So despite never picking up a gun for the entire film, her decision to buy not one but two massive "9mm with extended mag" pistols at the movie's end is more in service to the classic Lara Croft from the video games than anything inherent to this movie's take on the mythology. Uthaug even takes the time to let Vikander's Croft come to grips with the first death (by execution) she sees on the island, and the first death of a man by her own hands that's rare in action fare. Vikander's slight size and stature is honestly represented on screen as her version of Lara is forced to use her entire body to take out would-be assailants, at least until she upgrades to a bow and arrow and, later, her famous climbing axe.
Throughout the course of this adventure, Lara uses her athleticism, fighting skills, and archery expertise in order to subdue mercenaries and defeat the major antagonist, played with cold, calculated precision by Walton Goggins. But what's less clear, and what bears explanation here, is the shift in character for Lara and her revelation at the movie's end. While I applaud Tomb Raider for keeping this plot grounded in science and biology rather than the supernatural (ie, revealing the "mummy's curse" as a pathogenic wasting disease rather than an avenging spirit), it's all pretty predictable. The "weapon" in question that the organization, named Trinity, is looking for is the corpse of the mystical Lady Himiko, a queen of death. Unfortunately, Lara's story takes a turn for the dark and dismal from here on out. Going in search for her long-lost father-and before officially signing his death certificate which would grant her inheritance but also cement his death in her mind-she inevitably stumbles across an ancient organization with terroristic tendencies that hopes to use her father's research as a means toward carrying out atrocities all over the world. The secondary twist is that moviegoers get to see Lara participate in a surprisingly fun bit of sport with her fellow bike messengers that feels more like a spiritual sequel to Premium Rush than an aspect of Tomb Raider, but it was delightful. The twist here is most similar to the latest iteration of Lara's early life that sees her opting to forgo her inheritance and easy-going lifestyle in order to pay her way and really experience life. Though her origin stories have changed quite a bit over the last 20 years or so, Lara is often the daughter of an aristocratic family and is orphaned in a variety of ways: plane crash, mysterious disappearances during archaeological expeditions, and presumed suicides. This is a two-fold twist on the typical version of Lara we're used to. Surprisingly, we're introduced to Lara as a bike messenger in London, a down-on-her-luck young adult who's struggling to make ends meet in the modern world.
In order to understand where Lara Croft ends up at the film's conclusion, it's important to know where she starts in this picture. We'll get into spoilers from here on out as we discuss the ending of Tomb Raider, so reader beware.
The only thing that might bring you up a bit short is Tomb Raider's ending, both from the point of view of a curious character twist for Lara Croft herself and that of a plot twist that, the studio hopes, could be the spark that ignites a feature franchise for the title character. (You can also read Matt Goldberg's review here for another perspective, though my own take is a little sunnier.)Įven if you haven't played each and every Tomb Raider game since the franchise's debut back in 1996, or its more modern reboot in 2013, and even if you haven't seen the Angelina Jolie versions of the story in the 20 features, the story of Roar Uthaug's film is quite easy to follow. It's especially entertaining if this is the first time you're seeing an action movie in the theater, which is a real possibility for the younger moviegoers out there who might find a heroine to root for in Vikander's capable Lara Croft. If you're thinking about checking out the latest Tomb Raider feature this weekend, here are a few things to keep in mind: Alicia Vikander absolutely carries the movie, it's one of the best big-screen video game adaptations in existence, and despite being a rather paint-by-numbers action flick, it's serviceable for folks looking for a mindless, run-and-gun, tomb-raidin' adventure.
0 kommentar(er)
