Last week, the *Tomb Raider* community received a glimpse of its new future as Amazon/MGM revealed Sophie Turner as the legendary Lara Croft. The initial reaction was largely positive, with Turner’s aesthetic channeling the character’s definitive ’90s grit. However, not everyone was on board. GameStop’s social media arm—seemingly more focused on internet posturing than retail logistics—offered a curt dismissal, decreeing that Turner “is not Lara Croft.” This performative disapproval, likely an attempt to court a specific brand of online cynicism, highlights the steep challenge any live-action adaptation faces: satisfying a fandom that can’t always agree on what Lara Croft should be. Ironically, this new streaming venture follows two distinct eras of *Tomb Raider* films that were, in different ways, the most successful and well-crafted video game movies ever produced—just never at the same time.
<p>This year marks the 25th anniversary of *Lara Croft: Tomb Raider*, the 2001 spectacle that introduced Angelina Jolie as the globetrotting aristocrat. The film was a commercial juggernaut, amassing nearly <a href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1767867905/" target="_blank">$300 million worldwide</a>. For nearly a decade, it stood as the highest-grossing video game adaptation <a href="https://www.the-numbers.com/box-office-records/worldwide/all-movies/sources/based-on-game" target="_blank">in cinematic history</a>, cementing Jolie as an elite A-list star. Yet, despite its financial muscle, the film pioneered a brand of disposable, high-gloss entertainment that felt more like a flashy arcade demo than a coherent narrative. It was slick, fast-paced junk food—the kind of movie you enjoy while realizing it lacks any real nutritional value.</p>
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<p>While the 2001 film wasn't inherently "bad," it suffered from a certain simulation-like hollowness. Director Simon West delivered a product that looked expensive but felt weightless, like a feature-length tech demo. Jolie, however, was magnetic, playing Lara with an unshakable, almost smug confidence. The film was strictly PG-13 and sanitized for mass consumption, yet it shamelessly leaned into the "male gaze" tropes of its era, catering directly to its core adolescent audience. This formula was enough to outperform films like <a href="https://www.polygon.com/mortal-kombat-30th-anniversary-paul-ws-anderson-interview/" target="_blank">*Mortal Kombat*</a>, but it couldn't sustain momentum. The 2003 sequel, *The Cradle of Life*, saw a sharp decline in revenue. While critics like <a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/lara-croft-tomb-raider-the-cradle-of-life-2003" target="_blank">Roger Ebert</a> remained supportive, the general public moved on, finding it either too polished to be fun or not substantive enough to be classic.</p>
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<img width="1650" height="928" loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft in the 2018 film" data-img-url="https://static0.polygonimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/tomb-raider-arrows.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2" src="https://static0.polygonimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/tomb-raider-arrows.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2" class="img-brightness-opt-out">
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<p>Fast forward to 2018, and the <a href="https://www.polygon.com/2018/3/14/17114648/tomb-raider-movie-2018-review-alicia-vikander/" target="_blank">reboot starring Alicia Vikander</a> managed to match the original's <a href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1179420161/" target="_blank">global box office numbers</a>, despite a softer reception in North America. Seventeen years of inflation made this a more modest win, and though a sequel was planned with director <a href="https://www.polygon.com/2019/9/4/20849282/tomb-raider-2-director-release-date/" target="_blank">Ben Wheatley</a>, the <a href="https://www.polygon.com/2020/10/26/21531045/tomb-raider-2-movie-release-update-ben-wheatley-director-video-game-movies/" target="_blank">pandemic</a> ultimately shuttered the production. Now, with a TV series on the horizon, we are seeing a repeat of the "not my Lara" rhetoric that plagued <a href="https://www.polygon.com/2016/4/28/11531876/alicia-vikander-lara-croft-tomb-raider-film-reboot/" target="_blank">Vikander</a> (often for <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/tomb-raider-fans-slam-criticism-alicia-vikanders-body-movie-1094440/" target="_blank">superficial reasons</a> better left unmentioned).</p>
<p>What many fail to acknowledge is that the 2018 film is actually quite good—arguably one of the most cohesive video game-to-film translations ever made. While some <a href="https://www.polygon.com/2018/3/14/17114648/tomb-raider-movie-2018-review-alicia-vikander/" target="_blank">purists</a> felt it was a derivative montage of recent game mechanics, as a standalone action-adventure, it succeeded where the <a href="https://www.polygon.com/reviews/22934933/uncharted-movie-review-tom-holland/" target="_blank">*Uncharted* movie</a> failed. It swapped hollow banter and weightless CGI for a grounded, visceral experience.</p>
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<img width="1650" height="928" loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="Lara Croft balancing on a plane wing" data-img-url="https://static0.polygonimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/tomb-raider-2018-plane.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2" src="https://static0.polygonimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/tomb-raider-2018-plane.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2" class="img-brightness-opt-out">
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<p>Director Roar Uthaug certainly utilized modern tools, but he also channeled classic Spielbergian techniques. The film’s centerpiece—a harrowing sequence involving a rusted aircraft teetering over a waterfall—evokes the suspenseful cliffhangers of *The Lost World*. Rather than relying on a blur of digital effects, Uthaug uses purposeful, single-shot sequences to build tension, particularly during Lara's infiltration of a jungle encampment. It’s a craft-heavy approach that feels rare in contemporary blockbusters.</p>
<p>In this version, Lara isn't an untouchable icon; she's a scrappy London courier refusing to accept her father’s death. This stubbornness leads her to a remote Pacific island in search of the tomb of Himiko, a mythical queen. There, she encounters the desperate Mathias Vogel (Walton Goggins), a man broken by years of isolation and obsession. Vikander portrays Lara with a gritty resilience, grounding the character’s evolution from an urban cyclist to a survivor capable of extraordinary feats.</p>
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<img width="1650" height="928" loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="Ensemble cast in the 2018 Tomb Raider film" data-img-url="https://static0.polygonimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/tomb-raider-ensemble.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2" src="https://static0.polygonimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/tomb-raider-ensemble.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2" class="img-brightness-opt-out">
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<p>Ultimately, the 2018 *Tomb Raider* is a robust origin story that values character over fan service, saving Lara’s iconic twin pistols for the final frame. While this choice might irritate those looking for immediate nostalgia, it allows the film to breathe as a muscular, well-acted survival thriller. The 2001 film was a product of its time—synthetic, hyper-stylized, and intentionally loud. Amazon’s new series will likely try to find a middle ground. But the 2018 film remains the most misunderstood entry in the franchise. It might not be the Lara Croft of your childhood memories, but it’s a damn good movie.</p>
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<p><em>Tomb Raider (2018) is streaming on Tubi, while Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) is available on Pluto TV. Watch them both and decide which era of Lara holds up best.</em></p>Source: Polygon
