neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of Life
	Jan de Bont Angelina Jolie, Gerard Butler, Ciarán Hinds, Chris Barrie, Noah Taylor, Djimon Hounsou, Til Schweiger 2003		Any time a sequel stands up to or surpasses the original movie, it's a cause for celebration. Usually. That "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life" is better than 2001's "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" is undeniable. But "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" was so mechanical, even more so than the video game that spawned it, that it would be hard for a sequel to be worse. So "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life," with lush-lipped bod-of-doom Angelina Jolie returning as globetrotting adventuress Lara Croft, is better than its predecessor. It has a better director (Jan de Bont of "Speed" and "Twister" fame) and a better story (Lara vies with a sadistic purveyor of germ warfare to secure the mythic Pandora's Box, reputedly the cradle of human life as well as the repository of mankind's ills). It wants to channel the best aspects of James Bond and Indiana Jones films, and offers sprawling locations and elaborate action sequences, but it's hurt by clunky fight scenes, tired CGI and trite dialogue. It descends into a flat finale on what is obviously a soundstage. Worse, there's no lingering aftertaste. It could be likened to the feeling one gets when, win or lose, the game ends — and the computer is turned off. Pfft.