If there is one thing that unites Tomb Raider fans it’s that they have strong opinions about the franchise. Barring an impossible-to-please segment of the fandom, hopefully the next thing that brings people together is the realisation that new Netflix animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft does a very good job in delivering on the promise at its heart – that, in striving to bridge the various interpretations of, and timelines featuring, daredevil adventurer Lara Croft, it pays tribute to all eras of the character.
That lofty ambition comes with an immediate caveat. If you haven’t played at least the 2013 Tomb Raider game from Crystal Dynamics, you may be lost as to who this version of Lara Croft is, with the same applying to the supporting cast. Even if you have, tech guru Zip, who appeared in the Legend-Anniversary-Underworld trilogy of games, is suddenly in the picture, with no explanation. In short, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft isn’t very concerned about newcomers.
That said, the lack of back story filler and exposition means the series, under showrunner and acknowledged fan Tasha Huo, can hit the ground running with its literal globe-trotting race to save the world from a power-hungry madman. You know, typical Tomb Raider stuff.
If the show stumbles, it’s primarily in the first episode. This is because some of the required retconning (expected at this point in the franchise) to manoeuvre all the narrative pieces into place leads to logic-breaking inconsistencies. Suddenly, we learn Lara Croft was somersaulting over spike traps and sporting a smart mouth back in her university days, long before players met a timid graduate nervous about scuttling along a cliff ledge. Likeable paternal substitute Conrad Roth is also now reinterpreted as being more like Lara’s original mentor Werner Von Croy, a selfish figure fixated on retrieving treasure at any cost, including the risk of loved ones. Meanwhile, in the present, most of the psychological progress Lara had made by the end of trilogy-capping Shadow of the Tomb Raider has been rolled back, as our heroine continues to run from guilt, pain and fear born out of her past. She’s having more adrenalin junkie fun at least, though.
While all these changes lay the foundation for Lara Croft’s psychological and emotional journey across the eight-episode series, they’re undeniably jarring. It also takes some time to get used to the animation style used by Powerhouse Animation Studios, the same house behind Netflix’s Castlevania, Blood of Zeus and Masters of the Universe. That said, the sharp-edged visuals become a show strength as Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft advances, capturing the action choreography with pleasing clarity, and giving Lara Croft the diverse expressiveness and aesthetic the character needs.
In short, push through Episode 1 even if you’re sceptical because it’s at this point Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft finds its stride, and gains momentum.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft delivers a fun, action-packed adventure that harkens back to the glory days of the franchise, including the decade-long Top Cow comics run. Wild motorcycle chases through collapsing cities and over train tracks, dangerous animal encounters, acrobatic cat burglar sequences, too-long free diving periods (that will have viewers holding their breath with Lara), secret organisations, Lara’s literal dark side, deadly trap-filled tombs, boss fights with a puzzle component, and, of course, the supernatural bleeding into proceedings – they’re all present in a way that doesn’t feel like fan service or made-by-committee tick box mentality.
Paired with these nods to yesteryear, complete with silliness like an Interpol agent who relies solely on their phone for exploratory illumination, are playful contemporary additions. If you ever wanted to see Lara Croft in a cat café or completely out of her depth at a theme park, here’s your chance.
Still, as easy as popcorn entertainment goes down, it’s often quickly forgotten. Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft does a very good job in pairing the superficial with emotional substance. The series is blessed with around four hours of screen time to really mine the character of Lara Croft, and it embraces the meaty opportunity. Lara may tear up a lot in the show (arguably too much), but after two games that worked resolutely to make her “nice” and “likeable” – and by extension bland – the tomb raider’s edge is definitely back here. Diamond sharp in fact.
The Netflix series consistently presents Lara Croft as a multi-faceted figure. She’s brilliant at times, a selfish brat at others, a rule breaker, socially awkward, quippy, stubborn, scared, wrathful, and as capable of kindness as cruelty. Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft may once again kick off with the character in the shadow of her male mentors, but it feels more meaningful than any other Tomb Raider media in getting her out of that shade – driving home the point that she is different; better. It’s not stated, but there is a definite feminist undercurrent that by being open to all of her varied emotional and existential sides, as a woman in comparison to the rigid cishet male adventurers in her life – including silver fox villain Charles Devereaux – Lara is stronger for it.
And they honestly couldn’t have found a better voice actress for capturing Lara Croft’s nuance than Hayley Atwell. Sitting between the softness of Camilla Luddington’s delivery in the most recent trilogy of games, and Keeley Hawes’s aristocratic aloofness in pretty much everything else Tomb Raider related since 2006, Atwell shifts seamlessly between the two sides, and is definitely not just rehashing her animated Peggy Carter from What If…?
In fact, the voice acting in Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is strong across the board. The series is surprisingly character driven, and the synergy between sharp dialogue and performance helps to strengthen this aspect. The spotlight is placed on Lara’s dynamic with friends and acquaintances, and in the midst of the banter – largely between Lara and the delightfully sassy Zip (Allen Maldonado) – barbs can be found too, as characters call the tomb raider out on her behaviour, including her tendency towards artifact “repatriation.”
This even applies to Lara’s long-time adventuring companion Jonah (Earl Baylon returning to voice the character from the games) who manages to emerge even more likeable due to his speaking of long overdue truths, and generally behaving more naturally. He’s far from Lara’s unquestioning lackey. Finally, the series breaks new ground by expanding Lara’s roster of female allies. While these women have always existed in the games and comics, they’ve been erased in the live-action Tomb Raider films, so it’s great to see their return, and elevation in importance, here. In fact, one whole episode is devoted to Lara rekindling her relationship with estranged sister figure Camilla Roth (another retcon inclusion). No longer is the archaeologist a woman set apart from her sex.
I don’t want to oversell Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft because it is definitely not without flaws. While the Chinese mythology behind the series MacGuffin is compelling, you don’t want to think too long about the plot because holes quickly open. And there is a definite inconsistency episode to episode in terms of character attitudes, with Lara astutely observing how historical record is written by the winners one moment, and unquestioningly accepting tales of Templar witchcraft the next. That said, I was never bored, and if Season 2 (oh God, please let there be a follow-up!) had existed, I would have barrelled straight into it, as it evidently opens the door to explore another barely touched aspect of Lara’s life. Will they finally be bold enough to go there though?
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is currently the highest rated on-screen adaptation of the Tomb Raider franchise, and it deserves that title. It’s a surprise-loaded treasure, especially for fans who have been waiting for something that manages to be true to the free spirit of the 28-year-old game series… at the same time it also serves up something so emotionally meaty.
Watch all eight episodes of Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft now on Netflix.
| Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft review | |
It doesn’t feel as accessible to newcomers as fans, but Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft emerges as a satisfying tribute to everything people love about the franchise. It’s loaded with surprises, including its well-balanced pairing of psychological substance with over-the-top action. Just stick through that retcon-heavy first episode to see the series find its stride. |
7.5 |
| Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft was reviewed on Netflix | |