Tomb Raider Movie Reviews Roundup: What Are Critics Saying About This Video Game Adaptation?

Hollywood doesn't exactly have the best track record when it comes to adapting video games into movies. Whether it's Super Mario Bros., Street Fighter, or Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, most video game movies are trashed by critics and see little box office success. Is the new take on Tomb Raider, starring Alicia Vikander, the one that will change the tide, though?

The reviews for the new film have arrived and, thus far, they're better than you might expect. While Tomb Raider will definitely not be in contention at the Oscars in 2019, many critics seem to think it's decent action movie fare and better than most video game adaptations. Of course, not everyone loves the movie they saw.

Currently, Tomb Raider is sitting at a score of 46 on GameSpot sister site Metacritic. Take a look at a sampling of the reviews below to find out whether this is a movie you want to spend your time on.

• Movie: Tomb Raider
• Studio: Warner Bros.
• Release Date: March 16

GameSpot

"To say exactly where the story goes that makes Tomb Raider so unique would be a spoiler, but let's just say it stays surprisingly grounded. That's a word you can apply to more or less the whole movie. Much of the action is heightened to unbelievable proportions, though no more so than in the 2013 Tomb Raider game, which was widely praised for its 'gritty realism.' The movie is a direct adaptation of that game, and it more than does it justice, even surpassing it in many ways." -- Michael Rougeau [Full Review]

The Associated Press

"The film not-so-subtly borrows from a half dozen better films, but even so, there are definitely ways the story of Tomb Raider might have been improved. Lara is for all her gumption, a pretty passive protagonist, for one.

As it stands, though, Tomb Raider is an often fun and visually compelling action pic, that is also sometimes unintentionally silly, with a great actress leading the whole thing." -- Lindsey Barh [Full Review]

Consequences of Sound

"For all the stigma attached to video-game adaptations, it would be a shame for Tomb Raider's many charms to go forgotten. The Tomb Raider games had long ago shorn the elements that made Lara Croft such a gaming punchline, so it's nice to see the films following suit. Vikander is a beautifully effective avatar for the American Ninja Warrior version of Lara Croft. Stripping down the bombast of the original games (and films) allows Uthaug's reboot to feel comparatively grounded and immediate, without dragging itself down with unnecessary pathos." -- Clint Worthington [Full Review]

IGN

"At its best, Tomb Raider is a passable action movie. It has some cool fight scenes and a neat tomb to raid. But this iteration of iconic adventurer Lara Croft misses the mark by reducing her identity to her relationship with her missing father and her physical prowess. This movie may directly lift many elements from the excellent 2013 video game reboot, but it disappointingly chooses not to adapt what made Lara an interesting and deep character." -- Miranda Sanchez [Full Review]

The Wrap

"Since the genre of video games-turned-into-feature films has inflicted some real doozies on audiences, Tomb Raider towers above most of its peers by being merely OK. By any other measure, this is a saga of fits and starts, and we can only hope for smoother sailing if the film inspires the sequels it clearly hopes to engender." -- Alonso Duralde [Full Review]

IndieWire

"Despite a fresher heroine, Tomb Raider still has all sorts of retrograde video game movie tropes. A cheesy voiceover serves as dunderheaded prologue, and all but consumes the narrative motion of the second act; flashbacks get out of hand in their attempts to round out Lara and Richard's relationship." -- Kate Erbland [Full Review]