Tomb Raider

Considering that films based on computer games rarely turn out particularly well, the action film Tomb Raider must be called something of a success. It is a no-nonsense thriller that poaches on the territory of the James Bond and Indiana Jones films, for it is crammed with exotic locations, power-mad villains and handsome action sequences.

Lara Croft really ought to attend tea parties and behave like a proper lady, as befits the heiress to a stately home and a sizeable fortune. Lara, however, would much rather go on adventures like her late father. She gets ample opportunity to do so when she stumbles upon an unusual antique. Suddenly she is caught up in the hunt for the two halves of the Triangle of Light, which can enable its owner to turn back time and control it. Lara will do anything to prevent that, even though she is also drawn to the idea of being able to bring her father back to life. The plot is of course something of a mess, but that is unavoidable in films that revolve around tampering with time.

In the embodiment of every computer nerd's dream girl Lara Croft, one might have feared the worst, but even though Angelina Jolie has been fitted with an artificial bosom, she is surprisingly little put on display as a sex object. The focus is just as much on her resourcefulness and humour, even her emotional life. All the film's other roles, on the other hand, are pure stereotypes.