Tomb Raider (2017) Review (Spoilers)

[bigglesworth]

I didn't see any threads about this movie so I thought I'd create one.

My daughter and I saw this last night and overall I enjoyed it. All-in-all, it was a Tomb Raider game on the big screen. The story was good, though there were a few plot holes and contrivances. The action and pacing were good. The FX were pretty good, though nothing really stood out. Alicia Vikander did a great job as Lara Croft. I knew the movie was coming but I don't recall seeing trailers for it. I didn't realize Daniel Wu would be in the film, so that was a nice surprise. I enjoyed the explanation regarding Himiko's supposed supernatural power over death ability.

One thing I thought was really well done was the fights. They were chaotic, messy, "anything goes" type fight that one would do in a life and death situation. I'm glad the movie avoided the cliched 100lb. woman easily beats up a 200lb man (and a mercenary with at least some training at that). Women can be tough as nails, highly skilled fighters, as was Lara, but going toe-to-toe against an opponent twice one's size and strength usually takes a bit more than a punch, kick or some fancy spinning move that looks good on camera. Lara was thrown around and beaten quite a bit my her male opponents but used her fighting skill along with her environment to win.

One last thing... and I'm not objectifying, only admiring. Alicia Vikander... good Lord almighty... Not only is she an amazing actress and possesses a natural beauty, but apparently very dedicated to her job. She must have gotten down to around 8% body fat (or maybe less) for Tomb Raider. She was close to, if not on par, with many of the women in the bikini division of women's fitness models. That takes a lot of dedication.

 

[John Clark]

My friends and I saw it earlier today.

Some of the reviews are not so good, but I enjoyed it and would like a sequel.

 

[Trekker4747]

Saw it earlier, really liked it. Much about it reminds me of the "reboot" game that came out a couple years ago. The Jolie movie is a guilty pleasure, but I think this movie is very good with lots of very great visuals. The actress, beyond the physical pleasures, was good and I like the relationship she had with other characters like her father and the boat owner, as well as the villain.

The "tomb scene" when we get there was good and as expected for a movie of this genre with the tomb being unrealistically complex, but it certainly felt like something from the game(s.) (Alot of the visuals and actions scenes in the movie felt right out of the game, even the prominence of that weird-looking pick-ax thing.) I liked how it sort of found a "balance" between this being a "supernatural" threat and a "real" threat, with the myths/curses being tied to a real biological threat.

Fight scenes were good with "Lara" kicking ass but still being a 100-lb girl so having to put up a "fight" when struggling against men twice her size. Jesus, I swear some of the action scenes were QTEs right out of the damn game.

But I really like it, don't feel I needed the "set-up" for this conspiratorial universe, but look forward to future movies.

And, really, the pawn shop in London had such a cache of guns?

Which reminds me, the humor in the movie worked good too between the pawn-shop couple, the boat captain and some other little bits. Overall, I walked out having enjoyed it.

I'd give it a B+.

 

[EmoBorg]

I just watched it. I liked the movie overall. I liked the action scenes. I never played the games nor have i ever watched Angelina Jolie's movies and so i did not even know that Lara Croft was British. I thought she was American.

The thing that i found strange about the movie was the final scene. Lara Croft looking through her father's notes about the Trinity Organization, finds out that one of the companies listed under Croft's Holdings, has links to Trinity. And Richard Croft had a picture of a Trinity Agent taken from the behind and it was actually Ana Miller.

Richard Croft did not recognize one of his senior employees ? The picture was taken from the back but Richard Croft should have known it was Ana Miller. He most likely saw her almost every day when he was running the company.

 

[bigglesworth]

Richard Croft did not recognize one of his senior employees ? The picture was taken from the back but Richard Croft should have known it was Ana Miller. He most likely saw her almost every day when he was running the company.

Maybe Richard did know and it's a keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer thing.

 

[FormerLurker]

Haven't seen it yet, but it sounds like world building, so they can make a franchise. If you anticipate making a sequel, it's best to set one up, even obliquely, so it can hit the ground running once it comes out. All you need then is enough audience participation in the first (meaning butts in seats) to justify making it.