makes The Mummy work so well is the charm, charisma, and lightheartedness of the film's star, Brendan Fraser. Fraser is an action star with a funny bone, taking the role seriously but playing the part of Rick O'Connell with tongue-planted-in-cheek. "I only gamble with my life, not my money," he says, reminiscent of the finest wisecracking heroes the screen has ever seen, including Inigo Montoya, John McClane, and Indiana Jones. While comparisons to the later, especially, are inevitable, Rick O'Connell is a hero all his own, a reluctant hero seeking "fortune and glory" like Dr. Jones, but with half the smarts and twice the wit. The Mummy is one of the more acceptable remakes/re-imaginings in memory, coming 67 years after the Boris Karloff original. It's the barrage of nearly straight remakes of films from the 1970s and even 1980s that really seem to be the more offensive ones. What's the point (The Omen, anyone)? While Boris Karloff's portrayal of the famed Imhotep is likely never to be topped, 1999's version of the story doesn't tread on sacred ground, but instead charts new territory and offers audiences something new and audacious both in terms of its then (and still) impressive special effects and its humor-laden hero. Speaking of special effects, seeing them on this Blu-ray disc was like seeing them anew. Indeed, "death is only the beginning," and The Mummy resurrects a classic horror movie monster with vigor and brilliance while remembering that it is a summer popcorn movie at heart and never, ever pretending to be anything but.  The Mummy Returns Rating: 3.5/5 Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser, The Air I Breathe) and Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz, Chain Reaction) are back for more adventures in The Mummy Returns, this time with their son, Alex (Freddie Boath), in tow. On an archeological quest, the couple discovers an ancient bracelet once worn by the Scorpion King (Dwayne Johnson, The Game Plan), an ancient warrior whose deal with the god Anubis spared his life and provided him a great army with which to conquer the world. With the bracelet safely returned to London, the family finds itself under attack from an enemy bent on resurrecting an old foe, the mummy Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo, reprising his role from The Mummy). When Alex inadvertently unlocks a mystery that may spell certain doom, the forces of both good and evil must not only battle one another, but deal with the possible resurrection of another ancient foe, the deadly Scorpion King. One label which cannot be applied to The Mummy Returns is "brainless action movie." While elements of standard-fare banality and tedious action/adventure clichés are scattered throughout the movie, the plot is fairly in-depth and requires viewers to leave their thinking caps on and pay attention to the film, rather than just gloss over the story and wait for the action to develop. Viewers may oftentimes find themselves scratching their heads should they not pay full attention to the plot. Movie fans that are just as interested in the action as they are the story should not find themselves disappointed by this sequel. The action often stretches the limits of plausibility and breaks a few conventional laws along the way, and some of the characters acquire what can best be described as cartoonish or slightly more-than-mortal abilities. O'Connell now finds himself with the ability to catch knives and other sharp, fast-moving objects in mid-flight throughout the film; his abilities as an action hero no longer center on the barrel of his pistols, the swiftness of his feet, or his wisecracking mouth. While fighting ability is increased, so too is the fight choreography. Director Stephen Sommers doesn't allow audiences to let their guard down and wallow in mundane, seen-it-before battles. A fight on a double decker bus speeding through the streets of London is a fine example of the "new and improved" action sequences scattered throughout the film. Speaking of London, the change in locations from the desert to the city is a natural progression for this franchise that was most welcome. While there is still enough sand and ancient ruins to satisfy your thirst for such locales, another two hours of nothing but would have felt like a complete rehash of the first film. Fortunately, both the change in location and progression of the characters feel like a natural one; at no point does the film suffer from a lack of genuine care for the franchise and its characters. In other words, the change in scenery fits seamlessly into the world of The Mummy, and it doesn't feel forced as if the reason for the change was studio politics, budget constraints, or ease of shooting. The Mummy Returns manages to maintain a freshness and excitement that a sequel to a series of this nature needed to keep fans in their seats and glued to the screen.  