The
wait is over. Was it worthwhile? If you like Indiana Jones
with a female lead and fewer jokes, you won't be disappointed.
Nigel
Bell
There's
been so much anticipation and hype surrounding the release
of Tomb Raider that it was almost certain to be savaged
by the critics.
How do
you top a computer game which has taken the world by storm
and a heroine whose natural home is on a PC?
There's
nothing in this film version which hasn't been seen in the
cinema before.
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| What
do you mean I've failed my test? |
20 years
ago this would be mind blowing. But after Indiana Jones,
Lara Croft is a pale female imitation.
You have
the frantic action opening sequence, endless chases (which
still manage to keep you gasping as Lara just manages to escape),
the obligatory British villain and ultimate victory.
Indeed
there is one sequence where Lara has to fight a series of
stone statues which come to life which takes you back to the
days of Ray Harryhausen and his special effects from films
like Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts.
Admittedly
modern technology makes this look far superior but you do
get the feeling of deja vu.
Even the
story borrows from elsewhere (and it took five writers to
come up with this). It concerns the search for two halves
of a triangle which will give the user the power to travel
through time.
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| The
name's Bond..err..Indiana...sorry Lara |
It's not
a new premise. What I kept thinking about was that ill-fated
Anglo-American Dr Who film Enemy Within starring Paul
McGann. This also featured a race against time to stop time
being altered.
As for
the performances; Angelina Jolie certainly looks the part
as Lara. Just as well. Her dialogue is extremely limited.
Indeed one of my colleagues described her as having the acting
attributes of Roger Moore only with big lips!
Elsewhere,
there are plenty of British actors to look out for. Red
Dwarf's Chris Barrie plays Lara's butler, there's a cameo
from a very doddery looking Leslie Phillips and Daniel Craig
of Our Friends In The North fame, turns up as Lara's
love interest with, for some reason, an American accent.
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| Ok
daughter - time for bed |
Much talk
has been made of Jon Voight (Jolie's real life dad) as Lara's
father. It's a nice touch although Mr Voight's screen time
is limited.
For what
this film sets out to achieve - an action adventure movie
- it succeeds. It'll also succeed at the box office.
Just as
well really. The lead actors have allegedly been signed up
for three Lara movies - so there'll be plenty more chance
of seeing Angelina strutting her stuff.
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