Films based on video game properties are always a mixed bag, but one of the better ones in quite a while, Tomb Raider, hits Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, and 4K UHD today, for those that missed this film on its theatrical run. The gritty reboot was directed by Roar Uthaug (The Wave) with a script by Alastair Siddons and Geneva Robertson-Dworet. Geneva, thanks to her work on this film, was later hired to scribe Captain Marvel due to a prominent female perspective she put on the script, which was originally penned by Evan Daugherty (Divergent, Snow White and the Huntsman). Because of that, this film drops the fan service and objectification of the original duology, instead empowering our heroine and finally giving her a character arc worthy of the franchise.
The reboot once again tackles Lara Croft’s origin story, this time starring Alicia Vikander, whom most will recognize from her turn as Ava in Ex Machina. For those familiar with the video games this film pulls from the 2013 reboot, and Alicia Vikander’s Lara reflects the redesign of the character for a more modern sensibility — with more realistic dimensions. The film begins with Lara living penniless as a bike messenger and refusing to claim her inheritance, because by doing so she would acknowledge the death of her father who disappeared seven years ago. When she finally relents after hearing her childhood home Croft Manor would soon be sold off, she is presented with a Japanese puzzle box as part of her inheritance and solves it before she can even finish signing the paperwork. Inside she finds a key and a clue that unlocks her father secret office in Croft manor, where Lara is tasked with burning his research on Japanese “death queen” Himiko, her father’s final obsession, to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.
The legend said that Himiko was believed to possess the power over life and death and was trapped and sealed in a hidden tomb to put an end to her reign. Instead of destroying the research and also skeptical of this legend, Lara sets off to rescue her father from the island of Yamatai. It’s a globe-trotting adventure that does a fantastic job channeling the video games as Lara teams up with Lu Ren (Daniel Wu), the son of the captain who accompanied her father, to find Himiko’s final resting place. This of course doesn’t go as planned as Lara encounters Trinity, an evil organization that looks to weaponize Himiko’s gift for their own benefit. To be honest, I was immediately caught off guard with how engaging the film is and just how badass Vikander’s take on Croft was. Not only did the film do a great job toning down the objectification of the character, but Lara’s relationship with Lu Ren isn’t simply reduced to being a source for romantic/sexual tension. Instead they see each other as comrades, both in search of their missing fathers.
I originally caught Tomb Raider on its theatrical run, and while revisiting it in 4K found I still really dug its fresh take on Lara Croft and how the film approached the legend of Himiko, mixing myth with reality. I found the Himiko aspect alone was handled with way more care and respect then you tend to see in films like these, because her presence as a plot device isn’t used to simply give the filmmakers carte blanche to indulge in offensive Japanese stereotypes. Keep in mind that even with these changes this is still the darkest and grittiest you’ve seen Lara Croft on screen. The scene that won me over was where she kills a Trinity henchman with her bare hands by drowning him face down in a puddle. While feminists championed Wonder Woman, I think Tomb Raider definitely is another step in the right direction and deserved more recognition than it got.
Needless to say, as a fan of the character I was the happiest to see that about 15 minutes into the film Lara Croft actually solves a puzzle. The narrative from here on out felt very much like a video game in the best possible way, as scenes of exposition are bookended by action set pieces that keep the story moving at a very brisk pace. Opposite Alicia Vikander is Walton Goggins as Mathias Vogel, the man from Trinity who is heading up the search for Himiko. While he is clearly the antagonist here, he is still somewhat sympathetic as a man who can’t see his family until he completes his assigned task. It’s a character trait everyone shares in this film, that good or bad they all have this point of connection for the audience, which is the kind of character development you rarely see in these kinds of adaptations. It shows that Roar Uthaug genuinely cared about the material and was as concerned with telling a good story with engaging characters as he was with dealing out some truly inspired action sequences.
Warner Home Video brings Tomb Raider to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack with a Watch Anywhere Digital Copy. The film was shot in 3.4K with a 4k Digital Intermediate, and the transfer here, much like its video game counterpart, offers razor-sharp definition and resolution. The transfer is damn near flawless and even looks better than what I caught in theaters, thanks to the Dolby Vision and HDR upgrade. This not only boosts the film’s brighter and more colorful jungle scenes, accentuating the lush backdrops, but also with its deep blacks really makes those caverns feel like they could go on forever. The pristine visuals are paired with a Dolby Atmos track that perfectly compliments the visuals with its aggressive soundscape that should be enjoyed as loud as humanly possible. The film is also paired with a few docs on production and a great one that goes deeper in depth on the character of Lara Croft and not only her creation, but her evolution to what we see now.
This is most definitely a Lara Croft for a new generation. Alicia Vikander’s no nonsense take on Lady Croft, coupled with a script that takes the character seriously, deserved way more praise than the film got on its initial release. The 4K UHD was great way to revisit Tomb Raider in this gorgeous presentation that will hopefully give more people a chance to experience this film and appreciate this new take on the character. It was easily one of my favorite action films this year so far, and watching it again it’s easy to see why. The action film doesn’t take the easy route, but is a more progressive take that doesn’t feel any less brutal or fun for that matter. Tomb Raider subverts its audience expectations by empowering its protagonist and by not getting bogged down in the clichés of the genre.