‘Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft’ (Season 1) Review: A New Era of Adventure Begins
If anyone asks me who my favourite video game character is, without a second thought, I would say that it’s Lara Croft. When I was younger I was really obsessed with the Lara Croft games and I spent most of my childhood making Lara Croft run around her mansion, crawl under the bushes in her garden to fetch her guns and shoot at the butler for no reason. There were two live-action movie adaptations of Lara Croft, played by Angelina Jolie. Honestly, I thought they were the best movies I’ve ever seen. There was also another adaptation starring Alicia Vikander but it was quite forgettable.
Of course, I grew up and didn’t care much about Lara Croft and her adventures. I never played any of the new games. But when I discovered that Netflix was releasing an animated series about the iconic adventurer, I knew I had to watch this — for the sake of my younger version’s favourite video game character. Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is a continuation of her adventurers uncovering ancient mythical artefacts, putting herself in dangerous situations, and fighting crocodiles and angry spirits in otherworldly realms.
I‘ll admit that the earlier adaptations of Lara Croft were not the best movies. I don’t think Hollywood has ever done her character justice and with the rise of video game adaptations to live-action mediums, such as The Last of Us and Fallout, I would say that it is slowly getting better. It might have taken over 25 years to get the right story and adaptation for Lara Croft to pay her dues. But Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is a fun, adventurous series that goes beyond realms and depths to uncover tombs in mysterious places. Not only does this series dive into her personal connection to the artefacts, but it also observes her affliction and rediscovers herself and her friendships on a new mission that defies all odds in deadly situations.
Lara Croft (voiced by Hayley Atwell) has not embarked on an adventure for many years. After the death of her uncle/mentor Conrad Roth (voiced by Nolan North), she decides to isolate herself from her friends. She returns to her family’s mansion to auction off the treasure she and her team have found over the years. Lara doesn’t want to go back to her previous life anymore. It has been difficult for her to meet up with her team and best friends, travel companion Jonah (voiced by Earl Baylon) and tech expert Zip (voiced by Allen Maldonado). Old wounds start to open up whenever she’s back home.
As she dwells on her past, Lara finds a new purpose — a mission that could change her life. A mercenary named Charles Devereaux (voiced by Richard Armitage) steals a jade box from the mansion. The box contains a stone that could destroy the world. Lara and her team discover that there are more jade boxes around the world and begin a mission to find them. If Devereaux finds these stones before Lara, it could unleash chaos and destroy civilization.
If Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft stylistically looks familiar, the series was created by Powerhouse Animation Studio, the studio behind Castlevania. There are many entertaining sequences with god-like creatures and death-defying moments that show Lara’s adventurous life. Perhaps after years of failed live-action adaptations, all Lara Croft needed was an animated series. This medium has more freedom to show Lara’s grand adventures as she runs through deserts, mountains, lava, tombs, and underground bunkers with her weapons and parkour skills.
Like the title, Lara Croft stays true to her mythology. She travels around China, Iran, and Paris catacombs to find the remaining jade boxes, while explaining the mythological history of each region. Every episode provides a historical lesson. Lara’s knowledge is endless. She’s witty and smart, along with her best friends, it’s clear that she is an unstoppable force.
If the other iterations didn’t explore Lara Croft’s internal conflicts, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft takes a different turn. When Conrad dies in front of Lara, she is torn. The death of her father and Conrad, who is a father figure to her, leaves her with unresolved grief and loss. Her life as a lone wolf has made her weak and vulnerable to dangerous forces, and while keeping her distance from her best friends was meant to keep them safe, Lara knows that she needs them. There’s so much emotional depth, and I was so surprised by Lara’s growth. Her lone act turns into a team-building and self-reflection exercise that allows her to heal herself from the trauma and grief. While Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft stays true to Lara’s archaeological background, it is a moving drama that explores her inner conflicts.
For many millennials, like me, Lara Croft has been the highlight of our generation. I’m definitely not a super fan of video games but I will wholeheartedly say that I enjoyed watching the live-action movies. Also, I’m certain that Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft will be an enjoyable series for new and old fans alike.
The new animated series hits the target. It is a solid mystery series that binds Lara Croft’s combat training skills and tomb-raiding knowledge with new characters in a heightened, supernatural adventure. It’s not just another adaptation; it adds an extra layer of emotional development that takes her story to new heights with her signature guns. Lara Croft’s legacy lives on.
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