LARA CROFT TOMB RAIDER: THE CRADLE OF LIFE

US/UK, 2003, 118 minutes, Colour.
Angelina Jolie, Gerard Butler, Ciaran Hinds, Noah Taylor, Christopher Barrie, Til Schweiger, Djimon Hounsou.
Directed by Jan de Bont.

Lara Croft is a very popular videogame personality, enhanced by the first Lara Croft film and Angelina Jolie bringing her to larger than life. This is a more polished production than the first film, relying on the fact that Lara does not have to be introduced. Rather, we go straight into action in the Greek islands, discovering a submerged temple built by Alexander the Great, admiring its beauty only to have Chinese thugs swim in, causing mayhem and stealing a ball which is the map to find Pandora's box which, when opened, could give mastery of the world to whoever controls all the evil it contains. This kind of mythology is twaddle but is articulated as if it were evident fact.

In many ways, the Lara Croft stories are variations on the James Bond films. As Lady Croft, she can be charming and aristocratic. As the Tomb Raider, she can be an intelligent historian and archaeologist. As the performer of derring-do stunts, she is, of course, an action star. She is given quite a lot of scope for this kind of heroism as the action goes to China, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Kenya and Tanganyika. She is joined in her quest for the missing ball by Gerard Butler who either loves her absolutely or loves her but is prepared to betray her to get possession of Pandora's box. However, the arch villain is Ciaran Hinds, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist who has obviously taken Bond's nemesis, Blofeld, as his model and wants to rule the world.

Assisting Lara are her computer nerd friend, Noah Taylor, and her butler and partner in martial arts practice, Christopher Barrie. To complain that it is all a bit obvious is to miss the point. Fans love it because it is obvious. It is the pleasure of following all the moves, anticipating the dangers, fighting the battles and seeing how good triumphs over evil that counts.

1. The popularity of Lara Croft? Video game? Film? The dramatisation of video games onto the big screen?

2. The range of locations: the mansion in England, the Greek islands and the Aegean, Hong Kong, Shanghai, the Great Wall of China, Kenya, Tanzania? The colour photography, the glamour of the locations? The musical score, songs?

3. Audience awareness of Lara Croft as a personality, as an adventure hero? The woman as hero? Her capacities, skills? Her relationship with her team? At home? Her allies? Enemies?

4. The opening in Greece, the beauty of the coast, the island, the wedding, the earthquake? The search for the lost temple? Lara and her calculations? Diving, the beauty of the underwater temple? The earthquake, the coming of the Chinese, the taking of the ball? Lara and the attack, the death of her companions, her escape, the submarine?

5. Lara at home, her relationship with Bryce? The computer nerd? At the computer, his calculations, his always being in touch, helping with the information, deciphering? With Hilary, the butler, her martial arts practice?

6. The official request to find the ball? The issue of Pandora's Box? The far-fetched nature of a box of evil hidden away in Africa? The quest for power by a maniac scientist? Lara and her wanting Terry to be her companion? Going to Kazakstan and releasing him from prison?

7. The trip to China, the outback, on the Great Wall? Going into the mountains, the adventure, the brotherhood, the clashes, the dramatics of escaping from them? Moving to Shanghai, tracking down Reiss? The shoot-out in Shanghai and its spectacle?

8. Hong Kong, discovering Reiss's laboratory, the skill in entering? The mayhem, the escape, on the roof, the flying from the roof to the boat? Going to Taiwan, getting the clothes? Planning the escape?

9. Getting the information to Bryce, the technical device photographing the ball and getting it to Bryce? The results? Going to Africa - and the fact that Reiss had taken Hilary and Bryce at gunpoint?

10. Arriving in Africa, landing in the back of the jeep, her university friend? The discussions with the tribe, her showing her good faith? The trek, the pursuit by Reiss and helicopter, bringing Hilary and Bryce? Going through the death valley, the creatures? The confrontations, Reiss and his power over Lara? Her dropping the ball into the hole? The creatures being destroyed? The descent into the cave, the finding of the box?

11. Terry, his reputation, his love for Lara, the possibility of betraying her? Escape from prison, in China, Shanghai, Hong Kong? His being ready with the rescues? His coming to Africa, his freeing Bryce and Hilary, getting them to guide the helicopter? His coming into the cave, his destroying Reiss? His rescuing Lara? Their love, his betrayal, his wanting the ball? Lara shooting him?

12. Lara and her temptation to open the box, the light coming out, her shutting it? Her return, her gift to the tribespeople, her welcome home?

13. The character of Reiss, the Nobel Prize, science, his dealing with his international links, poisoning the traitor? Ruthless, mad? The obsession with the box? His strategy of selling it and getting others blamed for the destruction? His explanation of world dominance to Lara? In China, his shrewdness in going to England, taking Bryce and Hilary, coming to Africa, almost getting the box, his death? His gang, his German henchman and his tracking of Lara, the henchman being destroyed by the monsters?

14. Popular ingredients, far-fetched plot, action and derring-do?