The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Rating: 2/5 Civil war has ravaged ancient China. Through the chaos, Emperor Han (Jet Li, Fearless) and his most loyal soldiers go on the rampage, forcing the country into submission, making him Emperor of all the land. Having conquered his mortal enemies, the Emperor sets out to defeat the one opponent no man has yet to conquer: time. Searching for a way to make himself immortal, the Emperor learns of a witch who may have the answer. However, the witch tricks him and his army, turning them into terra cotta, though if the curse is ever lifted, the Emperor will lead an unstoppable army against the world. Fast forward to 1946. Rick O'Connell (Fraser) and his wife Evelyn (Maria Bello, Coyote Ugly) are retired from the adventuring business, living a life of luxury in post-War England. Nevertheless, the couple, bored with the stuffy aristocratic lifestyle, accept a government request to return the Eye of Shangri-La back to China as a sign of goodwill. Meanwhile, the couple's son, Alex (Luke Ford) has unearthed the ancient Chinese Emperor's resting place. Emperor Han is ultimately resurrected, and the O'Connell family, along with the mysterious Lin (Isabella Leong) must prevent him for regaining his full powers and conquering the world. If one is looking for the primary reason behind the failure of The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, a strong argument could be made for the Rachel Weisz/Maria Bello casting snafu. Bello takes the character in a new, practically unrecognizable, direction. Gone is the spirit, fire, vigor, and passion for history Weisz brought to the character, not to mention her homely librarian good looks and clumsy yet resourceful ways. Bello's take on Evelyn has her as a pampered, snotty socialite with a newfound tough-girl, comfortable-around-violent-action, demeanor that seems to have materialized out of thin air, or a casting change. At least the movie pokes fun at the change in characters in one early scene, acknowledging with a wink and smile that it is well aware of the change in actresses. Nevertheless, Bello is still terrible in the role, delivering her more emotionally-charged lines with nary a hint of passion, at one point telling Rick that they had spent their entire lives in search of precious artifacts, and the one thing that is the most important to them, their son, they let slip away. She says it with the passion of a woman who just realizes she has been missing a favorite pair of socks, not a son. The saving grace is the return of Brendan Fraser in his signature role as Evelyn's husband Rick O'Connell. Rick has "gone soft" in his somewhat more advanced age, but Fraser retains the O'Connell charm that defines the character and, in part, makes the franchise. Once Rick is let loose from the confines of his stuffy English manor and returns knee deep to the dusty and dangerous world of archeological adventuring, the film gets going and takes on at least some semblance of a Mummy film. Sadly, it is not just the Evelyn character that sinks this once sturdy and steadfast ship. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor feels forced at every turn, replete with bad dialogue, a story that pushes the bounds of believability even for the Mummy series, and an almost unforgivable level of predictability. Viewers could conceivably make a game out of figuring out who can most accurately approximate what will happen next, and not just the film's major plot points but the fine details that move the film along. The movie doesn't even just hint at its very move, it spells each plot point out in plain detail so that even the most nonchalant of viewers can fully embrace the story. On a more positive note, the special effects are mostly impressive and remain in the visual style one would expect from a Mummy film. The film also retains the series' trademark subtle golden hue over many shots; if nothing else, the movie is slickly produced and looks and sounds great on Blu-ray. The father-son relationship between Rick and Alex has its moments, in spite of the rather uninspired performance from Luke Ford. One of the best scenes of the movie is a 30-something-second discussion between father and son about their favorite weapons, including the Thompson submachine gun and a Walther P38 handgun. The film's primary action scenes are also a highlight, playing as generally exciting and well-made. Video  The Mummy Rating: 4.5/5 Universal Studios presents The Mummy on Blu-ray high definition for the first time in a simply stunning 1080p, 2.35:1 high definition transfer. The studio has certainly done themselves proud for what was their debut on the Blu-ray format. The opening, expansive shots of the ancient city of Hamunaptra are bathed in a golden hue. The clarity, detail, and color schemes on every object in these shots, including the gold paint on faces and the gold-colored and trimmed furnishings adorning the splendidly constructed palace, are terrific. The cloth in which the film's villain, Imhotep, is mummified, looks marvelous: this transfer shows off every fine detail, thread, and fray of the cloth. The Mummy remains impressive not only in its foreground detail, but medium-wide objects and background information is handsomely rendered as well. Human characters need not be up-close and center-framed to see the remarkable detail present on them; medium-wide shots of faces show off every pore, facial hair and bead of sweat with lifelike clarity. Detail in rocks, statues, façades, and even the sand on the desert floor is all top-flight. Look at the lifelike realism in the textured appearance of Evelyn's hat in chapter three. The mask worn by Imhotep as he and Beni meet up with one of the American gold seekers in chapter 11 is just one more example of the nice detail that is present throughout the disc. The mask showcases every scratch, dent, nick, and other blemish and adds a realistic flair to the image. The Mummy doesn't just excel at providing deep, realistic detail. Colors are absolutely fantastic, too. Whites are true and natural, and the film's primary brown, tan, and golden hues are stunning and rich. Colors never falter, and along with the fine detail, they are this disc's undeniable strength. Flesh tones appear a