Widescreen: Who needs a 'Tomb Raider' movie when games are already cinematic marvels?
Another big-screen adaptation of a video game hits theaters this weekend, and the age-old question is rearing its head: Will this finally be the first great video game movie?
I asked this same question in December 2016 about “Assassin's Creed,” starring Michael Fassbender — and the answer turned out to be a resounding “no.” This weekend's entry is “Tomb Raider,” the third film based on the adventure series that became a phenomenon after debuting on PCs and consoles in 1996. Oscar winner Alicia Vikander inherits the role previously inhabited by Oscar winner Angelina Jolie in 2001's terrible “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” (co-starring future 007 Daniel Craig) and 2003's slightly more tolerable “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider — The Cradle of Life.” This “Tomb Raider” is clearly based on the 2013 incarnation of the game, an involving, cinematic experience that helped rekindle my love for video games in general.
Which leads me to another question: Why do we need a “Tomb Raider” movie based on a game that's already cinematic? The key moments from the new film's trailers are familiar to those of us who played the game, which is rendered in photo-realistic digital graphics — you know, just like the movie. What will this movie provide that's better than actually experiencing the game? (And if you're not good at video games, why not watch someone play through it on YouTube?)
I hope the movie has good answers, since I plan to see it regardless. (I can't help myself.) But the 2013 “Tomb Raider” game and its 2015 sequel, “Rise of the Tomb Raider,” are incredibly exciting experiences that I would take over a million low-rent “Indiana Jones” wannabes that I could watch on cable. The same goes for PlayStation's “Uncharted” games, which both built on the promise of the early “Tomb Raider” games and inspired the later ones to be even better.
Lara Croft and her world of tombs, treasures, puzzles and pistols could make a splash on a TV network or streaming platform, where characters could be developed and new stories and locations could be explored in each installment. Until then, the two most recent games are still available for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
An essential podcast
Fans of movie music should check out the latest episode of “Settling the Score,” a podcast devoted to dissecting the American Film Institute's list of the 25 greatest movie scores. Hosted by composer Jon Dinerstein and theatrical music director Andy Boroson, the March 12 episode tackles a score we all know and love — John Williams' soaring music for “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” — and explains why it is so integral to the film using the musical theory and historical context that a nostalgic fanboy cannot provide. (I may or may not be that nostalgic fanboy.) It will give you a new appreciation for Williams' work, and perhaps even for film composers in general. You can listen at settlingthescorepodcast.com, iTunes, Stitcher and Google Play.
Speaking of ‘E.T.' ...
The venerable Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, will host screenings of “E.T.” and four other sci-fi films directed by Steven Spielberg beginning Friday, March 16, to celebrate the release of his latest film, “Ready Player One,” at month's end. The weeklong series also includes “A.I.,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Minority Report” and “War of the Worlds.” Single tickets cost $11 ($7 for Music Box members), and a series pass costs $30 ($25 for members). Visit musicboxtheatre.com to see the full schedule and buy tickets.
• Sean Stangland is a Daily Herald multiplatform editor. Follow him on Twitter at @SeanStanglandDH.