Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life - PG-13

You saw the first? It was worst. This isn't much better.

Rating: PG-13 for action violence and some sensuality Studio: Paramount Pictures Directed By: Jan De Bont Cast: Angelina Jolie, Gerard Butler Running Time: 116 minutes Release Date: 07/25/2003 Genre: Action/adventure

Common Sense Note

Very graphic violence -- and lots of it. Characters are hurt and killed. There are a couple of bad words, and some passionate kisses and sexual references. Families might discuss the movie's video game origins and address Ms. Croft's physique and how boys and girls respond to it.

Families who see this movie could talk about how Lara decides what is important to her. Is she a good role model? Why or why not?

Rate It!

Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Nell Minow

This movie has a better plot, better characters, and better acting than the first one, but let's be honest about it -- no one is going to see this movie for the plot, characters, and acting. The audience for this movie wants to see the movie version of the popular computer game, with Angelina Jolie in very tight clothes decking, kicking, and shooting as many bad guys as possible. All of that is there, and the distractions of plot, character, and acting barely get in the way.

Jolie plays Lady Lara Croft, archeologist/adventurer. Off the coast of San Torini, she discovers an ancient sunken library. Just as she reaches for a glowing yellow orb, the bad guys arrive. When a shot fired by one of them grazes Lara, the blood attracts a shark. Lara punches the shark in the nose and hops on board to ride it back up to the surface of the ocean. That's the kind of movie this is.

It turns out that the orb is a map to Pandora's Box. In the myth, Pandora was a curious woman who could not resist opening the box she was told must stay closed. Inside was all the trouble in the world. This Pandora's Box contains virulent biological agents that will unleash a plague on the world. Jonathan Reiss (Ciaran Hinds), a former Nobel Prize winner turned international dealer in biological weapons, wants what's in the box and Lara, at the request of the Queen, wants to stop him.

In order to do that, she has to get Terry Sheridan (Gerard Butler), her one-time love-turned mercenary, out of prison. Together, they go after Reiss and the orb in exotic locations, with exotic equipment and modes of transportation, all over the world.

Director Jan de Bont ("Twister," "Speed") knows how to stage action, and there are some genuine thrills, especially when Lara and Terry don flying suits that have them soaring through the air like Rocky the Flying Squirrel. Jolie is always fun to watch. But the computer-game origins of the movie are replicated in the staged level-style series of action sequences, and that removes any narrative momentum.

Families who enjoy this movie may also enjoy Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Rate It!

Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content Passionate kisses, mild sexual references.
Violence Intense peril, sometimes graphic, characters killed.
Language A couple of bad words.
Message
	Social Behavior Strong, brave female lead, however her clothes are sprayed on...
	Commercialism Remember -- this is a big ad for the video game...
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco