Tomb Raider is worth a watch for Vikander alone

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Tomb Raider is worth a watch for Vikander alone

Read our review of the highly anticipated latest instalment in the popular franchise which sees Alicia Vikander step into the role of feisty adventurer Lara Croft

By Enid Parker

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Published: Thu 15 Mar 2018, 8:30 AM

Last updated: Sat 17 Mar 2018, 12:25 PM

I never played Tomb Raider, yet enjoyed the first films based on the popular action-adventure video game series, 2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and 2003's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life. Angelina Jolie seemed tailor-made for the role of the protagonist Lara Croft, the brainy, athletic heir of the aristocratic Croft family, who has a passion for mystery and adventure and doesn't let anything or anyone stand in the way of her goals being accomplished.
So as I headed to the rather fancy Theatre by Rhodes at Vox Cinemas, Mall of the Emirates, for the UAE premiere of the latest Tomb Raider film starring Alicia Vikander and Dominic West, I thought, surely the burning question on everyone's lips will be: Can petite former ballerina Vikander live up to the tough yet sexy on-screen image of Lara Croft created by Jolie? I always thought Vikander possessed a unique appeal, an Austen-like charm and innocence that wouldn't be out of place in the world of Pride and Prejudice but seemed unsuited to this thriller of a videogame-turned-film.
However, all my preconceptions flew out the window because the Academy Award-winning Swedish actress steps almost effortlessly, it seems, into Lara Croft's well-worn boots as she embarks on a mission to find out what happened to her eccentric, adventurous dad (played by the always brilliant Dominic West) who disappeared during his quest to find a fabled tomb on a mythical island that could be somewhere off the coast of Japan.
As I attempted to settle into my cushy seat which was too close to the screen for comfort (there was a scramble for the ones at the top, a game I was too slow for), I was drawn more and more into the far fetched premise of this film (who doesn't love a good myth?) and the undisputable fact that Alicia Vikander was turning out to be a rather good action star. Witnessing her first real fight (with a couple of Japanese thugs) is something you're not likely to forget for a while.
As the film threw in a staple dose of adrenalin rushes and thrills and hurtled towards its inevitably happy-ish ending that ensured a sequel is firmly in the pipeline, Alicia Vikander found herself a new fan - me. If you have a thing for ancient Japanese puzzles and myths, death-defying action sequences, and a badass heroine who saves the day, then don't miss Tomb Raider.
(enid@khaleejtimes.com)
 
Tomb Raider
Director: Roar Uthaug
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Daniel Wu, Kristin Scott Thomas

Our rating: Three and a half stars out of five


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