The less welcome news is that most of the same shortcomings that cramped the first installment are still dogging the sequel, which delivers on action but dawdles through downtime.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life
The lady returns.
2003 · 1h 57m · PG-13
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Directed by
Jan de Bont
Overview
Off the coast of the volcanic island of Santorini, the intrepid archaeologist Lara Croft makes the unexpected discovery of a pulsating golden orb able to guide its holder to the mythical Pandora's Box. As the legendary artifact contains ancient mysteries of unfathomable power - said to contain one of the deadliest plagues on Earth, Lara is tasked by MI6 to make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. With the aid of former Marine turned mercenary Terry Sheridan, she travels the world in pursuit of the precious item in a race against time; she must beat the unscrupulous Nobel Prize-winning scientist turned bioterrorist, Jonathan Reiss, to it.
Director and cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
This Indiana Jones knockoff goes down smoothly enough, and Jolie isn't bad at all.
Scenery can't save this blindingly dull sequel.
The direction is so workmanlike, so dispassionately competent, that it seems De Bont may be as resigned to his career's downward plummet as those of us who admired his debut film, the thrilling Speed, are puzzled by it.
Jolie remains more magazine cover than actress (or movie star), and the franchise she supports is more Nintendo after-school time killer than rousing adventure cycle.
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