Tomb Raider - Why did it even get released ? [Archive]

butters

10-02-2002, 15:39

I've just watched tomb raider before, and all I can say is, how or why did this ever get made. It was terrible, if I had paid to see this at the UCI I would have walked out, I only watched it all, hoping it would improve ! How was this classed as a film blockbuster ?

I do not mind cheesy films, ie Mummy, Mummy Return etc. But this film was terrible, apart from the smart bird in it who played lara croft (and not very well) and the U2 track in it, nothing made this film watchable.

Glad Ive just sold it for £11, and lucky i got it through a trade for 6th day.

The only film as bad as this, is Dude were is my car.

Please do not tell me it was just me who thought it was pants.

khaavren

10-02-2002, 15:43

I agree, but was it worse than Battlefield Earth?

I blame society!:D

Xenole

10-02-2002, 15:53

Wasn't that bad........thought Angelina Jolie :D did rather well considering what she had to work with......

Paul Bennison

10-02-2002, 15:55

It wasn't as bad as all that.

Sure there were some very cheesy moments, it was very thin on plot but surely it's these things that a blockbuster make.

We are now out of the '70s where blockbusters were in their infancy and the REASON for their status as blockbusters were that they was good universal fun (Jaws, CEot3K, Star Wars). Now the word 'blockbuster' should be translated as "Movie that can be enjoyed by lowest common denominator."

Don't get me wrong it's not a great film and the fact that this got 8 out of 10 screens dedicated to it back in the summer while Momento went straight to rental (on the whole) is nothing short of criminal. But I don't think it's any worse than Mummy Returns or any other of the "bangs for bucks blockbusters".

I hope my views are not coloured by all of Jolie's jiggling :D ;)

Panavision

10-02-2002, 16:45

Traded my Mad Max for it :D Might as well watch it so I can comment on it later.

Ol' Blue Eyes

10-02-2002, 17:56

It's a blockbuster because it's made $250 million to date around the world. It was pretty awful, I agree, just a series of not particularly impressive action sequences tied together by an incoherent plot. There wasn't an interesting character or a witty line in the whole film. Still, at least it wasn't completely unwatchable like The Fast And The Furious.

Pentasa

10-02-2002, 18:12

I think Tomb Raider was released on DVD so we could all use the pause button on our DVD players .... Mmmm Angelina :D

Ol' Blue Eyes

10-02-2002, 18:41

Originally posted by Pentasa
I think Tomb Raider was released on DVD so we could all use the pause button on our DVD players .... Mmmm Angelina :D

No that's why Gia and Original Sin were released on DVD :p

Hollister

10-02-2002, 18:55

One sentance...

"Chris Barrie with shotgun" :clap:

even if his is called Hillary

Jimmyboy

10-02-2002, 18:58

I quite like tomb raider.
Its nowhere near as bad as the mummy films or fast & the furious, Jolie is perfect as Lara Croft & deserve's a medal for her commitment, the set piece's are of a fairly high standard, and it stays true to visual aspect of the video game.
Maybe if your a fan of the game you'll like it a bit better.
There's real potential for a fantastic sequel as long as Jolie continues to play Lara.

Goblin

10-02-2002, 19:05

Chris Barrie was wasted in it!

and what was with all that hocus pocus crap!!

and why did she wear a vest in the antartic....oh yeah I remember now :D

10-02-2002, 19:11

I quite like tomb raider.
Its nowhere near as bad as the mummy films or fast & the furious, Jolie is perfect as Lara Croft & deserve's a medal for her commitment, the set piece's are of a fairly high standard, and it stays true to visual aspect of the video game.

Agree entirely. Thought it looked great (where I'd expected it to look cheap), the cast were more than fine and I thought Jolie played it with a raised eyebrow throughout. I'd save my wrath for something that reaches for deeper insight and meaning and fails utterly, rather than a competent, watchable action movie.

john316

10-02-2002, 19:15

Tomb Raider was an undeniably bad film and Paramount were all prepared for it to bomb big time. But they were quite surprised it was successful it even made its money back never mind make a profit.

