By Renee’ C.
Rating: 4 (Out of 5 Reels)
Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander), the fiercely independent daughter of a missing adventurer, must push herself beyond her limits when she finds herself on the island where her father (Dominic West) disappeared (IMDB).
I went into this film not expecting much because the first two installments with Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft were basically teenage fodder. They are over the top movies with statues that come alive and try to kill everyone in sight. Including a main character who has a superiority complex, a thirst for outlandish adventure and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. What I found most refreshing is that in this latest installment Croft’s character is quite the opposite because she is humble and does not want her inheritance because she wants to make it on her own. The writing overall is well done and Vikander’s performance is much more nuanced and thoughtful which endears her to the audience.
The special effects in this film are great plus there are no statue monsters at all. Sure, we see Lara perform some harrowing feats throughout but they are more grounded in nature and not supernatural. Quite refreshing that the strength of this film is in the writing, acting and grounded special effects. It is a bit predictable but the journey is what this film is about and the end result makes it a fun movie to watch. I definitely recommend this film but as usual would suggest saving a few bucks and catching a matinee.