Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

After watching Tomb Raider (2018) I wanted to check Angelina Jolie's Tomb Raider movies. At least first of them has been my guilty pleasure. I didn't remember much of them. After watching first one I realized everything I remembered was from first movie. Except King Leonidas who I think is in second one. I mean Gerard Butler the actor. Not the character King Leonidas.

This movie has James Bond which I had totally forgotten because Daniel Craig puts very little effort in his character. He almost sleepwalks the whole movie. Angelina Jolie puts too much effort. She doesn't feel like real person. She tries too much to be cool. I didn't saw this before I saw Alicia Vikander's Lara Croft. It was hard to watch set up part because it reminded how much better Alicia Vikander was in the role. It doesn't help both movies tell same story of Lara letting go her father.

Movie becomes more enjoyable when they find the clock and main story can begin. Shoot out at mansion is bit too much over the top and soundtrack doesn't help. I rarely notice bad soundtrack but this time it doesn't have intensity in needed. It tries to be cool but isn't edgy enough. I can see what they wanted but they didn't dare to go far enough. It is not just mansion shoot out. It is whole soundtrack.

First temple still looks amazing. It has lot of CGI but it still looks good. It is better than new Tomb Raider's tomb which had couple obvious CGI effects. This one made almost twenty years ago was more realistic looking even with walking stone statues. Second temple wasn't far behind. Tomb raiding was more entertaining in this where they didn't try to be too realistic. Music and Angelina Jolie's performance were aged worse than special effects. I didn't expect that.

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is enjoyable stupid action movie after they leave the mansion. It doesn't work as well when it tries to be more than action movie with nice sets. In mansion shoot out it doesn't work when it tries to be just that but when they get out of mansion it is different story.