DVD Search - Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life [Widescreen] DVD

This sequel to the 2001 hit video-game adaptation Lara Croft: Tomb Raider finds Jan de Bont stepping in for director Simon West, helming his first feature since 1999's The Haunting. From a script by first-time scribe Dean Georgaris, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life finds Angelina Jolie once again portraying the titular curvaceous adventurer. But where the first film saw Croft in a race against the Illuminati to acquire an elusive relic that offers control over life and death, this entry in the series follows the heroine as she ventures to an underwater temple in search of the mythological Pandora's Box. Unfortunately, once she secures the legendary artifact, it is promptly stolen by the villainous leader of a Chinese crime syndicate. It is then up to Lara to get the box back before an evil mastermind gets hold of it and uses it to construct a weapon of catastrophic capabilities. Gerard Butler, Djimon Hounsou, and Noah Taylor head up the supporting cast. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Angelina Jolie - Lara Croft
Gerard Butler - Terry Sheridan
Ciarán Hinds - Jonathan Reiss
Chris Barrie - Hillary
Noah Taylor - Bryce

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life comes to DVD in a packed release sure to please any fan of the large-bosomed feminist adventurer. This widescreen version comes with an anamorphic 1.85:1 picture (also available in pan-and-scan) and an English 5.1 Dolby Surround track, both of which give the film a full richness for those who weren't lucky enough to catch this gem in the theater. Extras begin with a director's commentary with famed hothead Jan de Bont, who, surprisingly, comes off quite timid and well natured as he discusses the challenges the production faced when trying to outdo the original's scope and video game-inspired action. The director is also on hand for a flurry of deleted and alternate scenes, most of which were extended sections with characters later deemed inessential in the final cut. A large section of featurettes also covers various topics, including training; vehicles and weapons; stunts; visual effects; and scoring. Ranging from five to ten minutes each, this collection of behind-the-scenes clips does a manageable job of covering the broad scope of the production without getting too in-depth. In addition, there's Gerard Butler's screen test and two music videos featuring The Davey Brothers and Korn, the latter of which stars Lara Croft herself. Finally, a previews section is supplied with trailers for John Woo's adaptation of Philip K. Dick's Paycheck, along with Paramount's long-awaited =The Adventures of Indiana Jones Trilogy DVD box set. For those with DVD-ROM access, the original theatrical website can be viewed, where you can download various wallpapers, read about the cast and crew, and check out the original theatrical trailer for The Cradle of Life. All in all, those who enjoyed the film should be happy with the disc's fine presentation and fairly informative look inside this sequel's production. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide