Tomb Raider Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A stubborn rich girl refuses to sign some papers, then goes to a spooky island to find her dad and some moldy old queen, but mainly just gets really dirty.

🍿 Tomb Raider: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Lara’s Life in London

Lara Croft lives a modest life in London, working as a bike courier and refusing to claim her inheritance, as it would mean accepting her father’s death. She struggles to make ends meet, participating in boxing matches and fox hunts for prize money. Her independent spirit clashes with the expectations of her father’s business partner, Ana Miller.

Discovering Richard’s Secret

Lara reluctantly agrees to sign the inheritance papers, leading her to a puzzle box left by her father. Solving it reveals a hidden message detailing Richard’s research into Himiko, a mythical queen with the power over life and death, and his belief that she is buried on a remote island near Japan. Despite his warnings, Lara decides to follow his path.

The Journey to Yamatai

Lara travels to Hong Kong and hires Lu Ren, a ship captain whose father also disappeared while working with Richard Croft. Together, they sail into the Devil’s Sea towards the island of Yamatai. A violent storm shipwrecks them, and Lara finds herself captured by Mathias Vogel, a mercenary searching for Himiko’s tomb for the shadowy organization Trinity.

The Island’s Secrets

Escaping Vogel, Lara discovers her father is alive and has been held captive on the island. He reveals that Himiko’s power is not magical, but a deadly disease. Trinity seeks to weaponize it. Against her father’s wishes, Lara decides to stop Trinity and protect the world from Himiko’s disease.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander): The fiercely independent and resourceful daughter of a missing adventurer who embarks on a perilous journey to uncover her father’s fate and prevent a deadly secret from falling into the wrong hands.
• Richard Croft (Dominic West): Lara’s eccentric and adventurous father, whose disappearance sets the events of the movie in motion, driven by his research into the mythical Queen Himiko.
• Mathias Vogel (Walton Goggins): The ruthless leader of an expedition funded by a shadowy organization seeking to exploit the supernatural power of Himiko for their nefarious purposes.
• Lu Ren (Daniel Wu): A seasoned ship captain who aids Lara in her quest, haunted by his own connection to her father’s past and the dangers of Yamatai.
• Ana Miller (Kristin Scott Thomas): Richard Croft’s business partner who aids Lara in her adventure.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Lord Richard Croft: “All myths are foundations of reality.” – Spoken by Lara’s father, underscoring the film’s theme of uncovering truth behind legends.
• Lara Croft: “I’m not doing this for the money.” – Highlights Lara’s motivations being about family and discovery, not personal gain.
• Mathias Vogel: “Some things are meant to stay buried.” – Said by the villain, emphasizing the dangerous knowledge contained in the tomb.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $94,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $58,250,803
• Worldwide Gross: $274,950,803

💥 Tomb Raider Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so I went in expecting a fun, popcorn flick, and I got… mostly that! Alicia Vikander is fantastic, I really felt like she captured the spirit of the rebooted game Lara. The action was intense, especially the plane crash scene and the tomb raiding parts were pretty cool. I loved how they focused on her intelligence and resourcefulness, it made her feel more real. It’s not perfect, the story is a bit predictable, but overall, I had a blast and I’m totally on board for a sequel!

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of the Tomb Raider video game franchise”
  • “Fans of action-adventure movies like Indiana Jones”
  • “Viewers who enjoy strong female leads”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Intense action violence”
  • “Some disturbing images”
  • “Brief language”

Professional Reviews

• IGN: “Tomb Raider is a serviceable action-adventure that suffers from a predictable plot and uninspired villain. Vikander is great as Lara Croft, showcasing her physical prowess, but the movie lacks the spark to elevate it beyond being a simple origin story.
• RogerEbert.com: “Alicia Vikander makes for a believable and engaging Lara Croft, bringing a much-needed groundedness to the role. While the action sequences are well-executed, the film leans heavily on the origin story trope and fails to deliver a truly memorable adventure.
• Variety: “Vikander is compelling as Croft, portraying her as both vulnerable and resourceful. The film embraces a grittier tone, however, the narrative is familiar and struggles to find new ways to engage with the Tomb Raider mythology.

Audience Reactions

The action sequences were exciting and kept me on the edge of my seat!: Vikander’s performance as Lara Croft was praised by most viewers.

The film’s adherence to the 2013 video game reboot was appreciated.: Fans enjoyed seeing the game come to life on the big screen.

Overall Consensus: A decent action-adventure film with a strong lead performance, but hindered by a predictable plot and uninspired villain.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Alicia Vikander underwent intense physical training to prepare for the role, gaining significant muscle mass to portray Lara Croft realistically and perform many of her own stunts.”
• “The film is based on the 2013 Tomb Raider video game, a reboot of the franchise, aiming for a more grounded and realistic portrayal of Lara Croft’s origin story.”
• “Several scenes were filmed on location in South Africa and England, adding authenticity to the film’s environments.”

🖥️ How to Watch Tomb Raider?

Tomb Raider (2018) is available to rent or buy on various platforms including Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and Vudu. Check your local listings for availability and pricing.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Tomb Raider, you might like these similar films:

• Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981): A classic adventure film featuring a resourceful archaeologist battling to find ancient artifacts before the Nazis do.
• The Mummy (1999): Combines action, adventure, and supernatural elements with a focus on exploring ancient tombs and battling resurrected evils.
• Uncharted (2022): Modern adventure movie based on a video game, that focus on treasure hunt and the protagonist looking for his family.

🛒 Tomb Raider Related Products

• Tomb Raider Definitive Survivor Trilogy – PlayStation 4: Experience the complete origin story of Lara Croft with this collection featuring Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. Explore detailed environments, battle deadly enemies, and solve challenging puzzles as you uncover ancient secrets and become the Tomb Raider.
• Tomb Raider (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Audio CD]: Relive the excitement of the film with the original soundtrack by Tom Holkenborg (Junkie XL). Featuring intense orchestral scores and powerful themes, this soundtrack perfectly captures the adventurous spirit of Tomb Raider.
• Tomb Raider – Lara Croft Vinyl Figure #435: Add the iconic Lara Croft to your collection with this Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure. Featuring Lara in her classic adventurer outfit, this figure is a perfect way to celebrate the Tomb Raider legacy.
• Tomb Raider Movie Poster – Alicia Vikander: Decorate your room with this high-quality poster featuring Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft. A great addition for any Tomb Raider fan looking to showcase their love for the film.

🎧 Soundtrack

Tomb Raider features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “On Fire” – performed by Cianna Blaze
• “Becoming” – performed by Junkie XL

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Alicia Vikander’s Lara Croft Training

Check out this awesome video that gives us a glimpse into Alicia Vikander’s transformation into Lara Croft. It’s fascinating to see how she trained and prepared for the role.

Lara Croft’s Journey to Becoming an Action Hero

Curious about how Lara Croft becomes such a badass in the movie? This video breaks down her journey and explains the key moments that shape her transformation.

Archaeologist’s Review of Tomb Raider

If you’re interested in archaeology and movies, you’ll love this video where an archaeologist gives us their expert opinion on the portrayal of archaeology in Tomb Raider. It’s super informative and fascinating!

✨ Rate