Ruan van Heerden

Okay, so I know the third Mummy movie has been out for some time since last year, but I’ve written this article before the film exited the big screens for a magazine my friends and I were working on, and I thought you might find it interesting:

Two thousand years ago China’s greatest Emperor conquered half the world. Now he is returning to finish the job.

As with its two predecessors, the third instalment in The Mummy series was action packed and filled with mythological adventure which can only be a trait of the O’Connell family.

“I saw in this my chance to do a movie about China using the great good will of the mummy, the great characters, but to take it in a whole other direction, using Chinese history in a fun way” said director, Rob Cohen “We have big chases, two thousand year old warriors, yeti’s, foo-dogs come to life, gun battles, tracks to the Himalayas… big stuff.”
This may seem like an ordinary, big budget movie for American, but in actual fact, it is the largest western film to be shot in China to date and the cast and crew seemed very proud to be a part of such a historic film. “This one involves thousands of people – huge cities!” said Brendan Fraser excitedly, followed by Michelle Yoah, who added “Movie three has just gone beyond spectacular!”

This great new film brings back old favourites like Brendan Fraser (Rick O’Connell) and John Hanna (Jonathan) who stars alongside a whole new cast portraying the classic roles of Evelyn, played by Maria Bello, and an older Alex O’Connell, played by Luke Ford. Notice that Evie’s character has a completely different personality in this movie than the personality Rachel Wiesz originally brought to the first two films.
“I wanted this character to get some blood into her veins,” said the director “I didn’t see her as the damsel in distress. I saw her as an equal partner to Rick.”
As it turned out, Maria Bello always wanted to be in an action movie. “I ran around with a Worchester rifle,” said Bello “so, I’m just thrilled!”

Another thing that caught our attention was that Alex (Ford), suddenly has an American accent... Why? No one else seemed to notice, neither did they comment on this fact but it did fit with his new adult character and with the ego he inherited from his father, Rick.
“He has a little element of ego to him because he is in his father’s footsteps–under his father’s shadow,” says Ford “His father made such an impact in the world in archaeology and Alex wanted to do the same”
With a new country, and all new mythology, the mummy obviously had to change as well. With the discovery of a lifetime, being the dragon emperor and his terracotta army, made by a more mature Alex O’Connell, there was absolutely no way to bring back Arnold Vosloo. It just would not fit! And so, Jet-Li was given the role of emperor Han, who sought out a witch called Zi-Yuan, played by Michelle Yoah, to provide him with eternal life.
“He’s conquered so much of China,” says Yoah “and he realizes that one lifetime is not going to be enough to enjoy his conquest. And the only way is to seek immortality.”
Yoah’s character is reputed to have this secret to eternal life and is called to court by Emperor Han to give him the secret. But a love develops between her and the Emperor’s general. Unfortunately, the emperor has staked out Zi-Yuan for himself and forbid anyone to touch her. When they’re caught they know they’re doomed. So, Zi-Yuan puts a curse on Emperor Han that converts him to terracotta, bakes him alive and turns his entire military into the terracotta army from the legend.

Further on, in 1946 AD, the O’Connell family is not what we imagined it would be. Rick and Evelyn, once happily married and in love have become bored. They’ve grown older together now, and they’ve got their son, Alex, who is rambunctious and out of control. He’s become an adult and doesn’t listen to what his parents say anymore. Alex is no longer a little boy, but a young man and he and his family are trying to come to terms with the fact that he is no longer ten years old. He’s a young man of his own right.

