Following the iconic heroine’s resurgence into pop culture through the Survivor video game trilogy (which included 2013s Tomb Raider, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider), the latest iteration of the tomb-exploring, ass-kicking Lara Croft continues 3 years after the events of the previous video games in the form of a new, animated Netflix series, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft.
Having been voiced and portrayed by a multitude of recognisable names and voices over the characters almost 30-year existence, including Shelley Blond, Keeley Hawes, Angelina Jolie, Camilla Ludington, and Alicia Vikander, this animated portrayal of Lara Croft welcomes Hayley Atwell (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning) into the ranks.
Having abandoned her crew after the tragic events of the previous games ending, Lara Croft hasn’t lost a single ounce of her adventurous spirit, as the show opens on an exciting and daring solo mission that Croft is pursuing, full of action and tension. However, when a dangerous Chinese artifact known as “The Curse of God” is stolen from the Croft manor, Croft’s connection to this particular treasure forces her to return home and team up with her crew once more for a globe-trotting adventure that will force Croft to truly confront what sort of hero she will become.
For newcomers to the world of Lara Croft, the mid-way story entry point of this series won’t necessarily be a large obstacle to overcome, as the first episode fills the major plot points needed to establish why Croft is currently on solo endeavours, and the reason that particular relic that is stolen is so important. Once the show gets through the necessary exposition of the first episode, that is when it feels the most Tomb Raider-like, delving into supernatural side of the franchise that showcases behemoth creatures, magical curses, and the puzzle-filled, booby-trap laden tombs that pull the character and story out of generic action-adventure territory, which for returning fans of the character, will gain a lot of enjoyment from as the Easter-egg filled nature of the show lends itself to being truly made for the fans.
The series has that “new adventure each episode” feeling as the show catapults the audience to a new location to find a new MacGuffin that will take Croft one step closer to her goal. There are definitely moments throughout the show that feel quite repetitive pacing wise because of this. The formulaic nature of find out new information, go to a new place to discover information, get into a perilous, near-death situation, survive, find next piece of information and repeat certainly is the foundation of Tomb Raider, but having been done in every form and iteration of the character previously, it doesn’t necessarily expand into new territories.
When the show is at it’s most interesting is the continuation of Lara Croft’s character arc from the games that preceded. Having already been through intense and tumultuous scenarios, it’s intriguing to see where a battle-hardened warrior needs to emotionally go next. Removing Croft from her crew and having such a personal connection to the adventure allows the emotional story that was a strong aspect of the Survivor trilogy of games to continue on. Haley Atwell’s voicework brings a lot of the emotion quite authentically to those scenes, but never at the cost of also capturing the action-adventure spirit of the character. And the same can be said for the balance of action and drama within the story.
However, the episodic approach to the storytelling allows for the show to go to some pretty incredibly drawn locations. Both claustrophobically deep underground and the out in the vastness of nature, to pop out of the screen with such vividness. An orange-hued, lava filled tomb in the second episode feels as dangerous as the dank, green jungles Croft encounters later in the series, and both look fantastic. The 3D animation of the scenery feels dense and alive, while the 2D animation of the characters works in unison with the 3D to have both animation styles stand out.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft blends 2D and 3D animation together to bring a lot of excitement to this adventurous continuation of Lara Croft’s story. The action is tense, and the spirit of the games and films that have come before this show are felt throughout. Fans of Lara Croft will appreciate the Easter-egg filled journey that not only highlight the fun, supernatural elements of this world, but allows Croft as a character to grow even more from the games before.
All eight episodes of Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft are streaming on Netflix from October 10.
