Inside Look @ Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

by

Mike & Amy Nappa

FAST LOOK:

Based on the mega-selling Tomb Raider video game series, LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER is an action/adventure film about an archeologist’s search for an ancient artifact that allows its owner Godlike power to control time.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER:

 “We wanted to do something different. So we made her a girl.”

—Tomb Raider co-creator, Adrian Heath-Smith

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“I really like Lara Croft. She enjoys being a lady, but there’s a side to her that just wants to…do something dangerous.”

—Angelina Jolie, star of LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER

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“Movies such as Tomb Raider…[supply] pimply boys with fodder for hours of lustful contemplation.”

—Eric Harrison, movie critic

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“[Lara Croft] is a role model  I want for my daughter—she's independent and takes care of herself.”

—anonymous parent of an 11-year-old girl

INSIDE SCOOP:

Raking in over $47 million in box office receipts during its opening weekend, summer blockbuster LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER became the largest debut ever for a film headlined by a woman (Angelina Jolie, playing the titular character). That was no surprise considering the Tomb Raider videogame series had already sold over 20 million units in the five short years before the movie’s release.

So why have millions of Americans spent billions of dollars on media products that feature the fictional Lara Croft? There are three main reasons:

1) Supernatural Adventure. Originally created to be a female version of Indiana Jones, Lara Croft lives in a world where the supernatural is as close as the nearest archaeological dig; where the literal power of God lies hidden, waiting for the first person smart enough and courageous enough to come and get it. Of course, that means anything can happen in Lara Croft’s world: giant stone statues coming to life, mysteriously helpful ghost-children appearing and disappearing, time twists that save lives (and punish bad guys). As viewers, we get to safely experience all that action and excitement. In our secular society that innately craves spiritual things, this type of vicarious fantasy is immensely appealing.

2) Strong Female Role Model. Lara Croft is confident, attractive, fearless, talented, intelligent, honorable, self-reliant, tough, courageous—and pretty good with a pistol too. She’s a quintessential modern woman, capable of doing anything and everything she sets her mind to do, whether it be solving the mysteries of ancient runes or kicking in the teeth of a villain in hand-to-hand combat. For that reason she’s often called a “role model” for young girls, especially by mothers who have grown up fighting social battles in a male-dominated society.

3) Sensuality. Apparently, being a strong female role model also means girls must invest in breast-enhancement surgery (or wear a really padded bra) and run around in shorts that are smaller than their thigh-holstered guns. And it’s Lara Croft’s sexual-fantasy physique that’s a big draw for her male fans. (In fact, rumors persist that some entrepreneurial guys have even created a software patch that allows videogame users to play Tomb Raider with our heroine conquering evil in the nude.) That said, in LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER, Jolie’s character never has a sexual encounter, and though one scene features her in a shower, it doesn’t reveal any explicit nudity by Lara Croft.

Adventure, a strong female character, and a dose of feminine sensuality. Add it all up and you’ve got LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER.

LOOKING INSIDE…:

Use these questions to spark family discussion about LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER:

---Lara Croft is presented as an “ideal woman.” Why do you think she’s viewed that way? How would you describe an “ideal woman?” Explain.

---In LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER, the characters attempt to harness the “power of God.” Why is that so appealing? How does one really access the power of God?

---If you were challenged to invent the “perfect action hero” for a movie, what would you create? Why?

[SIDEBAR]

If members of your family like LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER, then you may want to check out:

---Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (PG-13; video).

Since Indiana Jones was the character that inspired the creation of Lara Croft in the first place, your family might enjoy seeing the original in action. In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the heroic archaeologist/professor finds himself on a life-or-death quest to locate the cup that Christ drank from during the Last Supper. Although certainly not a Christian movie, this video does encompass Christian themes (presenting them in a mostly favorable light) and provides plenty of material for after-viewing discussion.

Oh, and it’s got lots of action, a little romance, more than a few laughs, and stellar acting to boot.

---The Veritas Project Volume 1: Hangman’s Curse by Frank Peretti (Tommy Nelson Publishers).

This chart-topping novel was originally targeted for teen readers, but found immense popularity among adults and junior high students as well. Written by the man many say invented Christian fiction, Hangman’s Curse follows the suspense-filled adventures of an investigative team made up of two parents and their teenaged kids. In this book Peretti has created an intriguing “ghost story,” and added a supernatural twist that leads readers to look beyond their assumptions to discover the truth instead.

Available in book and audiocassette format, families can enjoy this as a read-aloud or audio-listening experience. (Note: Some scenes in the book may be too scary for children under 10.)

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[BIO LINE] Mike & Amy Nappa are renowned cultural commentators, best-selling and award-winning authors, and creators of the Internet magazine for families, www.FamilyFans.com