Bilgi :Intrepid British archaeologist Lara Croft (Angelina Jolie) has made perhaps the most important archaeological discovery in history: an orb that leads to the mythical Pandoras Box. Unfortunately, the orb falls into the hands of Jonathan Reiss (Ciarán Hinds), an evil scientist who deals in killer viruses and hopes to sell the secrets of the box as the ultimate weapon. Recruited by British Intelligence to get the orb back from Reiss, Lara recruits Terry Sheridan (Gerard Butler), a British marine turned mercenary (and her former love interest) to help. The two embark on an adventure that spans continents in an attempt to regain the orb...
Review :
Acting with the vigor and panache of early James Bond, only with that interesting gender reversal, Lara Croft takes on marine archeology, a skyscraper jump, insidious bad guys and almost-as-dangerous "good" guys in this second chapter of the direct-from-video-games heroine. This sequel's first two acts blitz you gently -- a pleasing mix of sharply defined characters, exotic scenery and teasing hints of Angelina Jolie's sculpted body encased in a series of clinging costumes. Then a nonsensical third act, where the writers essentially give up and turn the movie over to digital effects artists, diminishes the good feeling created by "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life."
Probably enough goodwill has been built up in the early sections that most viewers will not take offense when the movie abandons its plot and characters. It appears headed for strong boxoffice as production values outstrip the original.
The writers -- Dean Georgaris wrote the script from a story by Steven E. De Souza and James V. Hart -- appear to have charted this opus on a Web site featuring the world's most exotic locations. The story opens on the Greek isle of Santorini, where an earthquake reveals the possible existence of an underwater temple, where Alexander may have hidden a map, an ancient hologram, that will lead its discoverer to Pandora's Box, the mythical container of all that is evil.
While Lara (Jolie) powers her underwater jet to the temple, evil Dr. Jonathan Reiss (Ciaran Hinds), composed of body parts and membrane from a host of movie villains which Austin Powers should have already kidded to death, mysteriously knows about the temple. So he sends a group of Chinese bandits, all remarkably adept at deep sea diving (what are the odds on that, do you think?), to intercept her scientific research and steal the anti-treasure map.
This theft leads Lara and an ex-lover, renegade British agent Terry Sheridan (Gerard Butler), on a jet-set itinerary that includes England, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, the Great Wall of China and Kenya. For a while, the movie swims in favorable currents. Each escapade is at least plausible, including a magnificent stunt-effects sequence that involves the destruction of the underwater temple. Best of all, Lara and Terry's escapes rely more on their wits than gadgets. (OK, there are gadgets, but no more than in a Bond movie a quarter-century ago.)
A couple of things might bother you, though. Why does Jolie choose to play Lara as perennially pissed off? Jolie is angry at everything and everyone. Then there is one's curious detachment from all the characters. Both villains and heroes are a particularly unsavory lot, filled with cynicism and misanthropy. Seemingly, the only reason to root for Lara and Terry is their more appealing body types.
Then Lara parachutes into Africa. The first enormous plot hole is that she has no reason to be there. She has already stolen back Alexander's map in Hong Kong, which ostensibly is her purpose in the scenario. And since Dr. Reiss has no way to know where the evil treasure is, why does she take the chance of unwittingly leading the doctor to Pandora's Box. Archeological curiosity?
Well, she arrives in Kenya along with out-of-nowhere armies and the rest of the cast for a CGI clambake in which trees turn into carnivorous monsters and Lara and Dr. Reiss must battle for the box. Which brings up another point: Why does Lara, seen dispatching Chinese warlords and their armies with her martial arts, need several minutes to fight a character played by a middle-aged actor who is clearly not in shape?
Jan De Bont, a director who historically pays no attention to story logic, plunges ahead anyway, staging smooth stunts, creating mild sexual tensions between Lara and Terry and capturing picturesque vistas on three continents. The technical efforts are superb, more than enough to hold together a popcorn movie. But the apparent need for a socko ending at all costs undermines an otherwise smart action adventure. |
