*****No Spoilers*****
A reboot of the titular Lara Croft and her saga. This iteration shows a fresh origin story for one of the most beloved video characters from the last few decades. Will this be the movie to break the curse of video games movies not being very good? Let’s find out :
The Plot
Nothing to taxing on the brain here. Lara’s father disappeared seven years ago and is presumed dead. The story takes up with Lara hard on her luck after turning her back on her inheritance. Not believing/accepting that her father is dead, she finds some clues and sets off on her first adventure in the hopes of finding her father.
Highs
At it’s best, there is a sense of fun to some scenes and Lara (played by Alicia Vikander) is quite likable from the start. It occasionally feels like a poor man’s Indiana Jones but never quite lives up to what has come before. The story is predictable but never obtrusive and the movie moves along at a good pace. Most scenes and action set pieces are quite generic but enjoyable none the less.
Lows
The generic and predictable nature of both the plot and the scenes that follow can make the whole film feel a bit dull and uninspired. Also the bad guy (played by Walton Goggins) is completely one-note and lacks any impact throughout the movie. I usually love his work but this really feels like he’s phoning it in. Lara’s father (played by Dominic West) also ends up coming across as a bit dumb towards the end of the movie making us wonder how he inspired Lara to become so brave & strong in the first place. To be blunt, it amazes me that he uncovered any hidden tombs or ancient secrets!
Overall
A forgettable generic film which is inferior not only to the ‘Indy series’ but even the likes of ‘National Treasure’ which is by no means a great flick. I didn’t enjoy it but neither did I dislike it. There is nothing here to make me feel strongly about anything. The best compliment I can give is that it’s never really bad and it’s quite easy to watch. Definitely not worth forking money out to see it but also not a bad movie to stick on if you’re bored. There are hints at a sequel and I would love to see them add some bite to this franchise but I doubt it will get a green light after this one.
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