Tomb Raider

Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander), daughter of the ridiculously wealthy business man/explorer, Lord Richard Croft (Dominic West), happens to be a wildly spirited and independent young woman set on making her own path, free of her family name. But, when misadventure brings Lara back to Croft Mannor, answers surrounding her father’s disappearance seven years ago begin to reveal them self, including clues to the search for a Japanese Queen of Death, perhaps the two are related? It’s an adventure that will take Lara around the world in search of answers high and low, all the while the dark hand of Trinity seems to be at work, watching, waiting…What does it all mean? Directed by Roar Uthaug one has to remember the original source material for this film is a mid 90’s video game, at the time noted for its prominent T&A as much as its action plot. Which, historically speaking, is a formula that’s churned out barn burners like the Resident Evil franchise, the Underworld franchise, or the previous incarnation of Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie, he says with more than a hint of sarcasm. But woah woah, hold the phone, this go around might actually have some tread to it despite having next to no originality in the actual “tomb raiding” act, sorry, those credits should actually go George Lucas and the crew who wrote the Raiders franchise, so it goes. Yet, even with all of its faults, this pulpy adventure actually manages to bounce from sequence to sequence entertaining just as intended. Vikander is a formidable Croft incarnate, and, sure there are some throw away bits and a few misses; but, one could do a lot worse, exhibits A, B, and C, all listed above. How’s about a roughly two hour matinee for the adventure sake? Tomb Raider is rated PG-13.