The new Tomb Raider, starring Academy Award winner Alicia Vikander, is technically one of the best video game movie adaptations ever made. Unfortunately, with peers like Assassin’s Creed, Doom and Super Mario Bros. that isn’t saying a lot.
Based on the 2013 video game reboot of the franchise, Tomb Raider explores the origin of action-adventure heroine Lara Croft, leaning towards a more realistic story than its predecessors. Vikander (The Danish Girl, Ex Machina) jumps into the lead role and really does a fantastic job with the (poor) material given to her. Her approach to the character feels like a believable adventurer, taking the reins from like Indiana Jones or Nathan Drake. The character is a breath of fresh air, especially when compared to Angelina Jolie’s portrayal in her Mission Impossible-inspired 2001 film. Moments of tension actually feel stressful and, although she is the titular character, there are definitely moments where you fear for Croft’s safety and survival.
The film’s supporting cast also brings a lot to the table. Warcraft and Geostorm actor, Daniel Wu, is a major highlight within the film as drunken sailor, Lu Ren, who continually supports Lara throughout the film as a voice of reason to Lara’s sense of adventure. His character is a colorful addition to Tomb Raider’s cast: a good supporting character who helps the main character shine brighter.
But that’s where the “good” stops. Tomb Raider’s story feels clunky and uninspired. While it is clear that the movie is heavily inspired by Indiana Jones, it mostly comes off as lazy writing (especially when the final act is essentially the exact same as the far superior Last Crusade). The villainous organization (“Trinity”) is not developed at all, with their intentions unexplained and its main antagonist, Mathias Vogel (played by the way-too-good-for-this-movie Walton Goggins) hell-bent on following orders, without really knowing or caring about the reasoning behind it.
