96: Tomb Raider 2 with Caroline Thompson & Carson Betts

About this episode

Phil and Emily discuss the film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider — The Cradle of Life with guests Caroline Thompson and Carson Betts, exploring its themes and reception.

Phil and Emily continue the Angelina Jolie action films miniseries with Lara Croft: Tomb Raider — The Cradle of Life (2003), joined by Carson Betts and Caroline Thompson, co-hosts of the How Have You Not Seen It podcast. All four participants are watching this film for the first time. This is relevant information. The Cradle of Life follows Lara Croft racing to find Pandora's Box before a rogue scientist with strong Peter Thiel energy can use it as a biological weapon, with complications provided by her ex-lover Terry Sheridan, played by Gerard Butler. It cost $95 million, grossed $160 million worldwide, and opened July 25th, 2003 against Spy Kids 3D, Pirates of the Caribbean, Bad Boys 2, and Seabiscuit. It received three stars from Roger Ebert, which nearly convinced Emily to see it in theaters that summer. She saw The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen instead. Phil does not believe she made the better choice. The film was also banned in China for giving the impression of a country in chaos overrun by secret societies. Hollywood had not yet figured that out. The consensus is that this movie is more competent than the first Tomb Raider along nearly every axis, which somehow makes…

People in this episode

Hosts: Phil, Emily

Guests: Caroline Thompson, Carson Betts

Topics covered

• film analysis
• action films
• Tomb Raider
• Angelina Jolie
• movie reviews
• podcast discussion

Keywords

• Tomb Raider
• Angelina Jolie
• action film
• movie review
• Caroline Thompson
• Carson Betts
• Roger Ebert
• Hollywood

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Hollywood, Rebel Talk Network

Books & works: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider — The Cradle of Life, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Spy Kids 3D, Pirates of the Caribbean, Bad Boys 2, Seabiscuit

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