Seven years after her father’s disappearance, a young, gritty, and inexperienced Lara Croft works as a bike courier in London, refusing to accept her inheritance. To prevent her father’s estate from being sold, she follows a clue he left behind, leading her to his last known location: a mythical tomb off the coast of Japan.
As of 2024, a new Tomb Raider live-action series is in development at Amazon MGM Studios with Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge as writer and executive producer. Vikander is not expected to return.
| | Skip if you want: | |----------------------|----------------------| | A grounded, origin-story action film | A fun, campy, blockbuster like the Jolie films | | Alicia Vikander’s acting and stunt work | Faithful supernatural horror from the game | | Tombs, puzzles, and survival set pieces | A strong villain or unpredictable plot | | Fast pacing (under 2 hours) | Deep character development |
Vikander brings a raw vulnerability to the role. Her Lara is driven less by a thirst for treasure and more by a desperate need to find closure (or her father). This emotional core elevates the film above a standard video game adaptation, making us care about the person before the hero. tomb raider 2018
Unlike the globe-trotting, dual-pistol-wielding Lara of the 2000s, Tomb Raider 2018 grounds its heroine in reality. The film opens with Lara Croft (played by a physically committed Alicia Vikander) refusing to claim her inheritance as the daughter of the missing Lord Richard Croft (Dominic West). She works as a bike courier in East London, living in denial about her father’s disappearance seven years prior.
, the movie shifts away from the invulnerable superhero persona seen in earlier films, favoring a more grounded, gritty origin story. Key Features of the 2018 Reboot Grounded Protagonist : Unlike the earlier Angelina Jolie
The action is brutal and claustrophobic. There are no glossy, wire-fu stunts. Instead, we get: Seven years after her father’s disappearance, a young,
When "Tomb Raider" arrived in cinemas in March 2018, it marked a pivotal moment for video game adaptations. For decades, the genre was plagued by a reputation for poor storytelling, wooden acting, and a disconnect from the source material. The 2018 film, directed by Roar Uthaug and starring Academy Award winner Alicia Vikander, sought to change that narrative. It was not merely a reboot of the film franchise but a conscious effort to align the cinematic universe with the gritty, grounded reboot that had revitalized the video game series in 2013.
It is impossible to discuss Tomb Raider 2018 without acknowledging its source material: Crystal Dynamics’ 2013 video game reboot. The film borrows heavily in tone and structure:
: Unlike the supernatural elements of previous iterations, this film provides a biological explanation for the mythical queen Production and Legacy Vikander is not expected to return
The story finds Lara Croft living a life of deliberate poverty. Her father, Lord Richard Croft (played by Dominic West), disappeared seven years prior on a quest to stop the shadowy organization Trinity from uncovering an ancient curse on the island of Yamatai. When Lara finally accepts his loss and signs the papers to inherit his estate, she discovers a clue that leads her to Hong Kong, and eventually to the boat of Lu Ren (Daniel Wu), who ferries her to the mysterious island.
: Unlike the "superwoman" persona of the earlier Angelina Jolie films, Alicia Vikander's Lara is more humanized. She loses her first onscreen fight, struggles with bills, and shows genuine fear.
The 2018 cinematic reboot of Tomb Raider sought to strip away the campy, hyper-stylized action of the early 2000s in favor of a gritty, grounded origin story. Directed by Roar Uthaug and starring Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft, the film drew heavy inspiration from the 2013 video game reboot. It shifted the focus from a seasoned, bulletproof treasure hunter to a vulnerable yet resilient young woman discovering her purpose.