Lara Croft: Tomb Raider Review

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider


Release Date: 21st June 2001 - Australia


Production Companies
Paramount Pictures (presents)
Mutual Film Company
Lawrence Gordon Productions
Eidos Interactive Ltd (in association with)

BBC Films (produced in association with)

Tele München Fernseh Produktionsgesellschaft (TMG) (produced in association with)

Distribution
Paramount Pictures Australia


Genre: Action/Adventure

Rating: M

Runtime: 100 minutes


Budget: $115,000,000

Box Office Gross: $274,703,340 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
For adventurer Lara Croft,
it's all in a day's work to
explore lost empires, find
priceless treasures and
punish villains in deadly
combat. But Lara will
have to face her most
challenging task yet:
finding the Triangle of
Light, a legendary
artefact with the power to
change times and spaces.
Lara must find the Triangle

before it becomes the
property of the Illuminati,
a secret society bent on
global conquest. Lara must
survive a cross-continental chase filled with unimaginable danger to defeat the Illuminati.


Cast
Angelina Jolie - Lara Croft
Daniel Craig - Alex West
Iain Glen - Manfred Powell
Jon Voight - Lord Richard Croft
Noah Taylor - Bryce
Chris Barrie - James "Hilly" Hilary
Leslie Phillips - Mr. Wilson
Julian Rhine-Tutt - Mr. Pimms
Robert Phillips - Julius, Assault Team Leader
Rachel Appleton - Young Lara
Richard Johnson - Distinguished Gentleman

Henry Wyndham - Boothby's Auctioneer

Crew
Adaptation/Director - Simon West

Story - Sam B. Cooper,

Mike Webb and Michael Colleary

Screenplay - Patrick Massett and

John Zinman

Associate Producers - Michael Levy

and Jib Polhemus

Executive Producers - Jeremy Heath-Smith

and Stuart Baird

Producers - Lawrence Gordon,

Lloyd Levin and Colin Wilson

Co-Producers - Chris Kenny and
Bobby Klein

Casting Directors - Daniel, John & Ros

Hubbard

Casting Directors: Additional, US - Sarah Finn

and Randi Hiller

Production Designer - Kirk M. Petruccelli

Supervising Art Directors - John Fenner
and Leslie Tomkins

Art Directors - David Allday,

David Lee, Jim Morahan and

Su Whitaker

Draughtsmen - Ted Ambrose,

Alistair Bullock, Anthony Caron-Delion

and Robert Cowper

Concept Artists - Adam Brockbank,

Paul Catling, Ravi Bansal, Rob Bliss

and Simon Bowles

Storyboard Artists - Martin Asbury,

Julian Caldow and Tracey Wilson

Set Decorator - Sonja Klaus

Costume Designer - Lindy Hemming

Assistant Costume Designers -

Jacqueline Durran and Guy Speranza

Weapons Supervisor - Joss Skottowe

Chief Makeup Artist - Paul Engelen

Chief Hair Stylist - Colin Jamison
Director of Photography - Peter Menzies Jr.

Director of Photography: Second Unit -

Ben Seresin

Additional Photography/Camera Operator:

Second Unit - Peter Field

Camera/Steadicam Operator: Second Unit -

Kate Robinson

Supervising Location Manager - Chris Brock

Location Manager - Robin Higgs

Location Manager: Cambodian Unit -

Sam Breckman

First Assistant Directors - Gerry Gavigan

and Terry Madden

Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -

Simon Crane

Stunt Supervisor - Steve Griffin

Action Vehicle Coordinator - Graham Kelly
Special Effects Supervisor - Chris Corbould

Special Effects Floor Supervisor: First Unit -

Steve Hamilton
Visual Effects Supervisor - Steven Begg
Visual Effects Supervisor: Mill Film, Soho -

Karl Mooney
Digital Effects Supervisor: Cinesite - Sue Rowe
CG Supervisor: Mill Film, Soho - Laurent Hugueniot
Film Editors - Dallas Puett, Glen Scantlebury,
Eric Strand and Mark Warner

Sound Designer/Supervising Sound Editor -

Steve Boeddeker

Co-Supervising Sound Editors -

Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman

Sound Effects Editors - Ron Eng,

Doug Jackson, Michael Jonascu, Chuck Michael

and David Grimaldi

Sound Design Editors - Addison Teague,

Charles Maynes, Andrea Gard, Krysten Mate

and Frank E. Eulner

Sound Mixer - Chris Munro

Re-Recording Mixers - Steve Maslow

and Gregg Landaker

Additional Re-Recording Mixer - Frank Montano

Foley Artists - Sarah Monat and

Vince Nicastro
Music - Graeme Revell

Music Supervisor - Peter Afterman

Music Recordists - John Kurlander

and Nick Wollage

Review
It is one of those films that failed to push the benchmark of its source. I'm vaguely familiar with the Tomb Raider series and have only played the second game, but I would like to play more. Unfortunately, I never succeeded in all the stages or got past its difficulties, and I wound up watching the movie instead. Now known as a movie guru in later years, I looked back at LARA CROFT and saw that it lacked the detail of a great game movie adaptation. The film gets weakened by outdated CGI, and the writing structure is dull with the game's presentation. Remained untouched by its achievements are the cinematic action scenes.

The scenes are well-choreographed and save the movie from failing. It has a good cast, including the future 007 Daniel Craig in one of his early acting roles. I positively commend Angelina Jolie's superficial performance as Lara Croft. Actors get cast for roles every once in a while. And as the responder, you know they are the right performers for that role and could not possibly be replaced by another actor, for example, Arnie for The Terminator. It was one of those parts that Angie was born for this role.

When it comes to the film LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER, it isn't as deplorable as it should not have been. History has shown game movie adaptions sometimes flop at the box office, e.g. Super Mario Bros and Doom. It neither surpasses Indiana Jones by its approach, but it's a rather average flick that is good to spawn one sequel. It is okay to watch it for one-time viewing.

Star rating: (5/10) Average

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