Hope for Hollywood

Alicia Vikander is the definitive Lara Croft

“Hope for Hollywood”

A Review of Tomb Raider by Nick Olszyk

MPAA Rating, PG-13

USCCB Rating, A-III 

Reel Rating, Four Reels            

            In my previous review of I Can Only Imagine, I expressed frustration over Hollywood’s handling of its sexual harassment crisis. While my statement still stands, Tomb Raider demonstrates that there is still hope for the beloved institution and that at least some mainstream filmmakers are using this dark period as an opportunity for artistic growth and self-reflection rather than blanket condemnation. It’s an even further surprise that this “light in the darkness” comes from the most unexpected of genres – a popcorn flick based on a video game. Tomb Raider may not only be the first great film of the post-#MeToo world but the first truly great video game adaptation ever.

            At first, it seems that Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander) is a penniless waif barely etching a merger existence as a bike courier and amateur boxer in streets of downtown London. Soon the audience learns that she is sitting on an enormous fortune, but that would require signing a document that admits her father Lord Richard Croft (Dominic West) is dead instead of missing for seven years. Before giving up, Lara decides to retrace her father’s steps and funds an expedition to find the lost tomb of the evil Japanese Empress Himiko, who could kill a person with only a touch of her hand. Of course, Lara isn’t the only one looking and finds a great more than she expected.

            Ninety percent of Tomb Raider’s phenomenal success comes from the brilliant performance of Swedish actress Alicia Vikander, who manages to muster more emotion and empathy in a single glance than Angelina Jolie’s entire take on the character in the abysmal 2001 original film. She is the perfect 2018 antidote to both the over-sexualization of women in traditional action films and the over-masculinization of feminist aspirations. She is brave, fierce, and skilled while also compassionate, gentle, and – best of all – vulnerable. As fully fleshed out character, she is makes mistakes and must learn accept to mantle of hero, which involves knowing when to push through and when to stop fighting.

            Director Roar Uthaug, previously know for his fantastic Swedish disaster movie The Wave, is also able to tactfully address another touchy subject with female leads: romance. This was made especially difficult with the less than immaculate history of the Tomb Raider video game series, which found early success through its marketing of Lara Croft as a sex symbol to adolescent male gamers, including a comically oversized bust, official swimsuit editions of PlayStation Magazine, and countless unofficial pornographic material. Here, Lara is certainly attractive, but her sexuality is never used as a cheap gimmick. Early in the film, she makes a male friend – also attractive – who suffers from similar parental baggage, but the too remain strictly platonic while increasing their affection for one another. Lara doesn’t need a man in her life to be fulfilled but neither actively scorns them wither, willingly accepting help when she needs it. She never delivers any romantic attachments, but the audience could easily accept if she did. It’s a wonderful callback to great medieval female saints and scholars who influenced popes and kings yet happily referred to themselves as humble brides of Christ.

            The last surprising aspect of Tomb Raider, especially given the series origins, is its approach to the sanctity of life even as one must commit acts of violent force. Lara is hesitant to kill or even harm anyone. When she does make take her first life – despite being completely justified – it marks her. She cries. She didn’t want to it and abstains from further violence whenever she can, even at great personal cost. This is rare enough in action film but from a shooter series? Wow.

            In modern cinema, art and entertainment is often prioritized before morality, which is backwards. Only when a film is moral, can it be fully enjoyed and its artistic value efficacious for human development. Otherwise, it really is “sound and fury signifying nothing.” Tomb Raider is an action film that respects human dignity, the feminine genius, and the bonds of family while being a thoroughly fun archeological adventure. There is hope for Hollywood, and now a great role model as well. Thank goodness that the last few minutes set the audience up for a sequel, but I’m hoping for an entire new franchise.

           

 This article first appeared in Catholic World Report on March 23rd, 2018.