bit warm and on the reddish side of the scale, but this tone fits in with the warm, earthy look of the rest of the movie. Background images aren't completely sharp, but there is very little softness nevertheless. A few foreground shots exhibit some soft edges, but the vast majority of the picture is sharp, clear, well-defined, and breathtaking. The print exhibits the occasional speckle and blemish, and there is a bit of shimmering on tightly-striped objects (Evelyn's scarf as seen in chapter four, for example), but all in all, it looks fantastic. Blacks are solid and true throughout, and detail is never lost in the shadows, either. Look at the nighttime shootout on the boat in chapter five as an example. A very fine layer of grain is present over the image, and it adds to a perfectly cinematic, high quality, exciting visual presentation of The Mummy. Universal has hit this one out of the park. It may not be a completely perfect transfer, but for a film approaching ten years old, and one that has seen countless releases over multiple home video formats, this is easily the best the film has looked at home. The Mummy Returns Rating: 4.5/5 The Mummy Returns debuts on Blu-ray with a transfer that's as solid as the one accompanying the film's predecessor. Presented in 1080p high definition and framed in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, The Mummy Returns is nearly demonstration-worthy material. The same earthy color schemes seen in the first Mummy film are back in this one, in parts of the movie, anyway. One could almost transplant much of the video review of the first film into this one for a fairly good description of what will appear on screen. Black levels are as fantastic in The Mummy Returns as they were in the previous film's transfer. Detail is wonderful, right down to the most miniscule particles of dirt, debris, cobwebs, sand, and other various dusty and ancient remnants of the bygone era depicted in parts of this film. When the film shifts to London, various interior shots appear a bit hazy. Much of the first half of the film is darker in nature than the bright, warm, sun-drenched shots seen in The Mummy, even taking into account the numerous sequences taking place inside the temple as seen in the first. These London sequences don't offer the startling detail and clarity of the bright shots, but they hold their own remarkably well. Blacks maintain a high level of consistency and colors are vibrant, noted by the red color of a double-decker bus and other random and brightly painted objects. Detail remains high on everything from the wet streets of London to, once again, Imhotep's mask. The greener exteriors that play prominently in the film's final act are lush and realistic in appearance. Detail in all the green leaves is high in both the foreground and the background. There is an excellent sense of realism about these scenes, thanks in large part to the first-rate visuals. Flesh tones are reproduced to perfection on this disc, and there is a deep, oftentimes three-dimensional quality to the picture. Like The Mummy disc, there is the occasional black speckle on the print, but it remains in excellent condition throughout. A slight amount of grain covers the image and adds to the deep, theatrical quality of the movie. Once again, Universal has delivered a nearly perfect image, one that fans everywhere are going to love. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Rating: 5/5 Please note: Unlike the previous two films, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor utilizes the MPEG-4 video codec. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor's 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer sparkles in most every shot. The picture quality is pristine, with excellent color reproduction and wonderfully intricate detail, noted right away via the ornate uniforms worn by the ancient Chinese warriors. Speckles of sand; old, worn bindings on books; and leather covers that reveal every crack and wear mark are but some of the objects that feature a texture so lifelike that it's sometimes hard to remember that it's just a movie. There is a mesmerizing level of depth and clarity to the image. The film's dustier scenes, particularly when Alex discovers the Emperor in chapter five, never falters when the frame is filled with sand, dust, and other airborne debris. The debris obscures some of the detail, but the Blu-ray resolution handles such visuals beautifully. Detail in close-ups of faces is also stupendous; every crevice and pit are rendered in full detail, probably to the dismay of the actors. The elegance of the various artifacts shine through, too. Black levels are also spectacular and deep, and flesh tones are naturally reproduced. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is another example of Universal's consistent high-quality releases and dedication to the format. Audio  The Mummy Rating: 4.5/5 The Mummy smashes onto Blu-ray with an excellent DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. This audio track is a perfect compliment to the pristine video transfer, and it never misses a sonic beat. The film's score is powerful and engaging, even more so thanks to its presentation in a lossless format. Every speaker is utilized, and while the score is firmly entrenched up front, the rear channels are active and carry the soundtrack, too, completing the experience. The battle scene early in the movie features excellent dynamics and sound placement. Gunshots ring loud and true, and the chaos of the battle fills every speaker and rattles the subwoofer. More