The computer game series Tomb Raider, along with its star and heroine, Lara Croft have been adapted nicely to the big screen. Angelina Jolie plays the sexy treasure stealer in what will more then likely be this summers biggest film.
The film itself is very much like the computer game. We see Lara at home, in training, and off raiding ancient temples in exotic locations just like the game. Of course, we see Lara fighting enemy, and bouncing as she runs. Apparently Lara’s breasts have been reduced down so fans of the computer game woman will be disappointed.
The plot revolves around an ancient story of an all seeing eye, a triangle, and a key, which is really a clock counting down to the perfect planetary alignment, and a solar eclipse which occurs only once every 5000 years. Everything must be found, gathered together, and placed in the right place at the precise time for the holder of the triangle to be given the ability to bounce forward and backward in time. The person who holds the triangle can rule the world.
Of course there is a group attempting to get these items, this group known as the Illuminati, have hired the films villain to find these items and bring them to them; he in turn has hired Lara’s old boyfriend to help locate these things. We don’t really know if the Illuminati are good or bad, we just know they exist. So how does Lara get involved in this plot to find the tools to rule the world? Her dead father who was an archaeologist possessed one of the pieces, and left instructions for Lara to gather the other pieces to prevent the wrong people from getting hold of them.
The films main subplot revolves around Lara’s desire to see her father again. She feels his death has resulted in time being stolen from them both, and the villains will be sure to prey on this one character flaw. Lara’s father is played by Angelina Jolie’s real life father, John Voight, who is seen in mostly flashbacks.
The sets in this film are incredible. Bouncing between Lara’s huge mansion in England, to her treks through Cambodia into ancient temples, and to the arctic circle, the movie moves at an Indiana Jones like pace. Those familiar with the computer games, will see similarities in the film from places they have controlled their own digital Lara’s on her quest to find treasure.
Angelina Jolie plays Lara Croft nicely. She comes off as extremely confident, and has an air of determination about her. Lara appears at almost all times, serious, she has a plan, and she won’t be stopped. She only is knocked off her path when it comes to talk of her father. We see little of a soft side of Lara until the end of the film. Perhaps she has found a sense of closure in her quest, and will finally be able to let her father go.
Lara has a supporting cast of her Butler and some other assistant, who’s relation to the family we don’t really know. He may just be a designer of mechanical goodies, but Bryce seems to be Lara’s little tag along friend.
Tomb Raider moves along at a very good pace, never really slowing down for much dialog. After all, Lara’s got a mission, she has no time to sit around. Fans of action will see lots of shooting around, in both the Mansion Invasion and the Temple fight.
Overall this is a good film. Worth a look, although I’d maybe wait until it came out on video