Lara Croft (once again played with smart confidence by Angelina Jolie) returns in this
enjoyable sequel to the first Tomb Raider film. The film opens with Lara and
some local guides off the coast of Greece, where Alexander The Great's legendary
Luna Temple had been rediscovered under the ocean. The Luna Temple contains many
of the treasures that Alexander had brought home from his epic journey,
including a mysterious glowing orb that Lara finds during her exploration of the
site. But no sooner does Lara take the orb from its perch than it is stolen by a
group of thugs who also kill her two comrades.
Barely escaping from the
submerged temple with her life (and by giving a shark a bop on the nose), Lara soon discovers that the now missing orb is
an ancient map, which can be used to find Pandora's Box. This infamous artifact
is also being sought by Jonathan Reiss (Ciarán Hinds), a bio-weapons designer
who intends to use it to create the ultimate plague. Chen Lo (Simon Yam), the
man who stole the orb from Lara and killed her friends, has double-crossed Reiss
by retreating back to his hideout in China with the orb. Seeking to find
Pandora's Box before Reiss does, Lara joins forces with Terry Sheridan (Gerard
Butler) her former lover and a traitor to England. Paired up with an accomplice
whom she isn't sure she can trust, Lara's latest adventure takes her from
Greece, China and ultimately Africa, where she must elude strange creatures
known as the Shadow Guardians.
Despite its awkward title, as a movie, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of
Life, is anything but. Cradle Of Life is a sleek and self-assured action movie
that moves along at a brisk pace, it's style owing more to the James Bond films
than Indiana Jones. And it works just fine. Director Jan De Bont keeps things
from slipping into the standard action filler by adding fun little twists here and
there, such as the moment where Lara, in a tight spot, triumphantly finds a gun
and aims it at the bad guy--only to discover it is unloaded. Angelina Jolie is
a joy to watch as Lara, who performs her super heroic exploits with the exuberance
of a person who truly loves what she is doing, regardless of the risk. And the
feeling is infectious. Here's hoping we see Angelina back in action as Lara once
again very soon.
The DVD is well stocked with special features. Director De Bont has a detailed
commentary track. There are also the assorted making-of features, and a deleted
scenes section (also with an optional commentary by the director). There's the
original screen test for actor Gerard Butler, along with the music videos for
Korn's "Did My Time" and The Davey Brothers' "Heart Go Faster" as well.--SF