mundane sounds, like the flowing of the water over the side of the boat in chapter four, the slightest bit of audible music in the background as it is played from somewhere inside the boat, and the squeaking and squealing of an animal off to the side is all meticulously placed and adds a realistic atmosphere to the scene. Indeed, atmospherics are generally first-rate throughout the soundtrack. The film's music and action sound effects play in perfect harmony, both presented at the perfect volume, one in relation to the other, and as fun and adventurous as the movie is by itself, the music and effects make it all the more entertaining. One of the plagues wrought on Egypt, the attack of the meteors, offers wonderful surround presence and the screaming flight paths and impact explosions flow seamlessly across the soundstage, making the experience both entertaining and all-encompassing. Arguably the movie's most famous scene, Imhotep's sand attack on the airplane in the final act of the film, offers deep, rattling bass, and consistent use of the surrounds, and amongst all the chaos and confusion is a fantastically clear and accurate meshing of various action scene sounds that are never too harsh or undefined. To top things off, dialogue reproduction is perfect throughout. This is an A-grade soundtrack in all regards. The Mummy Returns Rating: 5/5 The Mummy Returns may have made a deal with Anubis to sound this good. Presented in a lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack, this active, powerful mix is truly reference material from beginning to end, and as fine as The Mummy sounded on Blu-ray, this one beats it. The opening battle scene will rattle many a house from its foundation. It borders on being too loud at reference volume, which might be the only complaint or concern pertaining to this entire soundtrack. "Crazy" is the best word to describe not only this brief opening battle, but the soundtrack as a whole. Every speaker is liable to be blown out by the power and awesome presence of the mix. Fantastic atmospherics are to be heard throughout, notably in the early stages of the movie in the underground chambers. It's spooky and somewhat scary, and the effect is first-rate. The opening of ancient, sealed-for-centuries doors features nice reverberations throughout the soundstage, effectively placing listeners in the presence of the tomb. Rushing water in chapter four invades the listening area with unmatched power and presence. The pounding of the subwoofer is a regular occurrence on this track, so be forewarned! It's definitely a marvelous and breathtaking sonic experience from the opening shots of the movie to the final frame. Surround speakers are in constant use. Every action scene is alive with room-filling, lossless goodness that permeates every cell in the body with its presence, authority and clarity. The battle scene in chapter 14 is particularly satisfying. Gunshots and their impacts are present in every speaker. The action is intense with heavy, saber-rattling power. Dialogue is consistently strong throughout the track; every syllable is driven home nicely by the center channel. Simply stated, The Mummy Returns is one of the finest listens on Blu-ray today. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Rating: 5/5 The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor offers listeners another reference-grade DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack from Universal. It is almost to the point that fans can expect nothing less than demo material from Universal's action-oriented new releases on Blu-ray. As expected, this soundtrack produces a prodigious amount of bass in addition to some of the other surefire signs of a fantastic, immersive soundtrack, like exceptional clarity in even the most raucous of moments and fine directionality and presence across the entire soundstage. Every speaker offers the full spectrum of sound, from minor environmental support to lend that last bit of realism to any given scene, to an all-out sonic attack on the aural senses during the most thrilling action sequences. A scene in chapter 10 inside an old propellor-driven cargo plane places viewers right in the middle of the turbulent action; listeners can practically feel the bolts rattling, the cargo shifting, and the plane struggling to barely staying aloft. A shootout in chapter 12 is perhaps the best listen in the film. The soundtrack creates a natural, explosive, and very satisfying experience as shots come from every direction. Short bursts of automatic gunfire and single shots from lever- and bolt-action rifles scream out from every corner, all coming together to form action-scene harmony. Dialogue reproduction is practically pitch-perfect in every scene. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is just the latest in Universal's ever-growing list of reference-quality Blu-ray soundtracks. Supplements  The Mummy Rating: 4/5 The Mummy regenerates once again on home video, this time on Blu-ray, and it brings with it a multitude of supplemental features, headlined by three commentary tracks. Track number one features writer/director Stephen Sommers and editor Bob Ducsay. This is an interesting but ultimately standard commentary track that discusses various aspects of the film, beginning with the technical side of the making of the film's various early effects shots and drifting to ideas behind introducing characters, pointing out various other effects shots, some scenes that needed re-writes, and so on. This one is worth listening to as background noise. Track number two is a