Nearly on red. Please keep reading. Off on holiday on Saturday to Thorpe Park Holiday Park at Cle...
Nearly on red. Please keep reading. Off on holiday on Saturday to Thorpe Park Holiday Park at Cleethorpes.
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One of the latest films to premiere on Sky this month is Lara Croft: The Cradle of Life and although I did watch this on DvD when it first came out I decided that I would like to watch it again.
~The Greek Myth behind Pandora‘s Box~ taken from http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/carolrb/greek/greek1.html
At one time the only mortals on earth were men and the god Prometheus had made them, Athene had breathed life into them but the chief god Zeus did not like them.
One day Prometheus was trying to solve a quarrel between the gods and the men. At a festival the men were going to sacrifice a bull for the first time and asked which parts of the bull should be offered to the gods and which should be eaten by men. Prometheus decided to trick Zeus and killed the bull, skinned it and butchered it. He split it into two portions, in one he put the best, lean meat and in the second he put bones followed by a thick layer of fat. Prometheus offered both to Zeus to take his choice. Zeus looked at both portions, one looked good but was rather on the small side, the other was much larger and covered in a layer of fat which Zeus felt must cover the best, tastiest portion of meat so chose that one. Realising that he had been tricked, Zeus decided to take fire away from man so that they could never cook their meat or feel warm again.
Prometheus reacted immediately by flying to the Isle of Lemnos where he knew the smith Hephaestus had fire. He carried a burning torch back to man and enraged Zeus further.
Zeus, set Hephaestos the task of creating a clay woman with a human voice. Hephaestos worked and worked and created a masterpiece. Zeus’ daughter, Athene, goddess of wisdom liked the clay figure and she breathed life into it, she taught the woman how to weave and clothed her. Aphrodite the goddess of love made her beautiful and the god Hermes taught her to charm and deceive.
Zeus was
pleased with what he saw, but he had made her as a trap. He named the woman Pandora and sent her as a gift to Epimetheus. Epimetheus had been warned by his brother Prometheus that he should never accept gifts from Zeus because there would always be a catch. Epimetheus ignored his brother's warning, fell in love with Pandora and married her. Zeus, pleased that his trap had worked gave Pandora a wedding gift of a beautiful box. There was one condition however...that was that she never opened the box.
For a while they were very happy. Pandora often wondered what was in the box but she was never left alone so she never opened it. Gradually over a while she began to wonder more and more what was in the box and could not understand why she would be sent a box she could not open. It got very important to her to find out what was hidden there and one day she could stand it no longer and opened the box. On lifting the lid she realised that the room was filled with terrible things: disease, despair, malice, greed, old age, death, hatred, violence, cruelty and war. She slammed the lid down and kept only the spirit of hope inside.
~The Plot~
Intrepid British archaeologist Lara Croft has made perhaps the most important archaeological discovery in history. When an earthquake in Greece rumbles the foundations of a building, Lara realises that they have staggered across the Lunar Temple built by Alexander the Great. Finding this temple is one of the most import Archaeological discoveries of all time and Lara begins to look for something important - an Orb which holds the map to the legendary Pandora‘s box. Unfortunately Lara is not the only person looking for the Orb and barely escaping with her life, she loses the Orb.
A couple of days later MI6 arrive to visit her at her mansion. They tell her that the person who sent men to track down the Orb who also killed her two companions was Chen Lo and that he is leader of the Shay Ling - a Chinese gang of bandits. Chen Lo has the Orb and plans to pass it to Jonathan Reiss - a world renown scientist who specialises in making biological weapons. He plans to use the contents of Pandora’s box to make the ultimate weapon and sell to the highest bidder.
In the film version Lara recounts the history of the box from the time when a Pharoah found it in 2300BC and when opening the box discovered that all that was left was the anti-life and a plague descended upon the Pharoah‘s men killing them off. The Pharoah sent his finest soldier to transport the box to the end of the world. 2000 years later Alexander the Great reached India where his army were also killed off by a Plague after one of his men found a box amongst some remains. Fearing that the box was so powerful Alexander hid it the Cradle of Life where it was safe. Unfortunately when the Luna Temple was discovered the map leading to the Cradle of Life was discovered and now everybody is trying to get to Pandora’s box first.
