We have a new Lara Croft, and not only is Alicia Vikander's take on the adventurer in Tomb Raider great, she improves upon the original Angelina Jolie version in some key ways. The new film takes its inspiration from the 2013 reboot of the video game; it details Lara's origin and takes her on her first adventure that would launch her storied career as a Tomb Raider. That strong story naturally means several aspects of the action-packed cinematic reboot are better than the Tomb Raider films that preceded it, but it all begins with both Lara and the actress who portrays her.The two actresses who have embodied the world's most famous video game-turned-movie heroine share a few things in common. Vikander and Jolie are both Academy Award-winners and, ironically, neither is British; Jolie is American and Vikander is Swedish. Yet they have each delivered iconic performances as the titular Tomb Raider. Both of their incarnations deal with lingering issues regarding the disappearance of Lara's father, Lord Richard Croft, and this provides the motivation that launches them into their adventures (at least it does for Jolie in her first film). However, Jolie and Vikander's individual take on Lara are very different, drawing upon the particular strengths of each actress.Related: A Brief Guide To Lara Croft's HistoryJolie's Lara certainly has legions of fans who fondly remember the style and swagger she emanated in the role, but here's why Alicia Vikander ultimately delivers the superior Lady Croft:This Page: Alicia Vikander's Lara Croft Is A Better Character
Alicia Vikander's Lara Croft Is A Better Character
"I'm not that kind of Croft," Vikander's Lara proudly declares in Tomb Raider. Indeed, her statement doubles as a wink-wink meta-commentary that Vikander is going in a markedly different direction while still honoring Jolie's turn as Lara.
Quite simply, Vikander's Lara is a much better character. We meet Lara at 21 years old, and she doesn't begin already a millionaire. Rather, she strives to live as a regular person; orphaned after her father disappeared on a mysterious expedition to the remote Japanese island of Yamatai seven years prior, Lara rejects inheriting the Croft family fortune and control of its vast business empire. The opening act depicting Lara's workaday life as an East London bicycle courier, her camaraderie with her friends, and her dedication to mixed martial arts (even though he loses) makes Lara more relatable and endearing.
Vikander charms as a plucky underdog who isn't automatically the best at everything she does. When she discovers her father's secret research and decides to find the Japanese tomb of the Empress Himiko Lord Croft sought, she is in over her head. But Lara is courageous, and this drives her on her first adventure to Hong Kong, where she commissions a boat to take her to the dangerous island located in the stormy seas of the Devil's Triangle.
Upon reaching the island, Lara finds herself against a heavily-armed mercenary army led by Vogel (Walton Goggins), who is also searching for Himiko's tomb at the behest of a shadowy organization called Trinity. Lara is placed in relentless mortal danger and battles not just the mercenaries, but the elements of the island itself. It's one harrowing ordeal after another for the burgeoning Tomb Raider, but as Lara survives each calamity and ultimately triumphs, fans find themselves firmly rooting for her. We see her grow into becoming the Lara Croft she is meant to be, and it's a rousing experience.
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Vikander's Lara is also emotionally wounded, which makes her a more compelling person. She spent years nursing the hurt of being abandoned by her father, and she's driven to complete his work so we understand why she becomes a Tomb Raider. On the island, she manages to find closure with her father, finally accepting him and his faults, and she is empowered by the experience. By the end of her first adventure, Lara has completed her Hero's Journey, and Vikander vividly portrays Lara's on-screen evolution. She transforms into a bold hero confident in her proven smarts and skills as a true survivor, and we're with her every step of the way. Lara says outright, "I'm not a superhero", but Vikander's version of Lady Croft becomes a real hero worth rooting for.
What Angelina Jolie Did Better
Everything said, Vikander's virtues don't detract at all from how iconic Angelina Jolie was as Lara Croft. Jolie was a perfect embodiment of the buxom, twin gun-toting heroine from the Tomb Raider video games of the 1990's. She was at the peak of her fame when she was cast, and brought her intense movie-star charisma and an air of dangerous volatility to the role. Overall, Angelina exuded a greater presence than Alicia does, and famously traded on her sex appeal. But she was so much more than the pin-up-ready poses Jolie struck.
