Tomb Raider

 

The 2018 movie “Tomb Raider” is a remake of the original but with a new actress, Alicia Vikander, replacing Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft.  While superficially the same plot, this version is of an entirely different genre entirely.

 

Contributing to the dramatically different look and feel, the former bad girl superheroine has been replaced with an ordinary mortal of limited physical prowess, middle-class values, and the looks of the girl next door.  In addition, the other-worldly supernatural special effects have been pointedly removed in favor of naturalistic and scientific explanations for everything.

 

Nor is the title character the formerly hard driving force behind plot development but rather seems to stumble serendipitously from one peril to another seemingly without conscious effort.

 

For all that however, the movie is a well done action adventure with excellent production values and a more than adequate supporting cast.  Nor is the one dimensional nature of the plot much of a distraction.   That Laura Croft only succeeds in getting her father killed is more than compensated by her finally resolving any uncertainty over his fate, assuming control of a multi-national corporation, and being granted purpose in the form of a quest to rid the world of the requisite all powerful evil secret society.

 

The teaser for a possible sequel at the end involving hints as to who exactly was behind her father’s predicament is also well done.  This is an acceptable movie which might have had more appeal if it hadn’t been promoted as a remake.