10 Critically Reviled Video Game Movies (That Really Aren't THAT Bad)

9. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider 2001 Angelina Jolie
Paramount Pictures

Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer Score: 20%

Critics Consensus: "Angelina Jolie is perfect for the role of Lara Croft, but even she can't save the movie from a senseless plot and action sequences with no emotional impact".

As you can see from the above consensus, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider got quite a hard time from the critics back in 2001 but even they could see how suited Angelina Jolie was for the role, so let's start there, shall we?

From the similarities she bore to her video game counterpart to just how convincing a badass heroine she was, Jolie roped audiences in from the very beginning. Now, a strong lead doesn't automatically make a film great, but her exceptional - and admirably accurate - offering ensured we all remained invested throughout Lara's journey.

Granted, the film's plot could drag at times, but the action scenes were actually rather enjoyable, the cast was competent enough to keep us intrigued and the emotional payoff was actually worth the wait.

Was it as good as the best of the Tomb Raider video game series? Hell no. But it was a decent offering that, contrary to popular belief, is at the very least on par with its supposedly superior sequel... if not better.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Patterson is an experienced writer with an affinity for all things film and TV. He may or may not have spent his childhood obsessing over WWE.