Angelina Jolie is back as computer game heroine Lara Croft, complete with her Liz Hurley-esque accent and extremely fine physique.
This time our Tomb Raider is asked by MI6 (on behalf of her majesty no less!) to get hold of Pandora's Box before the nasty bad guy gets it and uses it to wipe out all of the useless members of society (hopefully starting with Jan De Bont). As Lara was already involved on this quest anyway she agrees, and uses MI6 to free her ex boyfriend who also happens to be a traitorous and mercenary ex marine.
It is a rare experience to go into a cinema with such low expectations and still come out disappointed: but that's exactly what I did. I have been so traumatised from watching this film that is hard to find any redeeming points at all, except that it makes the first film seem fantastically entertaining. At least that had the action packed robot battle and that balletic mansion defence scene which, thinking back, were both pretty damn stunning. In comparison the action scenes in the sequel are unimaginative and stale. It seems as though the powers that be decided to take several costume ideas from the computer game, and then tried to come up with reasons to use them, all the while trying to visit as many global locations as possible.
The cast try hard, but the material is crap. The plot is a little too imitative of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (a far superior film is so many ways but don't get me started on that) Chris Barrie is horribly underused, the villains have no charisma and no matter how much danger Lara gets herself in we know she, and her two assistants, will not die. After the amount of times I have thrown Lara off of a cliff just to hear her scream in the computer game, I am sure her death on screen really wouldn't bother me either. Particularly when, in one nauseating scene, Lara punches an attacking shark on the nose and actually makes it back up in shock!!! Which highlights yet another problem I have with this monstrosity, it never lets you forget you are watching a film. Almost every scene has a stupidly unbelievable event or has shoddy CGI that screams THIS IS NOT REAL. Combined with the dodgy plot, uninspired and un-engaging direction, and what is still an underdeveloped two dimensional leading lady (although Jolie plays that role far better than any other actress could) you have a film that must be avoided at all costs.
If Pirates of the Caribbean can be an entertaining and fun film even though it is based on a ride, then there is no excuse for this computer game inspired film to be the piece of crap that it is. I still have faith in the series however, and can't wait for them to actually get it right. The cast are spot on, it just needs some creative talent involved in all aspects of the production process.
A horribly disappointing film that may well kill off the franchise for good.
This time our Tomb Raider is asked by MI6 (on behalf of her majesty no less!) to get hold of Pandora's Box before the nasty bad guy gets it and uses it to wipe out all of the useless members of society (hopefully starting with Jan De Bont). As Lara was already involved on this quest anyway she agrees, and uses MI6 to free her ex boyfriend who also happens to be a traitorous and mercenary ex marine.
It is a rare experience to go into a cinema with such low expectations and still come out disappointed: but that's exactly what I did. I have been so traumatised from watching this film that is hard to find any redeeming points at all, except that it makes the first film seem fantastically entertaining. At least that had the action packed robot battle and that balletic mansion defence scene which, thinking back, were both pretty damn stunning. In comparison the action scenes in the sequel are unimaginative and stale. It seems as though the powers that be decided to take several costume ideas from the computer game, and then tried to come up with reasons to use them, all the while trying to visit as many global locations as possible.
The cast try hard, but the material is crap. The plot is a little too imitative of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (a far superior film is so many ways but don't get me started on that) Chris Barrie is horribly underused, the villains have no charisma and no matter how much danger Lara gets herself in we know she, and her two assistants, will not die. After the amount of times I have thrown Lara off of a cliff just to hear her scream in the computer game, I am sure her death on screen really wouldn't bother me either. Particularly when, in one nauseating scene, Lara punches an attacking shark on the nose and actually makes it back up in shock!!! Which highlights yet another problem I have with this monstrosity, it never lets you forget you are watching a film. Almost every scene has a stupidly unbelievable event or has shoddy CGI that screams THIS IS NOT REAL. Combined with the dodgy plot, uninspired and un-engaging direction, and what is still an underdeveloped two dimensional leading lady (although Jolie plays that role far better than any other actress could) you have a film that must be avoided at all costs.
If Pirates of the Caribbean can be an entertaining and fun film even though it is based on a ride, then there is no excuse for this computer game inspired film to be the piece of crap that it is. I still have faith in the series however, and can't wait for them to actually get it right. The cast are spot on, it just needs some creative talent involved in all aspects of the production process.
A horribly disappointing film that may well kill off the franchise for good.