Review by Ian Delia, Teen Writer
The transformation of the “Tomb Raider” in the past 22 years has been through multiple media platforms. From a video game made in 1996, through the TV series dated from 2001-2007, now a soon to be blockbuster movie. For all the gamers who have played the “Tomb Raider” video games, the relation between the game and the movie is uncanny. As for the audience of this film, expect the unexpected.
The evolution of Lara Croft throughout the years have been through many different phases. Animation on a video game, through the body of a TV show, and now to the young lady of today’s Lara Croft who is now played by Alicia Vikander.
Lara’s story is not like it has been seen on any other Lara Croft specials. Instead of being the outgoing artifact explorer, she is on a mission to find her father that has been claimed dead because he has been missing for 7 years. She was a bike messenger until she receives a Japanese puzzle in her inheritance specifically from her “dead†father, Lord Richard Croft, played by Dominic West. Lord Richard Croft, before he left on his journey, left a trail of clues for Lara for her to figure out. One of the clues lead to a sailor named Lu Ren (Daniel Wu) who will travel along her on the most dangerous expedition a man can think of.
The reason for Lord Richard Croft’s mission is to find an ancient queen of destruction and death, but everyone thinks that all of the stories behind the queen was a myth. His reason behind his treacherous journey was to keep the ominous power of the queen out of the wrong hands. The U.S. government sends a group of their military men, slaves, and their leader Mathias Vogel (Walton Goggins) to find the tomb. Vogel was ordered to find the ancient corpse or they will not be able to returns back to the states. He was not prepared for the treacherous consequences that awaits him.
The first Tomb Raider video game was advanced for the time. As the advances in technology grew, the realistic looking graphics draws a connection between Lara and the player. The Tomb Raider video games have sold over 45 million copies and counting, as they continue to make more. It is known as one of the best-selling video games of all time. Since 1996-2015 there have been 15 Tomb Raider video games, not counting the mobile apps, and is spread widely between multiple gaming systems.
Audience feedback: “The movie is very well made. The use of their twists are great because it always keeps you on the edge of your seat and always wants you to know more throughout the story. Their travel through the cavern to find the tomb peaked my interest because of the traps and dangerous trials that were solved by the wit of Lara Croft. As they found the tomb, I believed in magic for some time with the outcome of the time they arrived and all the consequences they face after the opening of the tomb.”
The suspense of the character dying is bone trembling. Teens are going to love the action through Lara’s journey and want to see it again. The plot is interesting because it showed the early development of young Lara Croft and how she becomes the tomb raider as portrayed in the video games. Also the story about her father is great because we all never knew anything about her father in past productions. His story is very amusing and smart to add to the plot. He’s also a very important character because he started the fire burning in Lara for her desire for adventure.
Tomb Raider has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA, this movie contains violence, action, and foul language that may not be suitable for young children. For those who go to see the film, brace yourself for a thrill ride that you may have not seen in the video games. And prepare to live in the life of Lara Croft. (4 out of 5 Stars)