My, what big... (Lara Croft Tomb Raider Special Edition (DVD))

Member Name: zOOm

Product:	Lara Croft Tomb Raider Special Edition (DVD)
Date:	06/07/01 (58 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great action, Good acting, True to the game

Disadvantages: Special effects, simple story

Lara Croft… Hmmm… Never played the game but just like everyone, I know the character. A very well proportioned woman in her twenties that is into archaeology, fighting bad guys and mystical characters and one tough person! Hang on, that sounds a bit like Indiana Jones, except he can’t fight this good.

Lara Croft was created by the British entertainment company EIDOS who make games for Sony Playstation (I think this one single game is one of the main reasons for the Playstation becoming so popular).

Anyway, on to the movie….

Staying true to the game developers at EIDOS, Lara Croft in the movie is presented in the form of well proportioned Angelina Jolie (from the movie “Girl, Interrupted”). She seems very fit and when I think about it, I can’t imagine anyone else better suited to play Lara. Not just the proportioned body, but the tough moves and an in-exhaustible energy. I read somewhere that she did her own stunts. I cannot confirm that though.

The plot: (No major spoilers)

Thousands of years ago a meteorite falls to the earth on the exact day that all the nine planets are aligned. The metal from this meteorite is used to create a triangle, which has the magical power of being able to control time. Its powers were used for the bad and it was broken in two and the pieces separated.

Now it is 5000 years later and the nine planets are going to be aligned again. A group called the “illuminoty” (it’s in Italian, I am not sure if I spelled it right) have been looking for the triangle. Who ever joins the pieces of the triangle will have the power to control time – and the world of course.

The actors and the characters:

Both Lara and the bad guy (someone called Powel) have sidekicks, one a history nerd and the other an electronics genius. However, both come across as complete idiots in the movie. They can’t do anything right, they a
re clumsy and are cowards. Why the main characters take them everywhere they go is a mystery to me. I even think that they were added as an after thought to make sure the movie didn’t have only 3 characters in it.

The fight scenes are amazing. Lara has the most amount of energy I have ever seen in any character. The combined powers and energies of Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee & Jet Li would be nothing compared to this girl! Still, the fight scenes are as realistic as can be (i.e. no “The Matrix” type of slow motion or “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” type of flying over huge temples). Put it simply, she kicks butt!

One think I didn’t like about the fight scenes was what I call the “Stephen Seagal” effect. This is when someone fights, rolls on the ground, kills a few people and comes out without a crease or a speck of dirt on their clothes. Seagal does this in a black suit but Lara does it in her white pyjamas!!!

The special effects are rather simple unfortunately. The mystical characters that come alive reminded me of “The Adventures of Sinbad” which was recorded back in the 50’s I think!!! The robots on the other hand came out very good. Why there is such a huge difference in the two special effects, I don’t know.

The stunts are magnificent. Lara rides a motorbike better than any daredevil I have seen and since she is the daughter of Lord Richard Croft she has a huge palace and the latest sports cars (including a McLaren ). She can run very fast, dive from waterfalls and beat up more men with machine guns then an army squadron.

As Miss Croft is English, the characters are supposedly English as well. However, I found that at some parts their British accent was too strong and at others they were losing their accents completely! But then I guess you do not watch this movie for the acting quality.

The movie is rated 12 but I think it is more suited f
or 15 and over. There are some scenes where people are getting stabbed and getting crushed. But I guess if they play the game they should be able to watch the movie.

For all those that are wondering, a 12 rating means there is no nudity. Although there are some minor sexual references.

Overall, a quiet enjoyable movie. I was also amazed at the number of women that wanted to watch this. When I asked my wife why she wouldn’t watch other action movies but she really liked this, she replied “because it’s a woman kicking some butt!!!”

Well, there you have it, an action packed movie with great stunts that the whole family will love.

Summary: