I was not a believer in the first trailer for Tomb Raider, the Lara Croft-reboot starring Alicia Vikander as Hipster Bike Messenger Lara Who Is Not Good At Adulting. The first trailer didn’t show much of the plot, and it felt like the director and the CGI team were still workshopping the bigger action sequences. By that I mean that at various points in the trailer, authentic human Alicia Vikander’s performance just gives way to a computer-animated Alicia-bot who is able to defy the laws of gravity and human movement. Say what you will about the questionable quality of the Angelina Jolie-Lara Croft movies, but Jolie did her own stunt work and the action sequences weren’t a CGI mess.
So, they cut a new trailer and this one gives away more of the plot. I’ve seen the first Jolie-Tomb Raider movie a million times, so I know that they’re sort of recycling part of the plot/origin story. Lara’s dad has been missing for years, presumed dead. Lara’s dad was into some shady and weird stuff. In this one, Kristin Scott Thomas plays Lara’s mom and I hope KST blew her paycheck on shoes and purses. Walton Goggins is playing the villain, which he does so well. Here’s the second trailer:
What part do you like the most? When she tries to outrun a huge wave on a boat and manages to float, suspended in the air? Dominic West looking rugged and bangable, (even though he likely blew his paycheck on shoes as well)? Alicia’s line reading of “you messed with the wrong family?!” Or the way Walton Goggins just acts with such simplicity that he makes everyone else in this film look kind of silly? All in all, a better trailer, I think. I’m still not really a believer, but hey, this is honestly a much better trailer.
Also: the cover of Destiny’s Child’s “Survivor”…? Thank you, Lara Croft, for reminding me how much I love the OG “Survivor.” “I’m not gonna diss you on the internet/because my momma taught me better than that.”
Posters, promotional images courtesy of Warner Bros.
seems a bit of a miscast.
Yeah, hard pass. Nothing can top Jolie in the original.
Angelina has charisma, something Vikander doesn’t have in any of her movies. That’s why people thought she was good as the robot, but the same blandness is in all her roles.
This. Vikander’s face expressions hardly change. She was great in Ex Machina but just so boring and bland in the rest of her movies.
She can only play polar opposites, no layers in between: now crying, now smashing things. It can be interesting when you see it for the first time but then it’s kind of a repetition. And Tulip Fever, OMG – terrible acting, the plot was chaotic as hell but her mimicry was abominable, very bad acting.
This is a miscast. I don’t understand her movie choices anymore. Tulip Fever? The Light Between Oceans? And this. I would have never thought she would go from Ex Machina and the Danish Girl to this. I don’t think the audience for movies based on actual video games is still there.
Urgh yeah. I’m struggling so hard rn because I want female led action movies to succeed but movie adaptations of video games always have been a bad idea and I.just.can’t. with Alicia’s “acting”, I’m sorry. She looks like a constipated little girl lost in the supermarket. I want to take her seriously because I find that bodyshaming stuff thrown her way completely out of line but I just cannot do so when she keeps acting like that.
Yeah, and she was so good in Ex Machina. I love 70s style adventure movies, especially with puzzles to solve, but this looks like a mess. Worse, it looks boring. Still hope it does well as a female led movie though.
Actress is ugly. Lara in the rebooted game looks so much better… Story is so off from the rebooted games…
I’d go see it. Infinitely better than the first trailer.
Oh dear – I like Alicia but Angelina is Lara to a T. Looks wise, mannerism, sexiness, dignity and grace – Lara was created with Angelina in mind.
But – I will watch this movie in the cinema because I will always support women orientated movies.
Same. And I don’t mind Vikander as Lara 🙂
That’s interesting, Maya. I thought the makers of Lara Croft were inspired by Neneh Cherry. At least that’s what Lara Croft’s wiki says. If Neneh Cherry was the original inspiration, perhaps Zoe Kravitz could have played Lara.
Zoe Kravitz would have been very interesting in this role. I saw her in Rough Night with Scarlett Johanssen. Not a great movie admittedly but Kravitz was great in it.
It still looks dreadful.
As much as I appreciate her bulking up for the role and her being a talented actress overall she’s terribly miscast in this part. I went back and watched the trailer for the Jolie-version and what Vikander doesn’t have is a hard edge to pull this kind of character off. I wasn’t going to see this film either way but even with a better trailer Vikander still looks out of place.
Exactly. Angelina had an edge and a dangerous quality to her Lara Croft. She WAS Lara Croft. I don’t get any of that with Alicia. And I’m still on the fence on whether she can carry a film on her own. She doesn’t seem to have the charisma for it.
Vikander is playing the rebooted Lara Croft. In the new games Lara Croft doesn’t have a hard edge and a dangerous quality. Vikander actually looks way more competent and stronger than Lara Croft in TR 2013. It’s an origin story when she becomes the tomb raider and adventurer of the old games.
I don’t know. I love Alicia but I don’t think action is her genre. I’ll probably wait till it comes out on dvd unless there’s a free screening
To quote…errr…every Star Wars movie ever: “I have a bad feeling about this.”
I love the two new games and the new Lara so i’ll watch it. I really hope it’s a good movie…
Me too.
Did they CGI her forehead too, that thing is huge. What? Forehead shaming.
Doesn’t look interesting to me and I think Jolie did a better job with the character.
Vikander has EIGHT doubles, of course at some point they have to CGI her face too. Go check it if you don’t believe me.
I’m kind of hoping they pull it off. I grew up loving the Indiana Jones films, then someone told me to try out Tomb Raider and ended up loving that. So I’m hoping it be a continuation to the Indy films and maybe reach to a new generation.
This film very much has the feel of the first game in the rebooted franchise. They tried to make Lara more human, less overtly sexy. I don’t think, as a character, she’s intended to be tough and brutal, more like someone who finds themselves in crazy circumstances and has to toughen up gradually. I’ll definitely watch this film – I grew up with Tomb Raider!
Yes the Lara of the rebooted games is young, either just out of her teens or just her early twenties and university. She isn’t polished or bulked up but a skinny thing trying to survive.They kinda went for a light torture porn in the games. They got the look of the new games here but I agree Vikander doesn’t have the passion that Jolie brought to the role.
That arrow is on the wrong side of the bow……*facepalm*
Ahem… wut? As it doesn’t seem to me (I am an archer).
If anything -spoiler- many actors do no get any training in archery before filming as they don’t actually shoot any arrows anywhere!! 😉
No, actually it’s not. The arrow is very clearly on the correct side of the bow, so what a bizarre criticism…
Also, Jolie did not do all her own stunts in the orginal LC films. Altho, she had a male stunt double, which I suppose it kinda bad ass-ish.
I like that this LC isn’t a video game caricature with over-the-top faces & fake boobs. She looks lithe & fit & realistic.
Well, since Liam Neeson keeps getting passes for doing the same action movie every other year, I shall do the same with Alicia for doing this one.
And I’ve been in agony waiting for one with Liam for over a year. Thank God I have The Commuter to see this weekend. I enjoyed Taken, Taken 2, Unknown, A Walk Among the Tombstones, Non-Stop, Run All Night. The Grey, which was really different from the promos, more a movie about do you want to live, a lot of dialogue, and a compelling story of a man who starts out the movie ready to commit suicide, Run All Night.
I didn’t go to the movie for Taken 3. Even my love for Liam in an action thriller couldn’t take me that far. I did rent it, though.
I like action thrillers, and there aren’t that many. Liam brings a gravitas to the genre that I like.
UGH, I couldn’t even watch the whole thing. So disappointing! I loved the first two with AJ, of course. Wish they cast someone else in this role. Jennifer Lawrence or Shailene Woodley both would have been great…idk. Alicia is too small and too aloof. I’ve liked her in other things but not this.
“Jennifer Lawrence or Shailene Woodley”
ugh I get what you’re saying, but please these two noooo. there are so many people vying to be actors, why are the same artists always cast for all these roles? no wonder the industry doesn’t make that much money in theaters/box office anymore. many of us are BORED by the same old, same old.
look at the rising web-based (Netflix mainly) movies and TV shows, they usually feature talent we had never really been exposed to before.
…I exactly feel that way about kst…always the same role in far too many movies…
Will go see on opening weekend just to support this female led action film if nothing else!
I thought the original film was ridiculous and sexist – this at least seems to put the over sexed kitten on the shelf. Alicia is a proper action woman!
I’m with you Lexter, the original was the total opposite of what I want to see in a female led action film. It was more a boob led wet tshirt action film. This is far more appealing, even if it lacks originality – don’t they all?