Usually Lara works alone but this time she feels she needs a helping hand in order to find the Shay Ling and Chen Lo. The only person who she knows can get her close is Terry Sheridan. Unfortunately Terry a former marine is currently a prisoner in Kazakhstan for being a traitor and MI6 are reluctant to release him.
There is plenty of action as Lara and Terry fight there way to getting the Orb back and stopping Reiss from getting his hands on it. Will Lara be able to prevent Reiss from getting hold of Pandora’s box? You will have to watch the film to find out.
~The Cast~
Lady Lara Croft - played by Angelina Jolie. A beautiful English girl with a penchant for adventure and archaeology in particular. Lara has many friends all over the world who are able to assist her should she need them too, so she seldoms has to travel far without a gun, which she likes to use regularly. Although a native American she perfects the cut glass British accent beautifully. Angelina is as famous for her off set love life having been married and divorced twice as she is for her roles, but her acting is beginning to win her awards
Terry Sheridan - played by actor Gerard Butler. The former lover of Lara and now traitor to his country, he is released from Kazakhstan prison in order to partner Lara. The gorgeous actor has recently starred in the lead role of The Phantom in Phantom of the Opera.
Hilary - played by actor Christopher Barrie. The ever faithful, gun wielding, martial arts confident butler. He always gets the job done and is very loyal. More famous for his TV roles than his films with parts in Red Dwarf - Arnold Judas Rimmer and The Brittas Empire as Gordon Brittas, Chris was in fact born in Germany.
Jonathan Reiss - played by actor Ciarán Hinds. Reiss is a top world renown scientist but he has turned bad and now designs biological weapons. He hopes to use Pandora’s box to destroy the world. He has appeared in many films including The Mayor of Casterbridge and Calendar Girls and like Gerard Butler is cast in The Phantom of the Opera.
Bryce - played by actor Noah Taylor. The person that Lara relies on more than anybody as he is her computer and technology wizard. He loves computer games and simulation games - especially helicopters. Noah is soon to be seen in the updated version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. A talented musician, he is one of Cameron Crowe’s favourite actors.
Chen Lo - played by actor Simon Yam. Chen Lo is leader of a Chinese gang of bandits known as The Shay Ling. Unfortunately for Lara Chen Lo and Terry Sheridan have had dealings before. It is his men that have captured the Orb and Chen Lo will sell to the highest bidder.
~Conclusion~
Angelina Jolie played the role very well and deserved the chance of a sequel to the successful Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Terry Sheridan seemed happier in prison than on an adventure with his ex-girlfriend Lara although Prison didn’t really suit him. Gerard Butler played the role brilliantly. Hilary and Bryce are portrayed much as they were in the first film.
It was predictable that Lara would always get herself out of each situation. She rarely got injured, always seemed better equipped, and stronger than any of her foes. None of the characters that you came across in the first film including Lara have really had a chance to grow since the first movie which seams a shame but you remained grip more by the twists and turns in the film and the constant firing of guns. The stunts were good as they were in the first film and they had to be to keep you entertained, but any Lara Croft fan would love it.
This film has a 12 certificate. There is one scene with some mild sexual content, but other than that it's mostly violence that parents need to look out for. It is released by Paramount Pictures with a running time of 1 hour and 57 minutes.
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Excellent historical details and a good outline of the plot. I watched the film with my mum we both liked it mum especially as she rather likes Gerard Butler after seeing him in Phantom. Grreat review. Chris
pollybeanuk 04.03.2005 14:23
very thorough review, I liked this film too for a bit of fun action, and lara croft is one of my favourite heroines!
Polly x
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Lifemay be an improvement on its 2001 predecessor, ... more
but its appeal is mostly aimed at fans of the video games that inspired both movies. That pretty much leaves you with some fun but familiar action sequences, and t...
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LARA CROFT (Jolie) is back in action and faces her most perilous mission: to recover what ... more
ancient civilization believed to be the essence of all evil, Pandora's Box. She must travel the globe, from Greece to Hong Kong to Kenya and beyond to get the box...
Advantages: Excellent adventure yarn. Great stunts. Georgeous leading lady. Disadvantages: Not a lot. (But you wouldn't think it reading the poor reviews!
Advantages: Excellent adventure yarn. Great stunts. Georgeous leading lady. Disadvantages: Not a lot. (But you wouldn't think it reading the poor reviews!
![Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life [DVD] [2003]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78523786.jpg "Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life [DVD] [2003]")
Feb 22nd, 2005
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