Tomb Raider
2.5 out of 5
Someday, I imagine, Hollywood will begin to come up with new ideas and original stories again. Someday. Until then, it seems every franchise is due for a reboot, or a sequel of some sort. And so it is that the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider series is starting over. Originally done in 2001, and starring Angelina Jolie, those films were a moderate success, and so it was only a matter of time until they got a facelift and a new beginning. Thus, this weekend, we are introduced to the new Lara Croft — Alicia Vikander. Where the original versions of the movie were more comic / video game styled in their approach — this version of “Tomb Raider” is gritty and tougher…And indeed better.
Vikander has, until now, been in several films that were very good — but not along the lines of a blockbuster film — especially as the lead. And — as it should be — she is by far the best thing about this movie. The sheer physical endurance and punishment she must have gone through during production had to have been intense. Especially considering she is “Five foot nothing, 100 and nothing,” to quote another famous movie line. She truly does thrust herself into every part of the movie, and will make Jolie proud to pass the torch, and would most likely get nods of approval from Indiana Jones and Rambo as well.
The story follows her from a child raised in a lavish lifestyle, by a father who it seems is always leaving on business. That “business” as we later discover deals a lot with archeology and ancient and deadly myths. On one of his expeditions he goes missing, and is presumed dead. Seven years later, we find Lara still in a state of denial — unwilling to admit he is dead, and needing answers. And when it comes to it — instead of taking over his business and fortune — she begins her own expedition to find him and prove for herself once and for all he is gone. This takes her to Hong Kong and eventually to an uncharted and uninhabited island in the South Pacific — where her father’s notes lead. His mission was to destroy an ancient tomb of a long gone queen known to have caused death just at the touch of her hand, in order to prevent an unknown entity called “Trinity” from finding her first in order to weaponize her powers. Upon crash landing on the island, she is immediately captured by a group of men who have gathered workers against their will in trying to find Queen Himiko’s tomb. Once they discover who she is and how she came to find the island, the lead bad guy Mathias Vogel (Walton Hoggins), believes he finally has the missing piece to the puzzle. Of course, all Lara wants is to know what happened to her dad. Vogel lets her know he killed him and if she wants to live she will help him find the tomb in order to finally leave the island.
If I go too much further at this point, spoilers will be had, and you will be frustrated with me for revealing what happens — but with most movies that are in this genre, you could probably guess what happens next and how things go for the “good guys” and “bad guys.” The important part is how did the story unfold? Was it well done? Did it entertain? And did it make you thirsty for more? In this case, I can say that “Tomb Raider” is fairly well done. Though there are some aspects of the film that looked and felt like a better version of Universal Studio’s failed “The Mummy” reboot from last year. I’m not kidding, there are parts that are really close in similarities. From the dead lady in a tomb, buried to keep her from inflicting more harm, to what happens when someone comes in contact with her…Really close. And in some characters the acting is cheesy or over the top, but Vikander pushes past all of them and emerges as a strong lead. She certainly has the chops and history going into this movie and now she can add “action hero” to her already impressive resume. The big question for her, and the entire franchise is, will this film be successful enough to bring about a sequel which is set up at the end?
