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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

‘Tomb Raider’ inaugurates action heroine    

Jack Petro
Jack Petro

Most movie producers would have enough sense not to try making a layover copy of a specific treasure-hunt film, but obviously behind-the-scenes executives of “Tomb Raider” did not.  I refer to Harrison Ford’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) which edges out “Tomb Raider” with its bits of humor that are absent from the new film.  The plot similarities of the movies are chilling.   

Lara Croft starts off on a search for her father who disappeared somewhere in the South West Pacific. She (Alicia Vikander) hires a decrepit boat which takes her to Himiko, a mysterious island where her father was last seen. At the same time adventurer Mathin Vogel is heading up a well-financed expedition  group called “Trinity” to seek a legendary gem stone which has supernatural powers that he intends to exploit.  They cross paths continually.

Alicia Vikander stars in “Tomb Raider.”

Vikander takes her task of repeatedly besting a series of men in physical combat seriously. But without some Wonder Woman superpowers, her dominance is not reasonable. 

Costuming for this extremely agile woman, is just plain dull.  The bow-and-arrow scenes are reminiscent of “Hunger Games.”

I understand that the producers are trying to establish a female action character, but “Tomb Raider” does not do it.  The heroine needs a little more guile, and a little less agility in the endless physical duels. 

Still, you will not doze off in “Tomb Raider,” but you probably will not have too many reasons to reminisce over its plot.

“Tomb Raider” is currently being shown at the Rialto Theater in The Villages.  It is an action film that gets a B minus grade.

Villager Jack Petro reviews movies for Villages-News.com

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