‘Tomb Raider’ reboots

IT’S been 17 years since Angelina Jolie first brought Lara Croft, video game vixen and tomb raiding bad*ss, to life in booty shorts, sexy gun holsters and a push-up bra.

Certainly time enough for the sultry archeologist to buy a pair of pants and return played by Academy Award winner Alicia Vikander, this year’s reboot finds Croft within her origin story directed by Roar Uthaug.

A bike messenger by day and a boxing ring martial artist by whenever, Croft is a little younger than her franchise predecessor and is quite adept at pretending she isn’t filthy rich and hung up on her disappeared dad (Dominic West).

Cut to a Japanese puzzle box to be opened when her father is officially declared dead and which sends her on a journey across the world against his dying wishes, add the requisite mysterious island, hidden temple, trap doors, daring escapes, executions, puzzles, rooves caving in and impalements and you have… ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’ (1984). Or something like it.

Derivative, impossible escape heavy and just about saved by a highly watchable Vikander and an underutilised Daniel Wu, ‘Tomb Raider’ is joyless adventure fare that will entertain on a slow day but still feel wholly unnecessary.

See this if you’re into the game or the franchise but don’t go looking for anything resembling the goofier original because as the new, serious, less sexualised Lara will have you know: “I’m not that kind of Croft”.

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Want to watch ‘Tomb Raider’ (2018) or a movie of your choice at Ster-Kinekor? Win a double movie ticket by simply answering a question:Who played Lara Croft before Alicia Vikander? Send your full name and your answer via SMS to 45045, using the keyword MOVIE. Competition closes Friday at 12h00.

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