Everything, apart from Jolie as Lara, was bad about this film. The bad plot was hopeless, the bad guy crap, supporting cast limp and the action sequences dull - hopefully the sequal will be better (it can't be any worse!)

Reacher

10-02-2002, 20:07

I borrowed this off a friend and expected the worse when I put it on but the opening action scene I thought was great.In fact I thought all the action sequences were good it was just a shame the bits in between were not up to the same standards.

Gromit

10-02-2002, 20:35

I think people must have had unrealistic expectations for a film based on a computer game. I went expecting it to be little other than it is and found I quite emjoyed it. Mind you, AJ in those opening scenes did help somewhat :D

My biggest gripe would be with the bad guy. About as scary as a boiled egg! There was never any point during the film when you thought he was ever going to cause Lara any bother at all.

Shame about the waste of Chris Barrie too.

Lots of pants about Lara and her dad too.

john316

10-02-2002, 20:42

Originally posted by Gromit
I think people must have had unrealistic expectations for a film based on a computer game. I went expecting it to be little other than it is and found I quite emjoyed it. Mind you, AJ in those opening scenes did help somewhat :D

It was just dull - I must have checking the clock counter on my DVD player about 20-30 times to see how much time had elapsed. That AJ scene is, for some strange reason, my favourite scene in the movie! :D(Looking forward to Original Sin: Unrated as well!! :D)

Arch Stanton

10-02-2002, 21:26

It was pretty damn awful ( although it's no were near as bad as The Mummy Returns )

The film just seemed like a 90 minute ad for Land Rover, mobile phones and wonder bra's.

tj_director

11-02-2002, 01:10

i honestly think it made so much money purely down to two reasons -- being based on popular game, i was going to watch even after evil reviews (and of course i did!!!), and huge posters of a sexy Angelina Jolie slightly sweating, wearing shorts, gun holsters around her hips, and let's face it, nice assets. The latter was the sole reason it did average business while i was India, as few knew anything of the game, but they sure as hell saw those posters!! :nuts:

There a couple of moments in the film which i thought captured the essence of the game well... but really as you say, it's really very very poor everywhere else, the plot was simply irritating, and not in the least bit interesting. That whole Jon Voight bit -- WFT@!!!!

I can't agree that it's not as bad as The Mummy Returns... which i think is a relatively well made family popcorn adventure film. Tomb Raider, was by far the worst big release of the last few years. The mere thought that Paramount are planning a sequel completely dissapoints me, can't they center their rescources on trying to do something original and daring than trying to go for the sure thing?? which unless a miracle happens, will end up being equally as poor!!
:(

Jimmyboy

11-02-2002, 01:40

[QUOTE]Originally posted by tj_director
i honestly think it made so much money purely down to two reasons -- being based on popular game, i was going to watch even after evil reviews (and of course i did!!!), and huge posters of a sexy Angelina Jolie slightly sweating, wearing shorts, gun holsters around her hips, and let's face it, nice assets.

You cant simply put the success of Tomb Raider down to sex and a video game licence, if thats all thats needed to make a hit movie then Street Fighter would of been a box-office smash too.

The mere thought that Paramount are planning a sequel completely dissapoints me, can't they center their rescources on trying to do something original and daring than trying to go for the sure thing?? which unless a miracle happens, will end up being equally as poor!!
:(
I disagree completely.
There's real potential for a great sequel providing someone a little more competent is steering the ship.
I tend to think of Tomb Raider as a pilot for what could be achieved in a sequel, & there's no denying that Jolie & the set piece's are first rate. With a decent story to boot, then TRII could be on par with Indy.

tj_director

11-02-2002, 01:57

Originally posted by Jimmyboy

There's real potential for a great sequel providing someone a little more competent is steering the ship.
I tend to think of Tomb Raider as a pilot for what could be achieved in a sequel, & there's no denying that Jolie & the set piece's are first rate. With a decent story to boot, then TRII could be on par with Indy.

well, like i said.. a miracle, but yep, definately potential for something promising :)

Davester

11-02-2002, 01:58

Why did it get release?

