Angelina Jolie stars as Lara Croft, a tough, sexy, heavily armed adventurer, in this action film based on the wildly popular video game series of the same name. When mercenaries invade her cavernous, hi-tech mansion and steal an ancient relic, Lara journeys to various international locations, including Cambodia, Italy, and the Arctic Circle, to retrieve the strange object and discover its mysterious properties. As Lara's quest becomes increasingly dangerous, it begins to shed light on the life of her deceased father, Lord Croft (Jon Voight, Jolie's real-life father), and a secretive group known as the Illuminati. Director Simon West's film boasts an energetic techno soundtrack and a charming performance by Jolie, who blasts her way past various monsters, villains, and pitfalls, smirking all the while. (In one of the film's most memorable sequences, she battles dozens of deadly assassins while suspended from a bungee cord in her pajamas.) Perfectly cast as the voluptuous heroine (and sporting a fine British accent), Jolie's commanding presence carries this fast-paced blockbuster, which will appeal to hardcore video game junkies and action movie fans alike
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