I went to my first box fit class this week and the strongest girl was the skinniest, no muscle definition. 🥊🤷🏻♀️
I love Walton Goggins. Just adore him. That is the best I got.
How easily people forget that the first two Tomb Raiders were not great movies either.
+1 Although Jolie was perfectly cast in the role, the scripts are awful and make both movies unwatchable for me.
Yes you’d think they were masterpieces based on this article and some comments.
I don’t remember them this way. Or at least the first one. Since it didn’t give me such a thrilling experience, I passed the sequel.
Didn’t Jolie had stunt doubles too? I could swear there were some behind the scenes promo clips where they appeared together.
This one will probably please some amateurs of the genre .
The script and plotline are not what made those films memorable. Jolie was. And those are big boots to fill. Because when people think of Lara Croft they think of her – they don’t even think of the game version.
Um, people definitely think of the video game version before they think of Angelina!Croft. I think many people forget that the Tomb Raider movies even exist.
What a weird thing to say. Of course they think of the video game first.
And who actually thinks that movie was memorable?
I feel as if I just watched the whole film in that trailer. I’ll watch it when it hits DVD/streaming.
Same. Left with no curiosity whatsoever. They can sell this as “girl power” all they want, but I’m gonna pass. Ultimately, I don’t think this cast feels right. The “villain” seems like he’s just walked off the set of Lost.
Horrible casting, recycled plot lines. Issa no for me.
I was a hardcore Angelina Stan for ages (legitimately wanted to be her-sexy, smart, adventurous, all around BAD A$$!) and yet I couldn’t get through the first hour of Tomb Raider. I like Alicia and am gonna go see this new reboot cause I desperately want to see an action movie with a kick a$$ female lead. I hope this movie is it!
I liked the original Tomb Raider films. While neither were masterpieces, they were a lot of fun, and Angelina was incredibly charming in the role.
I’m a fan of the video games, so that’s why I’m disappointed with this one. It looks like it’s trying to copying the serious atmosphere in the rebooted games, without following the actual plot – which was a good plot and had solid representation! It doesn’t have the charm of the first two films, and while Alicia is a good actress in supporting roles, she doesn’t have enough personality to be a strong leading lady.
Vikander’s best films have her as the lead.. just saying.
Which one? Tulip Fever? Light Between Ocean? or Ex-Machina where she is a ROBOT?
She maybe good in drama, but not in action.
She won an Oscar? I will admit that this trailer is the first time I have ever seen her in anything, but she seems to have no charisma or presence on camera. Am I wrong? Was she good in other stuff? She just seems so…bland and dull. She doesn’t seem like a lead to me.
Watch The Danish Girl. It’s the movie she won the Oscar for. She was a revelation for me, as I hadn’t seen anything she was in before, and she was amazing in it.
In this trailer, all they seem to show was action, no real character moments with strong dialogue. So I can’t tell if she has presence on screen as this character or not from the trailer, beyond carrying off the action scenes.
Vikander was luminous in The Danish Girl, and she stole the show. She was also chilling and otherwordly in the robot movie. She appears miscast for Lara Croft. And I’m not going to one more movie where scenes are so CGI-heavy that nothing looks real. It makes for more spectacular violence at the expense of any story. It looks like a total waste of her acting skills.
@ themummy
I tend to agree. There are actors/actresses who I just want to watch because they are interesting. But Vikander seems so bland. I can’t put it down anywhere. She is good in these types of “quiet” social drama movies like the Danish Girl.
I feel the same way. She is blandness personified. I wouldn’t cast her in anything. Not even a commercial. There is just something about her that screams “bland”. No charisma, no warmth, etc.
What Oscar, the one she won in the wrong category? Where they put her to increase her chances cause she wasn’t good enough to face the big names in the leading category… Embarrassing. That’s barely a half win.
Agree with you. Vikander won a FRAUD Oscar. She couldn’t compete with other amazing actresses in the leading category. She wouldn’t win if she was put into the correct category. Many didn’t even clap for her when she won. She was not an Oscar winner for me.
Oh great, another Tomb Raider actress who can do pull-ups and jumps like a pro athlete while having Twiggy’s arms and overall body.
I know Vikander is a decent actress but I find her just too bland for this part.
It is a pity Vikander did chose this paycheck role instead of doing quality movies like before.
