The reboot of Tomb Raider on the big-screen does a good job of making Lara a more down to earth protagonist. She's still difficult to relate to as her heritage doesn't just magically fade away despite the fact that the film finds her choosing to live below her means. It was a pretty hokey idea anyway if you ask me. Especially since it doesn't make sense for her to not use the Croft fortune as a means fund the adventure when you consider she was already in the process of accepting it before finding out about the island where her father was last known to be. Watching her get pummeled in the boxing ring was way more effective at humanizing her. None of this would have mattered though if it weren't for Vikander as it's her that makes the character so intensely likable and not the change in lifestyle. She may not have the same sex appeal Jolie had back in 2001, but she manages to bring her own charm to the role and displays a remarkable physicality that lends itself well to the action sequences. All in all I'd say she's a fine heir to the Croft mantle and fits this new take on the source material by effectively matching Angelina's original performance without emulating it. The movie follows in the same direction as the recent video games. This trial by fire origin story has a more grounded, desperate tone and gives some added brutality to the fights and stunts. Things are a lot of fun, but I do feel that the plot gets bogged down with too much exploration of Lara's daddy issues. This is really only a problem because the necessary emotion just isn't there. When they finally get to the actual tomb things play out like your standard Indiana Jones flick, only without the same level of urgency. Before that our time on the island is spent watching Lara try to survive her captors and the various dangers present in the environment itself. Those parts are much more interesting. The set-pieces are suitably entertaining ensuring that the movie is a solid bit of popcorn entertainment all the way through. Something's not quite right with Tomb Raider's visuals. Everything looks kind of cheap, giving the whole thing much more of a B-movie feel than it otherwise would have had. Sometimes this works in it's favor as it reminds us that this is just meant to be a bit of dopey fun. Other times, not so much. As far as the supporting cast goes, there's a real standout performance from Daniel Wu. While he wasn't portrayed as Lara's love interest, one might not have minded if he had of been. He's got a natural charisma and would make an excellent Wei Shen in a Sleeping Dogs adaptation should Square Enix ever choose to go that route. Walton Goggins as the film's villain is a surprising letdown. He's forced to give a really restrained performance and it doesn't suit him. Based on the works I've seen him in, he's at his best when allowed to cut loose and let the craziness fly. Dominic West is fine, but isn't really given much to do. That Nick Frost cameo is pretty nice. The Tomb Raider film reboot adapts the game reboot, effectively letting both sides of the franchise take the classic heroine to some harsher places. Even with a compelling new lead in the role, the question still remains; does this actually make for a better movie than the one we got back in 2001? In my opinion, not really. It's hits a lot of the same notes. The final showdown between Vikander and Goggins mirrors that of Jolie and Ian Glen's in a lot of ways. Even a lot of the flaws are the same like a slow opening before getting to the real meat of the experience (a bike chase helps the pacing out in this one a bit). The new direction does allow the formula to feel at least somewhat fresh again though. Plus the action is solidly executed which helps the film stay afloat when things aren't delivering narrative-wise. Ultimately however, whether or not you'll find the character and concept worth revisiting is going to depend on your enjoyment of the original movie. I personally found it flawed yet passable then, and so I find it flawed yet passable now.