|
|
| About UW | The Team | Contact UW | Subscribe | Archives |
|
Lara
Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (PG)
(opens Jul 24) Starring: Angelina Jolie Gerard Butler Ciaran Hinds Directed by: Cradle to the grave By Jacqueline Chen · UrbanWire ·
The first Lara Croft movie 2 years ago was a sleeper.
The sequel, Save for Jolie in her little black bikini in the opening sequence, the sequel, illustrates perfectly how a textbook sure-win combination of great action and majestic sets can go all wrong. It's a path well travelled by other recent summer action flicks-turned box office flops (think Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Terminator 3: Rise of the machines etc). In The Cradle of Life, Jolie reprises her role as the curvaceous adventurer and explorer, Lady Lara Croft. Perhaps the word "tomb raider" has lost its meaning in the movie because once again, Jolie plays the heroine who tries to save the world instead of stealing treasures for her own private collection. Wicked scientist Jonathan Reiss (Ciaran Hinds) wants to use the mythical Pandora's Box hidden somewhere to unleash terror on the world and it's up to the resourceful and babelicious Croft to stop him. British intelligence MI6 enlists her help to get hold of the legendary Pandora's Box, and for the first time, Croft balances the ying [Chinese for female] with the yang [Chinese for male] and ropes in her former lover and British traitor, Terry Sheridan (Gerard Butler) to assist in her mission. It's interesting to see how the strong and rough Sheridan counters the wits and guts of the female Indiana Jones. Together, as they fight Chinese bandits led by Chen Lo (Simon Yam) and battle Reiss' henchmen, they also find time to sizzle on the screen with their love-hate relationship. In 1 scene, Croft even turns all kinky (handcuffs involved) with Sheridan on a cabin floor and you can feel the high sexual tension in the Billy Bob Thornton-less Jolie.
Towards the end of the movie, Croft, who's so often been the level-headed lass, has to make a choice between love and her allegiance to the mission. Jolie saves the film from being utterly unwatchable. Her sleek moves and sultry looks (famous pouty lips included) are enough to seduce all audiences, guys and girls alike. Gape in wonder as she leaps through glass doors, slides down a cliff upside down and glides across Hongkong's skyline in parasail. Indeed, The Cradle of Life is a better movie than its predecessor. But then again, that isn't much of a compliment given the low standards set by the first movie. Speed director Jan De Bont manages to inject new ideas and concepts into the sequel with exciting locations, reminding us of how an action flick should be like. Alas, the movie follows the usual action flick treatment by layering excitement and adrenalin rushes to compensate for an incredulous and far-fetched plot. Pandora's box is supposed to unleash a plague when opened. Like the mythical box, this movie is better left untouched. You don't want to get sick, do you?
Rating: |
|