Twiggy body? Alicia got ripped for this role.
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This movie may not be any good, but I don’t think anyone can accuse Alicia of not putting in serious work at the gym.
Yep. She has really put a lot of work into it.
Her biggest paycheque is for this and it’s not big at all – she didn’t get more than Gal Gadot for Wonder Woman: 300-400k which is nothing if you think 36% goes to taxes, and another 30% to manager, agent, lawyer. Actors are not rich unless they make in the millions.
I really love the Lara Croft reboot games, just a lot of fun and good challenges. The movie is such a sleeper and I already know it by the trailer. But I’ve seen the original Jolie movies and they were okay. Video game movies are never really that great to begin with. Mainly because movie producers ignore the video game lore. The producers of Lara Croft try to stay true to the reboot games. For Alicia Vikander, I wouldn’t have cast her but she is trying to become a household name and does have some merits under her belt. Last action movie I love was John Wick. The stunt choreography was amazing, ju jitsu and judo was on point. The irony, John wick is a playable character on Pay Day 2.
I hate that they completely erased Sam Nishimura and added unnecessary original male characters to replace her. This movie could have been a step in the right direction regarding Asian female representation, female friendships, could have passed the Bechdel Test with flying colors but noo…. why would Hollywood want that?
Nope. Doesn’t even come close to Angelina. The it factor and chemistry and energy is missing for me. I think Zoe Kravitz would of been a good choice.
I don’t understand her appeal as an actress. There is nothing animated about her.
Quick note, here (or, not so quick, but whatever — I’ve been a professional games journalist since the early 2000s, so I function in this case as a “source”):
Later installments of Tomb Raider (the videogame franchise) have this fixation on giving Lara Croft a much more “traumatic” backstory. Lara has been made younger, grittier, dirtier — like, physically grimy? — and a whole lot more “lithe” and wiry, all in service of lending distance between modern-day Lara and Lara Croft, the 1990s Cheesecake Factory. I don’t expect everyone to remember exactly how objectified that fictional videogame character was — she was mainstream enough to become a polygonal nudie centerfold for god’s sake! — but THAT was the curvaceous character who became Angelina Jolie in the older movies. The actor has been recast because the character herself has changed.
Lara’s gritty “reboot” character was famously conceived by Rhianna Pratchett — who is, inescapably, Terry Pratchett’s daughter, but who is also revered as among the best talents working in games scripts today, making her akin to Duncan Jones (albeit in a lesser-known field). She really does terrific work. Rhianna has given multiple interviews about the aesthetic and physical changes to Lara — in particular, shrinking Lara’s cup size — and, instead of analyzing that decision or how “feminist” it really is, I’d simply like to point out that this particular actress in the trailer absolutely resembles the “new” Lara, whose license has long been owned by the studio Crystal Dynamics. (Eidos originally conceived of the character as a babe-a-licious Indiana Jones. And that’s great! But videogames wanted to move forward, become more cinematic and more emotionally engaging narratively, and the studio strove to evolve this character. Part of that attempt did involve making Lara thinner and more gazelle-like.)
A close friend and colleague of mine, who was a writer for a Croft game, actually left in part because they felt that the new obsession with repeatedly victimizing and punishing the character verged into sadism, as opposed to the intended goal of humanization. I see that very same concern being reiterated here, and I also have to agree. A female character’s emotional strength should not be defined by how many times she’s kicked in the head, y’know?
So… I think the concerns in these threads are absolutely valid, but I also wanted to pop by and point out that the games studio currently in charge of Lara Croft’s legacy actually believes its predominantly-male audience can only relate to a *beleaguered and abused Croft*, as if she were the lead female in some sort of ’70s horror movie — a Laurie Strode, if you will.
I do “get” their attitude, but action is not necessarily horror, and a female action hero doesn’t need more “backstory” than a male action hero. Just my private two-cents. As for the trailer, it’s fine. It relates to the “new” Lara, which is kind of cool, but I can definitely see how detached it seems from “old” Lara.
This looks good. I’m a huge gamer and what I’ve seen Alicia I like.
as for the CGI this is a video game based moves. Like her jump with the rock climbing sickle thing is straight out the game. Along with climbing on the airplane.
That crap right there with gamers will possibly make this movie a hit
Jolie is the one, sorry alicia