Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider has built a real following in Australia on Paramount Plus, and in the US on fuboTV and Paramount+ Amazon Channel among viewers who want their sci-fi to think as hard as it looks. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 6,570 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Watch it for Angelina Jolie — the performance elevates material that could easily tip into self-seriousness. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Paramount Plus.

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry Lara Croft: Tomb Raider through its more ambitious moments. Orphaned heiress, English aristocrat and intrepid archaeologist, Lara Croft, embarks on a dangerous quest to retrieve the two halves of an ancient artifact which controls time before it falls into the wrong hands. As an extremely rare planetary alignment is about to occur for the first time in 5,000 years, the fearless tomb raider will have to team up with rival adventurers and sworn enemies to collect the pieces, while time is running out. But, in the end, who can harness the archaic talisman's unlimited power? Angelina Jolie and Iain Glen lead a cast that keeps the bigger ideas grounded in something human. It was released in 2001. What separates Lara Croft: Tomb Raider from lesser genre entertainment is a willingness to let the concept cost the characters something. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For late-night viewing or a proper weekend binge, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider fits the bill. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Angelina Jolie grounds the bigger ideas in something human. Once you are in, you will want to talk about it.