AJ in tight, short clothes. A film aimed at the boy in all of us.

john316

11-02-2002, 02:04

Originally posted by Jimmyboy
[QUOTE]Originally posted by tj_director
i honestly think it made so much money purely down to two reasons -- being based on popular game, i was going to watch even after evil reviews (and of course i did!!!), and huge posters of a sexy Angelina Jolie slightly sweating, wearing shorts, gun holsters around her hips, and let's face it, nice assets.

You cant simply put the success of Tomb Raider down to sex and a video game licence, if thats all thats needed to make a hit movie then Street Fighter would of been a box-office smash too

Because it didn't contain the most popular video game character ever and probably the first and biggest teen icon in the games industry!

Jimmyboy

11-02-2002, 02:12

Originally posted by john316

Because it didn't contain the most popular video game character ever and probably the first and biggest teen icon in the games industry!
Maybe not but Street Fighter 2 (videogame) was as big if not bigger than Tomb Raider, plus it starred a young Kylie in tight pants (which would later become her trademark;) ). Unfortunately, it also starred Van-Damme in tight pants. :D

CrazyHorse

11-02-2002, 04:09

I'm not a big game player but I've got a couple of demo's of TR on my PC and they pass the odd hour quite nicely. What I expected from the film though, I'm not really sure.

What I got was a mixture of a few pretty good action sequences, some good CGI SFX (with a few nods to Mr Harryhausen), a good performance from Ms Jolie coupled with (now for the bad points) uneven direction, dull story/narrative & unthreatening 'bad guy'!

Now, as the film actually made money, I do think there is room for improvement in a sequel here. Jolie was perfectly cast (not just for those reasons :D ) and she had the right attitude all through the movie. If they keep her, focus a bit more on character (some of the background characters included) and nail the story/villains the next time, then I think they have the potential for a very good action 'blockbuster'!

Not much to ask for, is it? :( ;) :D

Oh, yeah jimmyboy. I think the Street Fighter movie makes Tomb Raider look like Raiders of the Lost Ark!!!:D

mysteriousjimmy

11-02-2002, 08:31

Originally posted by khaavren
I agree, but was it worse than Battlefield Earth?

I blame society!:D

Battlefield Earth and Tomb Raider , 2 dvd's I happy to have in my collection :)

hookbeak

11-02-2002, 08:52

Originally posted by khaavren
I agree, but was it worse than Battlefield Earth?

I blame society!:D

I guess it must be all the straight to video crap i watched as a teenager - but i don't think Battlefield Earth (or Tomb Raider) are that bad at all - i can only think that those people who think they are the worst things they've ever seen need to watch a lot more of sky moviemax - then you'll understand "bad"

Michael Mackenzie

11-02-2002, 10:19

Originally posted by Davester
Why did it get release?

AJ in tight, short clothes.That's enough reason for me :nuts:

Seriously though, I like the film. It's fun, and the bad story just makes it funnier. Nice action sequences.

Jimmyboy

11-02-2002, 15:25

Originally posted by hookbeak

i can only think that those people who think they are the worst things they've ever seen need to watch a lot more of sky moviemax - then you'll understand "bad"
Yeah, I take it they've never had to sit through "The Skateboard Kid" !, or its equally impressive sequel "The Dirtbike Kid" !. :D

JamieC460

11-02-2002, 17:56

Angelina Jolie did a good job as Lara, Playing the role tounge-in-cheek (Adam West stylee). You can't really expect high art when the source material is a video game. Sure the plot was not original (Then again neither was the game), But made for an amusing 90 mins.

Hey at least it didn't have Jean-Claude Van Damme!!