Watch Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life

"Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life" is a 2003 American action-adventure film directed by Jan de Bont and starring Angelina Jolie in the titular role of Lara Croft. The movie serves as a sequel to the first "Tomb Raider" film released in 2001 and was produced by Paramount Pictures, Mutual Film Company, and Lawrence Gordon Productions.

The plot revolves around Lara Croft, a fearless and skilled tomb raider who is tasked with finding the mythical Pandora's Box that is said to contain a deadly plague capable of wiping out all humanity. Along with her partner, Terry Sheridan (Gerard Butler), Lara embarks on a perilous journey around the world, battling mercenaries, beasts, and even a former ally to retrieve the box before it falls into the wrong hands.

The movie opens with Lara Croft diving into the ocean to retrieve a mysterious orb that holds the key to finding the location of the box. However, the dive is interrupted by a group of Chinese soldiers who also want the orb. A fight ensues, and Lara manages to escape, but not before discovering that Chen Lo (Simon Yam), a notorious criminal and ally of hers, is also after the orb.

Lara travels to Hong Kong to meet with her old friend, MI6 agent Jonathan Reiss (Ciarán Hinds), who requests her help in finding Pandora's Box, which he claims would unlock the secrets of life itself. However, Lara is skeptical of Reiss's true motives and is convinced that he wants to use the box's power for his own gain.

Lara then heads to a temple in Greece where she meets Terry Sheridan, a former lover, and mercenary who agrees to help her find the box in exchange for a share of the profits. The two make their way through a series of traps and obstacles, and eventually find the box hidden in an underwater temple.

However, their success is short-lived as Chen Lo and his gang arrive, revealing that he is working for Reiss and had been using Lara to locate the box for him. Lara and Terry narrowly escape with the box but are pursued by Reiss and his henchmen, leading to a thrilling chase sequence.

The remainder of the film sees Lara and Terry teaming up with a group of African tribesmen to locate the cradle of life, the birthplace of humanity, where the box can be destroyed before it falls into the wrong hands. Along the way, they face dangerous challenges, including volcanic eruptions, poisonous snakes, and giant spiders, before they finally reach their destination.

The film's cast includes Gerard Butler as Terry Sheridan, Lara's rogue ally with a dark past, and Chris Barrie as Hillary, Lara's tech-savvy butler. The movie also features memorable performances from Simon Yam as Chen Lo, a scheming villain, and Noah Taylor as Bryce, a hacker who assists Lara in her missions.

Overall, "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life" is a thrilling adventure film that delivers on action, suspense, and spectacle. It boasts impressive visual effects, stunning locations, and a strong performance from Angelina Jolie as the iconic Lara Croft. If you are a fan of the video game series or enjoy action-packed films with strong female leads, this movie is definitely worth checking out.

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life is a 2003 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 57 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.5 and a MetaScore of 43.