Image courtesy of wall.alphacoders.com
Next up in the series of catch-up reviews is Tomb Raider, one of two video game adaptations to hit theaters in 2018. This one is particularly based on the 2013 game that rebooted the series, also called Tomb Raider. Not only that, it serves as a reboot of the film franchise that came before, which starred Angelina Jolie as series protagonist Lara Croft*.
For those mostly unfamiliar aside from the name and lead character, Lara Croft (minus gender and age differences, of course) is basically the British Indiana Jones.
The game was awesome, but is the movie at least decent? You'll find out soon enough.
The story follows a younger Lara Croft trying to make ends meet since her father, Lord Richard Croft, disappeared seven years prior. Determined to find the truth, she learns that he had been researching the Japanese island of Yamatai, the final resting place of its Queen: the sorceress Himiko. An organization known as Trinity plans to use his work to locate the tomb and unleash its power upon the world. This leads to an adventure where Lara might not only find the answers she seeks, but also her true calling.
What Worked: The majority of the cast is really good. Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina) proves to be an excellent choice for Lara. She looks the part, commits to it, and conveys the character's dedication very well. Dominic West (300, Punisher: War Zone) as Lord Richard is another good choice. He shows that sense of urgency and genuine sorrow a parent may feel when having to make the hard decision to leave a loved one.
Then there's Daniel Wu (currently known for "Into the Badlands") as Lu Ren, the ship captain Lara hires. He becomes an interesting character because he has a purpose aside from her means of getting there. He can handle himself in a fight, which is shown particularly in the third act, and has some humorous moments.
Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead) also has a small, but enjoyable, part here. His scenes do have some significance, so it's not necessarily a cameo**.
Now for the technical aspects. This is the first studio project from Norwegian director Roar Uthaug, and for a first effort with such a high-profile film, he does a very solid job. He manages to capture the game's look and tone and make the action feel just as intense, because it does not let up; it's even suspenseful at times.
The action also has an authentic feel to it because Alicia Vikander actually did most of her own stunts. Therefore, you feel as if you're seeing Lara herself risking her life whenever danger comes her way. The movie goes along at a nice pace because of that, especially when the action starts.
There are some references to the game itself, its 2015 follow-up Rise of the Tomb Raider (of which a few aspects are present here as well), and even to the previous movies. However, it uses them either to add to the humor or when it may be necessary for the story.
The humor, for the most part, works and helps give the audience some breathing room in between the action sequences.
The score is really good, especially during the action and some of the more dramatic moments. I also enjoyed the song played in the credits.
What Didn't Work: Although this version does get a fair amount of things right, there are still some that could have been done better.
Some of the dialogue makes it seem like it's trying too much to be both an all-out action movie and self-aware with the clichés commonly found in them. Particular examples are one-liners, and the protagonist surviving so many situations where they otherwise would have died, even acknowledging it on one occasion.
There are several predictable moments, a few of which involve Mathias Vogel, the villain played by Walton Goggins. His performance is good, but he's not that memorable of a villain, let alone a character. The same goes for the rest of the supporting cast, including Derek Jacobi (Murder on the Orient Express): good, but not much of an impact.
The one thing that really did not work for me, though, is some of the sound. It's whenever Lara has to exert herself, is in pain, etc. It does not sound like Alicia Vikander at all, but more like it was dubbed. Every time it happened, it was so jarring that it took me out of the movie.
Overall: Compared to the majority of video game movies before it, Tomb Raider ends up being among the more faithful ones, and probably the best one so far. Both fans and general audiences might enjoy this version quite a bit. Regardless of which group you're in, you get a likable protagonist, entertaining action sequences, and some very intense moments. Even looking at this version just as a movie, it's still a lot of fun.
In summary, to answer the question in the intro, is this at least decent? Yes; in fact, it's actually pretty good, so this may be a sign that the genre of video game adaptations may be heading in the right direction. I also mentioned that this is one of two being released in 2018, so the question now is: can the same be said for the other one? It won't be too long before that one is answered.
For those interested in checking this out, there's one more thing I have to mention: there is a mid-credits scene.
*Those being 2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and 2003's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life, respectively. I'll say this about them for now, because I actually did watch them prior: they have their fun moments even with how dumb and especially dated they are. Because of that, I can see them being in Guilty Pleasure territory.
**That part is not a spoiler, because he is shown at least once in the trailer.