Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Tomb Raider (2018)

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Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 03-17-2018, 07:35 PM:

CINEMA: Regal Warren East, Wichita, KS
AUDITORIUM: 14
PRESENTATION: Warren GRAND slope floor auditorium with Regal Roller Coaster Vision
PRESENTATION PROBLEMS; None [Cool]

RATING: Three stars (out of four)

I got a medium popcorn and a large Coke and the cost was $6.16. How the hell did that happen? Some sort of Crown Club coupon? I shouldn't judge.

THE PLOT: Lara Croft iraids a tomb. Wackiness ensues.

The story is apparently based on the storyline of one of the Croft video game releases, which makes sense because a lot of the action challenges feel just like those typically found in video games. Crossing high cliffs on ladders.
Landing on the edge of deteriorating aircraft wreckage and needing to quickly get off before it's destroyed. Croft gets dropped and tossed into an ocean, rivers, down hills, and in creepy caves dripping God knows what, while wearing the same tank top and jeans throughout. Normal in a video game, a lot to explain to the gynecologist in the real world. The way the supporting characters talk to Croft feels video gamey too not quite in the parody style they used in last year's Jumanji, but close. My favorite moment of dialogue was a "Yeah, about that..." moment that was almost Family Guy-level ridiculous.

What makes the movie succeed is the pacing. You never feel like it overstays its welcome. It flows really well. I had an ending I really wanted to see happen that didn't, but I knew it wouldn't because it would turn the whole franchise story upside down.

It's clearly built to spawn sequels, but it sure wasn't doing the amount of business to justify them. The snack bar line was massive when I arrived, but apparently all those people were seeing other movies. There were maybe 50 people here for this.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 03-17-2018, 08:17 PM:

The crowds were probably better than those we saw at A Wrinkle in Time. Now that was a pretty uneven movie. And Oprah's wardrobe changes were giving me flashbacks of Patti LaBelle at awards shows in the 1980's.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 03-17-2018, 11:43 PM:

Our booker told me that the director of "Wrinkle" is "a friend of Oprah's" which, as powerful as Oprah is, I'm surprised Disney sat still for that as a qualification to direct an event movie. I guess she did TV shows before.

I feel like this "Tomb Raider" is a good candidate for the "Most Unnecessary Reboot of the Year" award. Scraping the bottom of the barrel much?

I wish somebody would do a remake of "Sneakers." Now there's a movie with a good story that could use an update for today's world.