Tomb Raider reinvents Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider series by bringing the best parts of the game and creates an exciting and original story that will thrill you from start to finish.
“Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander), the fiercely independent daughter of a missing adventurer, is driven to solve the puzzle of her father’s mysterious death on her own. Armed with only her sharp mind, blind faith and inherently stubborn spirit, Lara must learn to push herself beyond her limits as she braves the perilous journey into unknown lands, and ultimately earns the name tomb raider.”
We open as Lara is fighting an opponent in a boxing ring, and losing pretty badly. After the embarrassing loss, the owner of the gym tells her she’s behind on her payments and if she doesn’t pay she won’t be welcome anymore. We find out she’s working as a food delivery bike rider in London, trying to make ends meet. This isn’t the typical Lara that we know from the past. However, we quickly find out she’s renounced her fortune and the company her father owned, refusing to believe that he’s dead, both emotionally and legally, which prevents her from receiving her inheritance. When she has a vivid dream of her father, she finally decides that the time has come and goes to sign the documents declaring him dead. However, before she does, her lawyer gives her a puzzle box that her father wanted her to have upon his death, leading her to a secret room in the family crypt that contains all his research on the ancient Japanese myth of Himiko who is said if released will spread death over the world.
Upon tracing her father’s path and hiring a boat, Lara makes her way to the island of Yamatai to seek answers of her father’s disappearance. After a storm crashes her boat, Lara is taken prisoner by Mathias Vogel (Walton Goggins) a member of a secretive group spanning the globe called Trinity who has been searching for Himiko’s tomb for the past seven years. Now, armed with her father’s research, Mathias is closer than ever to discovering the tomb, and Lara must do everything she can to stop him.
Tomb Raider follows the same basic structure as the game which was released in 2013, which basically redefined the series. Although there are many differences in the story, which I won’t go into to avoid spoiling a pretty big moment, but some of the coolest action sequences are included in the film version. Despite the adherence to the basic structure, I never felt like I was just watching the cut-scenes from the game or anything. Tomb Raider stands on its own here, creating some really cool moments in the story that definitely surprised me.
The new Lara Croft is so much different from previous incarnations. She’s vulnerable, emotionally damaged, and definitely not the super-hero type from the original films and games. Just like the 2013 game, Lara gets the crap kicked out of her throughout the entire film, but because of her persistence and dedication she keeps getting back up. She’s much more relatable this way to audiences, more real, and more believable. One of the underlying themes of the film is that of her coming to terms with her father leaving her at such a young age and never coming back. Whether or not the answers she finds on the island lets her do that, I’ll leave it up to you to see for yourself.
Alicia Vikander in my eyes was perfect casting for Lara Croft. She is strikingly beautiful but also a realistic representation of the character, unlike the disproportionate model of the original Playstation games. What the character lacks in physical strength she makes up for in speed, demonstrated by early scenes in the first act. She plays the role very well when she’s not being beat up, falling off cliffs or waterfalls. Walton Goggins playing Mathias was a treat as well, as I enjoy Goggins in pretty much everything he does. His character is much different from his counterpart in the game, but again, much more real and believable when translated to film. Despite him being the main antagonist, his main reason for doing everything is because he can’t leave the island until he completes his mission and he desperately wants to get back home to his family. Undoubtedly he does some pretty evil things, has enslaved people to do physical labor, and kills people on a whim. He seems like a beaten down and broken man who simply wants to go home. Because of this, you begin to feel a little sympathy for him, which I think detracts from the conflict between him and Lara.
The one complaint I have about the film is the fact there is basically no B-Story. I suppose the slaves and their journey could be considered the B-Story, but the fact that it’s given about 30 seconds of screen time total makes me fail to see what it could possibly be. With an action-packed film like this, audiences need some kind of break in between, and the entire second and third act seems to run continuously on until the conclusion with maybe one scene to catch your breath. I’m not sure if typical film goers will pick up on this or even care, but fortunately the main story is done well and the action highly entertaining, so it does keep your attention until the end.
Tomb Raider sets up this new world very nicely, peppering in hints of Trinity throughout the film and ending with room for a sequel. It adds some of the best moments of the game while standing on its own; a highly entertaining thrill ride from start to finish.
Video
Tomb Raider is presented in 2160p 4k Ultra High Definition Widescreen 2.4:1 with HDR10 and DolbyVision. Normally, when I watch 4k films, I find myself being wowed in the very beginning and quickly forgetting about the quality. There are only a few films where this didn’t happen, and Tomb Raider is one of them. First of all, if your TV and 4k player has the ability to play DolbyVision, you’re in for a treat. The dynamic metadata allows for levels to shift depending on the scene, and there are quite a few drastic changes in setting and landscape that demand for different levels. This has made the film look absolutely stunning from start to finish, highlighting the vibrant colors and deep darks.
The Blu-Ray version included is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.4:1.
Audio
The audio is presented in Dolby Atmos and is equally as impressive as the video transfer. Levels are balanced very well, with some fantastic atmospheric audio coming through the surrounds that perfectly complements the action. With all the action sequences with guns firing and arrows flying, you’ll feel like you’re in the middle of it all as the audio totally immerses you.
Special Features
The extras are located on the Blu-Ray disc and include:
- Lara Croft: Evolution of an Icon – Explore the revolutionary TOMB RAIDER saga from video games to movies, and discover how Lara Croft became one of the most popular and successful female characters of all time.
- Croft Training – Enter the gym with Oscar winning actress Alicia Vikander as she prepares for the most physically demanding role of her career and transforms into the iconic action hero Lara Croft.
- Tomb Raider: Uncovered – The cast and crew of TOMB RAIDER reveal the challenges – and the fun – of bringing Lara Croft’s thrilling adventure to life for a new generation.
- Breaking Down the Rapids – Join director Roar Ulthaug as he and other members of the cast and crew break down the film’s most exciting action set piece.
Tomb Raider establishes itself as one of the better films to be adapted from a game, thanks largely in part to how cinematic the game was I’m sure. It reinvents the character of Lara Croft, an iconic action hero, and sets up a world in which the possibilities of sequels are endless. Hopefully this won’t be the last adventure we see of Lara Croft!
