Film Review: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Since its initial release in 1996, Tomb Raider is one of the most prominent video game franchises. It did to games what Indiana Jones did to movies and what Clive Cussler did to books: they all tap into a certain sense of adventure, with ties in archeology and ancient history, and with liberal amounts of action and peril, to immerse the audience in a thrilling experience. Lara Croft may be well-known for her...ahem...bodily proportions...but she is an action heroine who could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Indy and Dirk Pitt, in terms of physique, confidence, knowledge, and wit.

Inevitably, the live-action film for Tomb Raider was released in 2001, with enough hype to build it up as one of the biggest action hits of the year. The film definitely tries its hardest to be cool and hip; right from the start, it's loaded with unusual camera tricks and movements, with lots of frivolous time-lapse shots and fast cuts. A high-tempo soundtrack accentuates the small wealth of shoot-outs, chases, fights, and athletic stunts. The film does entertain, and there are moments where the action does come off as being "cool" and still holds up. A lot of it is pretty senseless and frivolous, and there is an underlying impression that the film is merely emulating a game experience, boss fights and all. Regardless, the film is successful at being stylish and fun.

On the other hand, the style becomes so heavy-handed that it does bring down the experience a notch. Frequent flashbacks and other random scenes disrupt the flow of the film. Some scenes, especially toward the end, become so surreal and weird, they further disrupt what should otherwise be a straightforward adventure flick.

With these random scenes, however, the film does try its best to dig up some solid substance. The story is not bad, per se, and it does its best to add some backstory and relevance to the characters and plot. I'm certain the filmmakers (and some audiences too) geeked out when they saw John Voight playing Lara Croft's father. The actual plotline, however, is pretty screwy, and follows the exact same structure as a video game (cut-scene, enter new area, fight bad guys, fight boss, obtain artifact, continue to next zone). Lara Croft is a two-dimensional character at best, for even with a backstory, there's never really enough to flesh her out and illicit much empathy for her or her struggles.

As mentioned above, the film has style, for better or for worse. Acting is a strange animal to judge here; Angelina Jolie is easily the centerpiece of the show, and she fits the part physically. She also does inject her character with a certain playfulness and wit that suits the character. Now that the games have evolved in so many different ways, however, I can't help but to regard Jolie's performance as an antiquated one-dimensional portrayal of Lara, same as it was in the 90s, lacking in nuanced depth or emotion.   Emulating the classic Lara Croft, Jolie does a good job, but in the future, I'm certain that she'll be supplanted very easily (especially if the 2013 game is any indication). As far as everybody else goes, they're serviceable at best. Except for a few witty lines, the writing is pretty bad. This production has decent sets, props, and costumes, but also some rather aged and bad special effects. Music tries its best to seem cool; the soundtrack is a favorite of mine, but it can serve as a distraction during the actual movie. The score is alright.

With all the style and action, and with the promise of seeing the classic video game character brought to life, the Tomb Raider movie seemed like a big movie event of my generation. It did its part well enough, but it remains a rather shallow and uneven experience.  It would be worth a look for fans and anybody interested in adventure flicks.

3.5/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Average | Film: Average)