Even in 2024, Lara Croft continues to be one of the most iconic images of modern pop culture. This is even a bit ironic, because in recent years, the tomb raider has been unlucky with the video games that gave her birth. The Tomb Raider prequel trilogy, which started in 2013, actually lost out to the entire Uncharted series and almost ruined the developers. The very image of Lara seems to have faded into the background of the information field.
However, we know that no popular franchise ever really dies in modern times. That's why the development of the new Tomb Raider installment is already in full swing. We will also get a series with live actors for Amazon Prime Video someday. And right now, you can enjoy an animated show from Netflix about the new adventures of Lara Croft. They turned out to be bright and diverse, but it is far from certain that they will find a response in the hearts of fans.
| Title | Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft |
| Genre | adventure, action, animation |
| Director | Tasha Huo |
| The roles were voiced by | Hayley Atwell, Richard Armitage, Allen Maldonado, Earl Balon, Zoe Boyle and others |
| Channel | Netflix |
| Episodes. | 8 |
| Year | 2024 |
| Website | IMDb |
The events of the new Lara Croft show take place after the prequel trilogy, which ended with the plot of Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Lara seems to have gained experience and is ready to face any external enemies. But she hasn't yet managed to overcome her inner demons. She is disturbed by the death of her mentor Conrad Rott, which we could see in Tomb Raider 2013. The girl can't accept the fact of her mentor's death, so she keeps running away from her friends and herself. But a new test begins when a mysterious thief takes the treasure chest, which was the last joint achievement of Lara and Conrad, directly from the Croft estate. Now the girl will have to finally deal with herself and the villain, because delay threatens to cause a catastrophe for the whole world.
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Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft[/caption]
One of the main challenges of the new Tomb Raider trilogy was the positioning of Lara herself. Crystal Dynamics placed great emphasis on the development of the heroine from a completely inexperienced girl to a fearless tomb raider. However, the whole journey seemed artificial and strained. In one scene, Lara could be crying from the shock of a murder, and in the next, she could be killing dozens of enemies without any comments. The authors of Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft seemed to want to fix this flaw and show more of the protagonist's inner world. However, they did it rather rudely.
The animated Croft also lacks clear accents. In some scenes, she behaves in a balanced and wise manner, as Lara Croft is supposed to do in the very first games. And then, without any warning or any logical connection, she starts crying, doubting, hysterical, and generally behaving as if the events of the prequel trilogy do not exist, and all the experiences have not hardened the girl.
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Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft[/caption]
This moment does not allow us to fully feel empathy for the protagonist. And it becomes even more critical due to the fact that the animated series was planned as a link between the previous trilogy of games and the next game, which is in active development. That is, Lara's behavior in the show, her surroundings, and the events she has experienced are canon that will be taken into account. And it turns out that the authors of the series used the game scripts only for formality, almost out of politeness. Because the path of Lara's formation, which she went through in three long games, is partially retold in eight episodes of the new show.
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Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft[/caption]
Yes, let's not be honest, this is partly the fault of the games' plots. However, if the Netflix team had already taken them as the foundation on which the show is built, they could have treated them with more respect. Because the script of the animated series significantly changes the events of the video games and adds situations to Lara's overall story that make no sense in the context of the game trilogy. This is a retcon in its crudest form. It's a shame that we're being introduced to a new game in such a sloppy way.
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Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft[/caption]
But let's take a situation where the viewer hasn't played any Lara Croft video games, but has only heard of her as a brave and powerful girl. What will they get from the Netflix show? Of course, all the "Easter" references will pass him by. And there is even a place in the series for references to older games, so fans of the classic Lara Croft will be happy. However, this is not the main thing, because Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft has perfectly coped with the central task of demonstrating the fascinating life of the traveler Lara.
Each episode has different situations and accents. Legends from around the world are intertwined in interesting combinations. Lara constantly has to not only fight and jump, but also think. By the way, there is a lot of acrobatics in the show, as there should be in any Lara Croft story. The production team's pace of storytelling is insanely fast, but the story doesn't fall apart. Everything is in the right places, so you never get bored while watching.
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Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft[/caption]
Also, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft perfectly combines the nuances of the modern world with ancient discoveries. This is a moment that was missing in the prequel trilogy, although it was present in the games before it. Lara visits a lot of modern buildings, which, from her point of view, begin to play with new colors. Present and past in the show are an inseparable combination.
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Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft[/caption]
The visuals in the show are also in perfect order. Yes, it is far from Arcane, but there was still a place for creative animated moments. At the same time, the entire production team managed to perfectly portray Lara's journey across continents, lost temples, and other places we can only dream about. The show feels almost physically fresh, so it's perfect for the gloomy moods of autumn. The date of the premiere is well chosen.
Yes, you can complain about the somewhat stereotypical characters and their interaction, which lacks depth and nuance. However, in the case of Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, this is not so important. The most important thing is that the story features a brave Lara Croft, different countries, dangerous secrets, and a true spirit of adventure that has not been seen very often in popular culture in recent years. It's unlikely that the story will cause you to experience strong emotions, but it will definitely make the wait for the new game about the iconic tomb raider a little easier.