Video games are not a new art form, and yet Hollywood still hasn't figured out how to correctly crack the code to a great video game movie. The closest the film industry ever came to a proper video game adaptation was the Angelina Jolie-fronted Tomb Raider franchise from the early 2000s, and now it looks like the upcoming reboot starring Alicia Vikander may continue that long tradition. New set photos from the upcoming Tomb Raider film have just hit the web, and they paint a picture of a gritty, adrenaline-fueled adventure that should satisfy die-hard fans and mainstream audiences alike. Check them out below to see for yourself.
Those recently leaked photos already have me sold on the upcoming Tomb Raider reboot. It's difficult to pull specific plot details from an apparent action sequence, but the photos appear to shoe Alicia Vikander as Ms. Croft escaping from a group of bad guys in a tropical location. Such an idea seems to more or less line up with the plot of the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot game, which saw a young Lara learning to survive while marooned on an island against a group of criminals and mercenaries. This is where she genuinely learns to become the Tomb Raider that we all know and love.
It's not clear how much they are trying to adapt from that particular game, but it's pretty obvious that certain visual cues served as a primary source of inspiration in the development process. Just look at this comparison if you doubt that idea.
Another thing worth pointing out is the fact that Tomb Raider is already showing clear reverence for the platforming gameplay from the series. These photos don't show us what Alicia Vikander is running from, but the amount of running, climbing, and ziplining appears ripped straight from the levels of the beloved series. Video game movies have historically had a tough time figuring out how to translate games to the silver screen, but Tomb Raider already looks poised to deliver something that's nuanced yet faithful to the source material.
It would do a disservice to Alicia Vikander to not mention how good she looks taking on the challenging role of Lara Croft. Despite the fact that many fans initially championed Star Wars heroine Daisy Ridley for the highly coveted role, Vikander seriously looks the part. She brings a certain youthful and inexperienced look to the character that Angelina Jolie didn't have (it's a look the games didn't adopt until the 2013 reboot), and yet she still manages to look highly capable and believable in these incredibly physical sequences. It's a balancing act of athleticism and scrappiness, and she's already pulling it off with ease.
The upcoming Tomb Raider reboot is currently slated to hit theaters on March 16, 2018. Stay tuned for more details!
