The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Universal has released the third film in 'The Mummy' franchise, 'The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor' (2008), to UHD to tie-in to the new film releasing this Summer and starring Tom Cruise. The film features a gorgeous 2160p/HDR-enhanced transfer and a new DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack. It is currently only available as part of a box set with 'The Mummy' and 'The Mummy Returns.' Unfortunately, packaging problems are besieging this set and ruining discs. Read on for more information.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note 1: Several Universal representatives were asked to comment on whether this transfer is from an upscaled or true 4K source. None have responded to the inquiry.

Note 2: Unlike the UHD releases of The Mummy and The Mummy Returns, this film played flawlessly. There are two visible scratches on the disc, but it played fine beginning to end, and randomly chapter skipping around caused no problems, either. One out of three makes an All-Star in baseball, but it's unacceptable in home video.

Note 3: The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor was easily the best looking of the Mummy trilogy on Blu-ray and that holds true for its UHD debut. The image is gorgeously filmic. Details are firm, naturally and effortlessly sharp, and the image maintains a crispness and accuracy throughout. Facial close-ups are special; pores, wrinkles, makeup, and other features are easily visible and very well defined in any light and in any location. Even outside of close-up, at medium distance from the camera, there's no mistaking the transfer's organic, film-quality, highly detailed credentials. Rough, tactile terrain and structures -- lots of sand, snow, and ornate surfaces -- sparkle with intense, accurate detailing. Clothes follow suit. Whether finely stitched suits and dresses or regal Chinese armor, viewers will spot every little detail each element has to offer. Colors are terrific. Again, the HDR palette proves more a subtle enhancement, presenting a palette that doesn't betray the movie but instead gives it a deeper, more nuanced, more deeply saturated appearance. Compared to the Blu-ray, this represents the least dynamic upgrade, largely because the other two films had so much room to improve. Here, it's more a case of a classic UHD refinement: the picture is a little sharper, a little more finely detailed. Colors are a bit deeper and more precisely dialed-in, including flesh tones that add a little warmth. This is up there with the best of the shot-on-film UHD's (Angels & Demons and Pineapple Express immediately come to mind) and sits as amongst the finest the format currently has to offer.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor features an all-new DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack. It's the least intense of the three Mummy films on UHD, but it might be the best nevertheless. It's beautifully balanced, never overextending its range and, if anything, timidly holding back a little in a few places where more dynamism and extension might be in order. Still, music is very precise. Notes throughout the range are wonderfully accurate and finely detailed, entering the stage with impressive width along the front and balanced, never over-pumped, surround support. Music often swings to different styles, whether light score or more aggressive beats or even smooth Jazz notes at a club (which tend to be dominant along the stage's right-hand side), with no change in capable delivery dynamics. Action scenes are a highlight, one of which comes in chapter five when a barrage of arrows swoop through the soundstage and even saw blades slice through with sharp, intense precision. A plane crash midway through the film is one of the highlights on this disc, in the trilogy, and in the entirety of UHD. The bass line is intense, deep and detailed, rattling the furniture in a good way and reproducing the frightening intensity of the moment. Add in the heavy rush as the plane maneuvers through and it's a reference moment. More chaotic battles are filling and always well detailed, with an effortless blend of sound maneuverings and pinpoint discrete effects. Dialogue is perfectly positioned and prioritized, and it enjoys a good bit of light reverberation as the situation allows.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor contains no new supplemental content on the UHD disc. It does carry over the Rob Cohen commentary track. All other supplements, including the same commentary, can be found on the included 1080p Blu-ray. Those extras are listed and reviewed here.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It would be nice if the was the Universal one could expect for each release: a great UHD transfer, a dynamic but balanced DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack, and no playback problems to report, though with this packaging that's more dumb luck than it is anything else. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is easily the worst of the original trilogy Mummy films, but its UHD release is something special. Recommended when it's packaged properly.