The first film in the Lara Croft series was a good start for it. While the second definitely had a hard time living up to it, the first was at least fun and it introduced a young Daniel Craig. As stated previously, the film itself is a great vessel for strong female leads on the big screen, something Hollywood is still desperately needing these days. Overall, the film is solid and it's entertaining.
Starting back in 1996 you can see how the Tomb Raider franchise has taken over as adventure archaeologist Lara Croft. Spanning from video games that sold millions of copies worldwide, to comic books and a film series (with a new one debuting in 2018), as well as an animated series — there is a lot of Lara Croft branding going on out there. In addition to the financial success of its platforms through various mediums, this franchise has done so much for the empowerment of women and showing a real positive role model that is severely lacking across the board. It’s a rarity that women in film, or even video games for that matter, are portrayed as being smart, agile, inventive/resourceful, as typically they are the damsel in distress.
That said, I was excited at the re-release of this film in 4K, as it’s a primer for the upcoming new film that looks pretty darn good. Let’s get right into the re-release.
Overview
We began this film with Lara in the midst of a battle with a robot in pursuit for a diamond inside an Egyptian tomb. After trying to disarm and destroy this robot by tearing out its circuitry, Lara finds solace in the fact that she has to celebrate the day her dad went missing, which eventually brings her to another mystery, after acquiring a key to unlock a potential god-like power, that leads her directly into the arms of the illuminati. The secret group believes that the key she bought will lead them to an ancient triangular artifact that will allow the group a god-like power that would help them control time/space. Also, it would possibly allow for Lara to see her long departed father again (motivation!).
Knowing that Lara has the key to make their dreams come true, the illuminati storm the Croft mansion and try to take out Lara (and her help) in hopes of acquiring the key. They are met with a fair amount of resistance, but do end up acquiring the key. Now, skipping forward a bit, the story finds Lara in a Cambodian tomb, where the illuminati stand waiting as well (including a young Daniel Craig), where she begrudgingly helps the illuminati figure out how to unlock a very time sensitive tomb that won’t open up again for another 5,000 years. Eventually, the key works, a triangular artifact is acquired and both parties get one-half of it. Combined, the artifact will unlock time/space. Separate, the artifact is as useful a Virtual Boy.
Knowing that she can use the triangle to see into the past and talk to her father, Lara has to team up with the illuminati to finish the triangle and unlock its secrets. On that note, we’ll leave the third act to you. The first film in the Lara Croft series was a good start for it. While the second definitely had a hard time living up to it, the first was at least fun and it introduced a young Daniel Craig. As stated previously, the film itself is a great vessel for strong female leads on the big screen, something Hollywood is still desperately needing these days. Overall, the film is solid and it’s entertaining.
Review
Just knowing this film is a re-release in 4K gives an entirely new love for it because I’m a huge fan of the original. There’s a lot of depth in the contrast of the film, as well as some solid HDR action going on for a film born from the 90s. This 4K upgrade shows more detail with the color than with other 4K re-releases from the 90s. There is specific detail in the carvings in the tombs, as well as more vibrant colors, for a lack of better word, in comparison to the original in 2001. For example, you can see this things as small as the light on Lara’s glow stick in the first tomb in Cambodia, and even in the look and feel of the CGI bullets as they’re shot across the screen. The only downer of the 4K is how the CGI survives, as the clarity brings more wear/tear on visuals with the CGI, but that’s honestly to be expected. Looking at this film as if it wasn’t an all-time favorite, I would defiantly give the 4k version of Lara Croft Tomb Raider a 9/10.