Angelina's Lady Croft was fully-formed and at the top of her game as the world-traveling Tomb Raider. The Lara Jolie portrayed was a superhero - her version was a blend of Indiana Jones' archaeological smarts, James Bond's dry wit, and his unflappable British cool, all paired with Batman's limitless resources and gadgetry. Lara even had personal tech genius Bryce and shotgun-toting faithful butler Hillary living in Croft Manor with her. Most of all, Jolie's Croft was invincible, and she knew it. Regardless of what secret society headed by a sinister European villain or which ex-lover (a pre-007 Daniel Craig and a pre-300 Gerard Butler) tried to outwit her, Jolie never doubted she would prevail while always looking utterly smashing.
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Since James Bond was one of Lara Croft's inspirations, it's interesting to note how Jolie and Vikander aptly reflect the pre-and-post Daniel Craig eras of 007. Jolie is very much Bond played by Sean Connery up to Pierce Brosnan; aloof, utterly confident, and indomitable. Vikander is more like the Bond Craig created in Casino Royale; she is younger, raw, unrefined, impulsive, but she grows into the role. Now, some fans will always prefer Jolie's blistering sex appeal, and Jolie's Tomb Raider is most fondly remembered for her looks rather than her actions. Regardless, Jolie was the ideal Lara Croft for her time. Even Vikander is deferential to her predecessor in interviews. However, times have changed, and Lara had to change for the better.
Can Alicia Vikander's Lara Croft Lead A Franchise?
Vikander is not the same kind of Lara Croft Jolie was, and this ultimately is why she could lead the Tomb Raider franchise to new heights. First, Vikander's Tomb Raider is an overall better film; Jolie never toplined a Tomb Raider movie as good as she was in the role. Tomb Raider has flaws but it's visceral and riveting as a pure action film, boasting incredible, hair-raising stunts, many of which Vikander, who is a fan of the video games, performed herself.
The Swedish star hit the gym to be able to perform the film's stunts, and her dedication to recreating Lara Croft into a modern action hero reaps dividends. The toned and chiseled Vikander can believably save herself from any cliffhanger (with only one hand) and dispatch bad guys with brutal MMA holds. It's also hard to imagine Jolie's untouchable Tomb Raider enduring the type of physical punishment Vikander's Croft suffers. Unlike Jolie, Vikander bleeds, gets hurt, and tires, but she digs down deep and pushes herself above and beyond to win. Most of all, Vikander remains personable and relatable, whereas Jolie's steely Lara kept everyone, even her allies, at a distance.
Because Jolie's Croft was invincible from the get-go, she never evolved as a character. Fans never felt Jolie was in real danger or could be beaten at any point, so there was no way to actually invest in her, beyond enjoying just watching Jolie perform the role. Ultimately, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and its sequel The Cradle of Life are lesser films because there were no believable stakes. They were pure popcorn fodder that were almost by design immediately forgettable. Jolie's tenure as Lara ends up amounting to her striking a collection of action hero poses while the films themselves were silly live-action cartoons, which is why the franchise fizzled out.
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Vikander has now admirably rebooted Lara as a genuine badass who overcomes adversity and finds her destiny. Fans watched Lara go through hell in her first adventure and come out on top, so we're invested in her and what she does next. By the end, Vikander adopts the classic Lara Croft look and weaponry as well. The film also wisely established a greater mystery tying Lara's company, Croft Holdings, to the mysterious evil network Trinity, so there's automatically a direction for Lara to pursue in a sequel. If Tomb Raider is a box office success, the franchise now boasts Alicia Vikander's dynamic, vulnerable Lara Croft as its centerpiece, and it's an exciting upgrade to the Angelina Jolie era.
Next: Screen Rant's Tomb Raider Review
