A JEEP SHOT - LARA CROFT TOMB RAIDER: THE CRADLE OF LIFE
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Published on Sat, Jul 26, 2003
By: The LACar Editorial Staff
A JEEP SHOT - LARA CROFT TOMB RAIDER: THE CRADLE OF LIFE
By JOHN GRAFMAN
I Finally crawled out from under the rock that I was hiding beneath. Not having seen the first Lara Croft movie nor have I been big into the XBOX / Playstation games, I had to ask. Who is Lara Croft and why should I care?
For the most part, just looking at the ad for the movie with the lead actress
Angelina Jolie on it and you might have an idea as to why I should care.
Who is she? Well, Lara is a save the world type. Shes sort
of a cross between James Bond and Indiana Jones. Rather than being a government
agent, she is her own boss. A rogue with her own agenda, Croft makes a few dollars
along the way when she can.
Lara takes it upon herself to foil the plot of a madman/capitalist by the name
of Dr. Jonathan Reiss (played by Ciaran Hinds). He is hell-bent on destroying
the world with a deadly biological agent. Unfortunately there is no known antidote
for this virus. All this just to make a few bucks!
The movie has all the proper ingredients from exotic locations, action, suspense,
a hot leading lady, but here still seems to be something lacking. Where is the
requisite car chase scene?
They managed the product placement of a Jeep Rubicon that was modified for the
movie. Given the desert location in Africa, the Jeep seems right at home. However,
we never see it really doing anything spectacular at all. What a waste!
In defense of the movie they have some eye popping watercraft stunts and motorcycle
action, hell even Lara and her cohort Terry Sheridan (played by Gerard Butler)
fly through the air like a couple of flying squirrels. Car chases must seem
passé in comparison to the Tomb Raider crew.
The Cradle of life episode in the Lara Croft saga is nine tenths
of what I was hoping to see. LA Car might suggest a working title for the next
installment. Putting the Pedal to the Metal has a nice ring to it
Information on the Lara Croft Tomb Raider film can be found at www.tombraidermovie.com