Tomb Raider (2018) - Movie Review

Reboot Survival

This isn't the first time I've watched the 2018 Tomb Raider reboot movie. I did so some years ago after I had finally played the 2013 game. What I can still remember from that watch is that I found this wasn't a must-see movie but certainly not a bad one. A '6/10 film' in its truest form with its neat action but lacking writing. 

Now, years later, and having a lot more Tomb Raider under my belt I wanted to revisit this 2018 attempt to bring Lara back to the big screen. To see how it holds up and if a rewatch might treat me differently. Other than that, it would also be a fitting end to my series of Tomb Raider adaptation reviews. This is the last one I'm missing after all! Well, until the Amazon TV series hits, that is. 

So, without further ado, let's talk about it. 

Years after the disappearance of her father, Richard Croft, Lara refuses to sign his death certificates and inherit his fortune. Instead, she spends her days as a bike courier and occasionally running into the law. After her father's old friend Anna finally convinces her to sign those death papers, a puzzle box that her father had instructed to be given to Lara in the case of his death leads her to a message from him regarding his last voyage. He set off to the Devil's Sea in search of the tomb of the mythical queen Himiko, who was said to have brought death wherever she went with a mere touch. 

Determined to find out what happened to her father, Lara sets out for the Devil's Sea herself where an adventure she could never have imagined in her wildest dreams, or worst nightmares, awaits her. 

Right from the get-go, this reboot feels quite different from the two Angelina Jolie films that came before. Those films leaned into the “larger-than-life action star” persona of Jolie and did little to move Lara away from the 'gaming sex symbol' she was positioned as during the 90's. This movie takes more than a few queues from the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot, the start of the Survivor Trilogy, including in its tone. 

In this film, Lara is a more grounded and 'realistic' character. She's isn't a near-superwoman with impeccable aim with dual pistols and suave for days. This Lara loses the first fight we see her get into, is behind on her payments and is still quite hung up on her missing father. Even the first action sequence of the film is a lot more realistic and 'character-grounded' here. It’s no fight against a robot but simple fisticuffs. It makes for a stark contrast to that other version of Lara, but it’s a contrast I don’t mind.

While this version might be rather trope-filled for the time this film released in, I prefer a more humanised character over a good-looking but 'cardboard cutout' one. Plus, I find Vikander’s acting better than Jolie’s. The latter’s acting was all about looking and sounding cool while Vikander’s performance has a lot more emotion and nuance to it.

Starring next to Vikander is a slew of, to me, surprisingly well-known actors. We have Dominic West (The Wire) as Richard Croft, Nick Frost (The Cornetto Trilogy) as a pawn broker, Walton Goggins (Fallout) as the bad guy and Derek Jacobi (Gladiator) as a lawyer. Back when I first watched this movie I didn't recognize any of these actors, but I do now, which made this rewatch a bit more fun for me. I wanted to see what these people brought to the table, but I'm sad to report I was left wanting. These are all still good actors who all put in the work but they're not given a lot to work with here.

This isn't the first time Tomb Raider put a lot of focus on Lara's father in a 'there was more to him than meets the eye' fashion. The Survivor Trilogy did so but I find that this approach has never worked all that great, and this film is no exception. Richard Croft is not a very likeable character in this film, his obsession with Himiko and otherwise rather bland characterization don’t do him any favours. Walton Goggins Vogel also doesn't come out looking all that great. He's your typical 'tries to be sympathetic but is clearly vile' type of character with bland dialogue whose role in the film is to be an obstacle; not an actual character. In either case, the good acting of both can't make up for these faults in the writing. 

My favourite (side) character among the lot is the non-Jonah: Lu Ren, played by Daniel Wu. I had remembered him as being barely present after the boat ride, but he’s actually more involved than I recalled. He's a good partner for Lara, kind and dependable beneath a rough surface and I wish they had done more with him. The same goes for the last character I want to talk about: Ana. Ana is here for one reason and one reason only: to be a seed for the sequel the producers were clearly banking on happening behind the scenes. Ana is a pivotal character in Rise of the Tomb Raider, the sequel of the game this movie adapts, and her presence here is clear done to set up a movie based on that game. 