solo performance by actor Brendan Fraser. Fraser generally falls into the trap of discussing the action on-screen (or laughing at it, when the situation calls for laughter). Plagued by random moments of dead air, many none-too-insightful comments, and generally inconsequential anecdotes, this track is only for most die hard of Fraser or The Mummy fans. The third and final track features actors Oded Fehr, Kevin J. O'Connor, and Arnold Vosloo. This is a much more lively and entertaining track, and one can only imagine that adding Fraser to this mix rather than allowing him to run solo may have made more sense, but this track is probably the best of the three. Vosloo in particular shares some interesting information into his character, various stories from the set, and other interesting anecdotes. A five-part feature, Visual and Special Effects Formation (480p), is next. Viewers can go further in-depth into the various stages of the creation of some of the locales and effects sequences seen in the film, accompanied by audio commentary. City of Thebes, Scarab Burial, Serious Trouble, Imhotep Eats Scarab, and Rick Rescues Evelyn are all broken down into four different stages of completion: "Plate Photography," "Visual Effects Elements," "Composited Shot," and "Final Feature Sequence." An Army to Rule the World, Part 1 (480p, 4:02) is a short feature that examines the use of extensive special effects seen in the film, as well as homages and throwbacks to the original 1932 version of The Mummy. Unraveling the Legacy of 'The Mummy' (480p, 8:07) looks at the history of the classic Universal horror pictures of old, with an expected emphasis on 1932's The Mummy, featuring interview clips with Stephen Sommers, make-up effects artist Nick Dudman, and others as they look at the place of both The Mummy and The Mummy Returns in Universal horror lore. Building a Better Mummy (480p, 49:55) is an exhaustive examination into the film's CGI-laden villain that examines everything from ensuring the character moves like a humanoid to the various layers of computer animation that show a CGI character being chopped in half, for example. Any viewers with a thirst for knowledge into the world of computer-generated effects will find themselves enthralled by this feature. A Storyboard to Final Film Comparison (480p), a feature that allows viewers to see several complete scenes played against the original storyboard, is next. Scenes included are as follows: Anubis Chamber, Desert Sandstorm, The Sahara, Final Fight, Hangman's Noose, Scarab Run, and Trouble in Cairo. Three deleted scenes (480p, 2:21), a photograph montage (480p, 4:18), and a short promotional piece for the new film, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor are included. The Mummy also features Universal's excellent U-Control system. When activated (a tutorial is available in a sub-menu), various behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, and more will appear in a picture-in-picture box in the lower right hand corner of the screen. Effectively, this is a standard extra implemented as an advanced feature. The integration into the film works perfectly, and the information contained therein is fantastic. The Mummy Returns Rating: 3/5 The Mummy Returns comes alive on Blu-ray with a solid selection of extras, but this set as a whole is not nearly as exhaustive as the package found on the first disc. Only one commentary track is available here, and it contains writer/director Stephen Sommers and executive producer/editor Bob Ducsay, the same participants from the first commentary track on the previous disc. As expected, the feel is similar. The filmmakers are eager to discuss their movie, give praise to Industrial Light and Magic, point out various oddities and humorous stories from the set, and generally entertain while enlightening. This one is worth a listen for fans. An Army to Rule the World, Part 2 (480p, 5:59) examines the construction of the Scorpion King's canine-like army, the reappearance of a few bad guys from the first film, and more. Unraveling the Legacy of 'The Mummy' (480p, 8:07) is the first of two identical features transported over to this disc from The Mummy. Visual and Special Effects Formation (480p) is a feature that allows viewers to see several scenes in varied stages of production, including "Conceptual Stage," "Reference Plate," "Plate Photography," "Visual FX Elements," and "Final Plate Sequence." The scenes broken down include Imhotep Returns, Pygmy Mummies Attack, Anubis Warriors Rising, and Scorpion King Revealed. Next up is An Exclusive Conversation with The Rock (480p, 3:42) that features the musclebound star sharing his thoughts on the film. Spotlight on Location: The Making of 'The Mummy Returns' (480p, 20:03) proves to be a standard seen-one-seen-'em-all making-of fluff piece. A Storyboard to Final Film Comparison (480p) is next, allowing viewers to see select scenes from the film played above the original storyboards. Available scenes include Blimp Being Chased (2:31), Pygmy Chase (3:13), and Scorpion King Final Battle (2:01). A music video from the group Live entitled Forever May Not Be Long Enough (480p, 4:33) is included. A series of outtakes (480p, 6:06) are next, followed by the second redundant feature from the two Mummy discs, 'The Mummy: Tomb of the Emperor Dragon' Sneak Peak (480p, 3:01). Finally, this disc is U-Control enabled. The "U" symbol remains on-screen and when content is available, users can view it by selecting it through the "enter" button on the remote, or have the content begin automatically if that option is selected in the U-Control menu. