UNDISCOVERED TOMB (2002)

 

PHENOMENALITY: *marvelous*
MYTHICITY: *poor*
FRYEAN MYTHOS: *adventure*
CAMPBELLIAN FUNCTIONS: *sociological*

My first statement is that by its title alone, UNDISCOVERED TOMB-- which I viewed only in an English dub-- suggests that the movie spun out of nothing but an attempt to imitate the franchise LARA CROFT TOMB RAIDER. Since I've never played video games, my next statement could be out of line-- but I think TOMB may be the first movie to be based on a video game that's less complex than the average video game.

My impression is that even fighting-games have to weave a few threads of story together for the gamer to play off of. I guess TOMB does give a little setup with its non-fighting characters, archaeologist Ivy (Yoko Shimada) and philanthropist Michael (Ken Wong), who seek out hidden treasures to protect them from a greedy paramilitary group, the Wild Wolves.

However, the English dub gives us the main star (Marsha Yuen) and her comic sidekick (Miyuki Koinuma)-- saddled with the careless English names "Georgia" and "Mandy"-- and no one ever knows just what their motives are for trekking around, treasure-hunting. It isn't even established that they're looking for a Chinese tomb fitted with terracotta warriors, though that's the discovery they kinda-sorta stumble onto.

TOMB is also a film where nearly every name character knows kung fu, including the two girls' guide and a suspicious fellow who joins their party. Is he an ally of the Wild Wolves? Apparently, but though Georgia (the serious one) uncovers his duplicity, there's never a confrontation moment; just another set of fights. When Georgia and Mandy (the funny one) aren't battling gun-toting Wild Wolves, they're fighting sacrifice-minded natives, some of whom dress up in bush-camouflage. And for a finale, a near invulnerable terracotta warrior comes to life and fights everyone in sight, until Georgia comes up with a means to defeat the stone sentinel.

TOMB has nothing to recommend it but the fights, but not only are they plentiful, they're also well choreographed, and Marsha Yuen puts a lot of charisma into a nothing character. I'll have to keep a look out for a Yuen role in which she gets a role worthy of her non-fighting talents.