Of course, when Alex makes the discovery of the dragon Emperor and his terracotta army, the characters end up meeting at the Shang-Hai Museum where the emperor is eventually brought back to life. And when he comes back to life all hell breaks loose. The emperor brings bronze horses to life and his chariot goes whipping out onto the streets of 1946 Shang-Hai.
“We go chasing after him,” says Ford “ and we jump on the back of the chariot” In the mean time, Rick, Evelyn and Jonathan highjack a fireworks truck and go racing after them.
“Evie is driving,” adds Fraser “Jonathan is making a mess of everything in the back”
John Hanna’s back for all of the wonderful humour, comedy, insanity that he brings to the film “And he was very brave. I set him on fire!” laughs the director.
Somewhere along the line, they find a massive rocket which they shoot at the emperor. The emperor uses his mastery over fire to deflect the rocket and flies right into a travel cart.
“Rick decides to take things into his own hands,” says Fraser “and takes a flying leap onto the horses, only, the horses are made of bronze…”
There’s something funny about Rick O’Connell, leaping through the air and landing on a horse made out of bronze in Shang-Hai 1946. It’s just so crazy that it could only be Rick O’Connell.
“At the end of the sequence we’re all totally trashed” says Bello “because we’ve been jumping onto horses and diving out of trucks and fireworks going off.
“I couldn’t wait to get back to playing Rick O’Connell” said Fraser “I seriously could not wait!”
And the crew agreed. “He’s one of the most talented guys I’ve had the pleasure of working with” says the director “You know, leading man, handsome, pie-in-the-face funny! A very unusual combination. He really relishes those moments where the character is really overwhelmed, and yet, inevitably he comes through Rick O’Connell. So, Brendan is really the most important key to the whole thing. I wouldn’t have done it without Brendan. Getting him back was a big part of my first steps”
Some of the things the producers said was:
“It’s really extraordinary the physical shape Brendan is in this movie. He is in better physical shape than he was in the first picture and it’s really amazing to see he’s out there doing all these stunts on his own.”
“He looks fantastic and he’s obviously the very embodiment of the character so we certainly couldn’t imagine a mummy movie without Rick O’Connell.”

Preparing for the final battle sequence, where the terracotta army, led by Emperor Han, marches forward to take over the world, Brendan Fraser said “Nobody does it like Jet-Li. He makes a good Emperor, Jet. I’d follow him”
For obvious reasons, he is a huge international star and he has got incredible action shots, but the big thing with Jet’s character is that he’s got magical powers. He’s not just a normal mummy. He has control over the five elements: fire, water, earth, metal and wood. Plus, he’s a shapeshifter.
Another great part of the movie is the battle between the Emperor and Zi-Yuan: Two great icons of Chinese cinema going head to head!
“The last battle between Zi-Yuan and the emperor,” said Yoah “Zi-Yuan has waited thousands of years to finally live or die… This is it. The moment.”
The fight between Jet and Michelle’s characters is very balletic, but it is with swords and in a huge battle that is raging around them while they’re going mano-a-mano.
“It will be fantastic,” says Michelle “We’ve known each other for quite a few years and it’s always fun because he’s straightforward, no-nonsense and we always have a great time killing each other with jokes. It will be interesting because this is the first time we’re fighting on opposite ends. Look at our shooting schedules, this is the fight that the whole Asia is waiting for.”

The Michelle-Jet fight is very different from the Jet-Brendan fight. Brendan can’t fight Jet in a martial arts way, but he can do something that’s more like a Rick O’Connell style: Krofmaga (body motions that are based on natural instinct). “It just toughened me up” says Fraser “I needed to cast an appreciation for what it really means to get punched in the head!”
“He’s a very tough guy” says Lee “Very tough. Very strong.”
“He knows exactly what he’s doing” said Fraser “He’d come over and poke my chest to make sure I was wearing a chest pad because he was gonna put a boot in me.”
The Director laughed “Jet got him a couple of times and he got lots of Jet, but Jet had armour on and Rick O’Connell doesn’t wear armour.”

As the movie progresses, you will find yourself amazed at the many surprising creatures: It’s a different interpretation of what Chinese mythology tends to revolve around. Things like dragons, shapeshifters, temple guardian dogs, yeti’s… and it was entirely shot in China.
“We’re not talking about China from Montreal, from sets, from sound stages,” director Rob Cohan says” We’re on the dirt of China!”
In china, they have built enormous standing sets used for filming purposes and tourist attractions. This could not easily have been done as it would cost about a $100 million per set. There were 250-300 people just in set decoration. That’s a lot of people!

“It feels like finding a real archaeological world wonder” Fraser said.
“Every set is a big surprise to me,” said Ford “You go in there and you’re just shocked by it. You wanna get your camera out and take photos.”It’s really an epic journey over centuries. “You could bring your whole family to watch it” Lee said to which Michelle agreed “You want to be thrilled, you want to laugh, you want to be scared. You want to go out and see it with your friends or you kids… and it fits all.”