Film

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is a globe-trotting action-adventure that trades plot coherence for spectacular set pieces and Angelina Jolie's magnetic star power. It's visually inventive, often ridiculous, and unapologetically committed to looking cool. If you want elaborate heists and impossible stunts without overthinking the story, this is your film.

TMDb rating3.0

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you want brisk, old-fashioned globe-trotting adventure with ruins, booby traps and a swaggering heroine, and you don't mind your Indiana Jones with a glossier, more blockbuster sheen.

Skip it if you find video-game-style set pieces and glossy early-2000s spectacle wearing thin, or come hoping for a deeply character-driven story rather than a chain of locations and puzzles.

What it asks of you: A brisk hundred minutes that rarely pauses for breath, asking you to switch off your cynicism, enjoy the staging of each location, and not look too hard at the logic.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

National Treasure2004

Nicolas Cage hunts historical treasures across America with the same breathless energy and globe-hopping adventure. It has the same DNA: impossible puzzles, elaborate action sequences, and a protagonist who's absurdly competent at everything.

But The plot is even more convoluted, and Nicolas Cage's performance can feel hammy if you're not in the mood for broad charm.

National Treasure poster

The Mummy1999

Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz in a high-energy adventure with practical stunts, witty banter, and a genuine sense of fun. It's got the same exotic locations and swashbuckling spirit, but better humor.

But It leans harder into comedy, which might feel too jokey if you prefer action-forward momentum.

The Mummy poster

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol2011

Tom Cruise's team executes audacious heists across stunning locations with jaw-dropping practical effects. The action is cleaner and the plot tighter, but the DNA is identical: unstoppable specialists doing the impossible.

But Less personality than Lara Croft; it's all efficiency and spectacle. Some find that cold.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol poster

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Ritual2017

Both are about outsiders venturing into dangerous ancient spaces seeking something precious. But where Tomb Raider promises mastery and escape, The Ritual asks what price exploration really costs.

A tense creature-horror film set in a Swedish forest with genuinely beautiful cinematography and an atmosphere that shifts from adventure to dread. It's a treasure hunt that goes wrong in ways that matter. Alicia Vikander's Tomb Raider wanted to be serious; this one earns it.

But It's a slow-burn horror film, not an action romp. The second half abandons adventure entirely for genuine threat. If you came for stunts, you'll be disappointed.

The Ritual poster
More like this (8)

The Librarians2014

A TV series about a team protecting magical artifacts with the same sense of adventure archaeology. Colorful, fun, and unashamed about its pulpy origins. Episodes are bite-sized but consistently entertaining.

But The tone is deliberately campy, and the production budget shows. If you want Hollywood sheen throughout, this will feel cheaper.

The Librarians poster

Uncharted2022

A video-game adaptation that doubles down on impossible action sequences and whip-smart treasure hunting. Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg have genuine chemistry, and the stunts are genuinely inventive.

But The plot is threadbare, and some sequences prioritize spectacle over logic to an almost parodic degree.

Uncharted poster

Romancing the Stone1984

Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner in a witty, romantic adventure through the jungle hunting for treasure. It's lighter than Tomb Raider but shares the spirit: exotic locations, physical comedy, and genuine heart.

But The pacing is leisurely by modern standards, and the action sequences lack the CGI excess you might be expecting.

Romancing the Stone poster

The Lost City2022

Sandra Bullock and Brad Pitt in a self-aware adventure-comedy with elaborate action sequences and real chemistry. It knows exactly how silly it is and commits fully, with smart humor that lands.

But The tone is comedic first, which means action takes a backseat. The plot is deliberately thin and reliant on absurdity.

The Lost City poster

Tomb Raider2018

Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft in a grittier reboot that takes the character seriously as an archaeologist rather than an icon. The action is visceral and grounded, and it has genuine emotional stakes.

But It's much darker and more brutal. If you want the fun camp of the original, this won't deliver it.

Tomb Raider poster

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows2011

Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes in a globe-trotting mystery with ingenious action sequences and Byzantine plotting. It's got the same puzzle-box structure and exotic locations, played with style.

But The narrative gets genuinely complicated; you need to pay attention. Some find the frenetic editing style exhausting.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows poster

The Adventures of Tintin2011

Both are video-game-adjacent treasure hunts with a protagonist who's competent at everything. But Tintin is essentially a cartoon with unlimited physics; Lara Croft at least pretends to obey real-world rules.

Spielberg and Peter Jackson's motion-capture adventure following a young reporter and his dog hunting a legendary ship. It has the same exotic globe-trotting, elaborate action setpieces, and pure kinetic joy—but told through animation with an energy live-action can't quite match.

But Motion-capture performances can feel uncanny to some viewers. The plot is straightforward adventure without pretense. If you want character depth, this isn't it.

The Adventures of Tintin poster

Annihilation2018

Both feature a brilliant woman leading expeditions into unexplained ancient mysteries. But Annihilation treats mystery as something that corrupts and transforms; Tomb Raider treats it as a puzzle to solve.

Natalie Portman leads a team of women into a shimmering, impossible zone to investigate and retrieve data. Visually stunning, genuinely eerie, and structured like a heist-meets-horror. The action is contemplative rather than explosive, but the mystery and atmosphere are magnetic.

But It's cerebral and ambiguous, with an ending that refuses to explain itself. If you want answers and clear victories, this will frustrate you. Some find the pacing glacial.

Annihilation poster

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Recommended by

The Mummy, National Treasure, Sahara