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Rating: 3.5/5 The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor shares its secrets on Blu-ray via a fairly standard supplemental package for a high profile release from Universal. A feature commentary track with director Rob Cohen is first. After a brief introduction, Cohen provides a rather intelligent commentary that delves into the real-life history behind various aspects of the film, the casting of the various roles, the importance of adding an "emotional core" to the film to tie the action together, the advancements of computer generated imagery since Cohen's work on Dragonheart, and plenty more. The track is a bit on the dry side, but informative. This disc is U-Control enabled with five options. Scene Explorer reveals various scenes in several stages of evolution, including traditional hand-drawn storyboards and pre-visualization sequences, in addition to behind-the-scenes footage. The various stages appear together in a picture-in-picture window, and users may choose to view any full-screen. Know Your Mummy shows various common themes throughout the series, recalls various character arcs, and more, all through a unique visual presentation that plays scenes from this film and previous entries in the Mummy series. The Dragon Emperor's Challenge is a "fact" versus "fiction" game where users must answer questions correctly or slowly increase the level of the "curse-o-meter." Visual Commentary with Director Rob Cohen shows the director as he comments on his film. This is the same track as the audio commentary, only with visual accompaniment. Finally, Picture in Picture is a basic behind-the-scenes feature that offers comments from cast and crew on the process of making the film. Next up are a series of deleted and extended scenes (480p, 10:45). The Making of 'The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor' (1080i, 22:49) runs a quick gamut of what went into the making of the film, looking at the complexities of the production, a look at the stunts and weapons in the film, the various special effects shots, and more. From City to Desert (1080i, 15:44) takes a closer look at the magnitude of the film and the varied shooting locations around the world, a look at the lighter side of the shoot, the challenges of the shoot, Rob Cohen's insistence on historical and cultural accuracy, and more. Legacy of the Terra Cotta (1080i, 13:35) looks at the importance of history behind the film, bringing it to life in the film, the significance and scope of the locations and sets, and plenty more. This disc is also BD-Live enabled, though at time of writing, the feature was unavailable. Disc two of this set is a DVD that offers additional supplements (all presented in standard definition) and a digital copy of the film for playback on personal computers and portable video devices. A Call to Action: The Casting Process (4:45) takes a brief look at what each primary actor brings to their respective roles. Preparing for Battle with Brendan Fraser and Jet Li (10:42) shows what it takes to create highly stylized and exciting fight sequences in a major Hollywood production. Jet Li: Crafting the Emperor Mummy (8:01) looks at the special effects that went into creating the CGI terra cotta version of Li's character. Concluding the supplements is Creating New and Supernatural Worlds (8:35). This rather brief feature looks at the scale of the film and the grandiose sets that inhabit the world of The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. The digital copy that comes with this set looks fairly good on a second generation iPod touch. The same usual digital copy issues are prevalent here, including some heavy blocking, but it certainly suffices as suitable quality for viewing on extended trips. Likewise, the sound is adequate but nothing special, rather flat but with a few surprising moments during the action sequences. Final words The Mummy franchise has been a staple of cinema and home video for almost a decade. Whether through official sequels or spinoff films, fans of the franchise have always had their appetite for more Mummy-centric action fulfilled in one form or another. Although the trio of official Mummy films have regressed one after the other in a fairly linear fashion, each offers plenty to enjoy, particularly from an action and special-effects perspective. The change in director and the replacement of a key star in the third film certainly spelled trouble for the franchise. While the film retains much of the charm, special effects wizardry, and action that defined the first two films, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor lacks in spirit, vitality, and perhaps most important, in its script. It's a shame to see the franchise go out on a dour note, if this is indeed the end. Universal entrusts this series in the capable hands of Blu-ray, and all three films are now forever preserved with nearly impeccable and certainly reference-grade quality, available at the whim of fans everywhere looking and sounding about as good as the days the debuted in theaters. Across the board, the films offer first rate visuals and dynamic soundtracks, along with plenty of special features that should keep any serious Mummy fan busy for some time. Despite the downturn in quality of the sequels, particularly the third film, the Mummy trilogy makes a fine addition to any Blu-ray collection, and this set is the perfect way to indulge in all three films. Recommended. 
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