These two make for a good duo which I wish the filmmakers had recognized more. 

In terms of her relevance to this plot, you could've easily cut her out and spread her scenes across the other character without much issue. It's for this reason I wish they had done more with her. I think there was potential by bringing Ana in 'early' and make her Lara's ward. That could've had added a lot more emotional weight to this film but none of that potential gets touched here. As it stands, she's a forgettable character who is only here to set up that sequel as part of the film's ending sting. Luckily, this 'tease of the future' ending doesn't compromise the finality of the story that is being told here, as so often happens. 

As an adaptation of a specific game, this movie runs into a problem that the Angeline Jolie films didn't have: that of a direct comparison to the source material. To fit into the runtime, this film cleverly combines multiple gameplay sequences in to one. A good example is Lara's escape from the prison camp leading straight into the plane and parachute scenes. This makes for a really solid series of escalating events that will certainly be enjoyed by many. I, however, couldn't help myself but compare these sequences to the game where I enjoyed them a lot more. Because they need to fit into a movie's runtime these sequences, even combined, are a lot shorter and less involved than their game counterpart. To those who have played through these action sequences in the game, I can’t help but think they’ll find them less interesting than their game counterparts.

It also feels that this film uses constant action as an excuse not to focus on strong dialogue or deeper plotting, cutting sequences short by going into another action piece. I don’t mind all the times they do this. I’m not disappointed they removed the attempted assault element from the first kill sequence for example. I found that part of the game was done for the shock value, to be 'realistic and gritty' and not much else so its removal here is welcoming. 

On the other hand, I think it’s a mistake how quickly the film moves past Lara killing someone for the first time. She seems deeply shaken for about five minutes — then not even a day later she’s dispatching enemies without hesitation. That emotional arc feels rushed and underdeveloped in favour of more scenes with her disappointing father. 

Like any adventure-action film there lies a mystery, or a place or an object, at the heart of the film that each and every character is vying for. In this case, it's the tomb of Himiko and its dark secret. In the game, they lean into the supernatural aspects Tomb Raider has always had for the answers while the film goes in the opposite direction by trying to explain it all with logic. Personal preference aside, this is actually a chance that ends up working out well for the film. Not only does it keep people who played the 2013 game on its toes but it actually ties into Lara's character more. Himiko becomes a parallel of sorts to Lara's own journey that helps her grow by the end. 

It does all of this without losing the neat horror vibe the game had. Lara isn't fighting the undead or rummaging through tombs with flayed bodies but the tomb sequences bring in some neat horror visuals, like the chasm filled with skeletons, that gives of such a vibe well. All the typical Indiana Jones-like puzzles and booby traps one expects to find in a tomb such as this are pretty neat obstacles for our intrepid heroin to solve/overcome.

I must also compliment the general production design and visuals here. Of course, your brain knows that you're looking at CGI with stuff like the ship in the storm and large underground temple but they don't look 'fake' at all. They're pretty convincing and make for cool scenes.

Lastly: I really like the music that plays over the end credits: Run for your Life by K.Flay. Very odd point to end the review on but I genuinely like this track, watched the entire credit sequence to keep hearing it, and wanted to highlight in this review. With it being the very last thing you see and hear before the screen fades to black, making it the very last thing I write before the conclusion seems fitting enough to me. 

Conclusion

After rewatching the 2018 Tomb Raider (2018) my opinions haven't changed much from what they were going in. My big takeaways from my first watch remain standing only with a bit more appreciation for the faces on screen and the craftsmanship behind it. It’s a film full of good ideas with its more humanized Lara and neat visual design. It's also a film that's a dime a dozen with is bland writing is and focus on setting up hypothetical sequels. The action entertains without thrilling, the story works but isn’t captivating, and most characters fail to make an impact.
Despite its shortcomings, this film remains an enjoyable watch for anyone, just not a movie that you'll remember much of it later.