Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life
Common Sense says
- PG-13
- 2003
- 116 minutes
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life is the 2003 sequel in the movie franchise based on the video game. There's very graphic violence -- and lots of it. Characters are hurt and killed with a vast array of weaponry --everything from spear guns to spears to machine guns and axes -- and when weapons aren't readily available, characters punch and kick. Spoiler alert: The lead antagonist dies in a pool of black acid that burns off his skin as he writhes and screams in pain. Demonic monsters come to life and bite off the heads and torsos of various soldiers. Croft and the male lead character are on the verge of having sex when she takes out her handcuffs and cuffs him to the bed; his reaction is innuendo about how he thinks it's part of their impending lovemaking, but she leaves him there because she doesn't trust him. Croft's nipples show through her skintight outfit. Croft fights a shark. A character is stabbed in the foot with a musket. Language includes "s--t," "piss," "ass," and "hell."
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
I do love Tomb Raider, but...
All There for the Imagery
What's the story?
Angelina Jolie plays Lady Lara Croft, archeologist/adventurer. Off the coast of Santorini, she discovers an ancient sunken library. Just as she reaches for a glowing yellow orb, the bad guys arrive. The orb is a map to Pandora's Box. 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.
Is it any good?
It has a better plot, better characters, and better acting than the first movie, but let's be honest: 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.
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.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about how Lara decides what's important to her. Is she a good role model? Why or why not?
Did the violence seem necessary to the story, or did it seem gratuitous and perhaps intended to reflect the violence of the video game?
How were different cultures represented in the movie? Did it seem accurate and respectful of these cultures, or did it seem to resort to stereotyping?
Movie details
- In theaters: July 25, 2003
- On DVD or streaming: November 18, 2003
- Cast: Angelina Jolie, Djimon Hounsou, Gerard Butler
- Director: Jan De Bont
- Studio: Paramount Pictures
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Run time: 116 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: action violence and some sensuality
- Last updated: March 14, 2020
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