Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Do Games Make Good Movies?

Do Games Make Good Movies hosts break down Video Game inspired movies to answer the age old question: DO GAMES MAKE GOOD MOVIES?!?! In today’s episode, hosts Kaori Takee, Mark Donica, and Patrick Dees break down Super Mario Bros.! Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (or simply Tomb Raider) is a 2001 action film based on the popular Tomb Raider video game series featuring the character Lara Croft portrayed by Angelina Jolie. The film was directed by Simon West and was released during the summer of 2001. The film received primarily negative reviews from critics, who criticized the film’s video game-like action sequences and senseless plot, though Jolie’s performance as Croft was praised by critics and fans of the video game series alike. Despite the negative reception, the film was a financial success, ranking at number one in its opening weekend at the box office. At the time of the film’s release, it was the highest-grossing video game adaptation until it was surpassed by Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, which grossed $336 million. The film is also the highest-grossing action film with a woman in the lead role, next to Sigourney Weaver‘s Aliens. A sequel, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, was released in 2003, which, despite critically surpassing Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (it was regarded as an improvement over this installment), was not as financially successful, only grossing $156 million compared to Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’s $274 million gross.