SPOILERS: TOMB RAIDER - 12 Amazing Easter Eggs, Cameos, And References You Need To See
The recently released Tomb Raider reboot is near enough a carbon copy of the 2013 video game but there are plenty of Easter Eggs which fans of the franchise will appreciate and you can find them here.
Tomb Raider debuted this past Friday to mediocre reviews and a tepid opening weekend at the box office (it failed to beat Black Panther to #1 during the Marvel movie's fifth week of release) but there's plenty in the video game adaptation fans of the franchise will appreciate despite the movie not quite living up to expectations. There are even some nods to the earlier movies starring Angelina Jolie!
What you'll find here then is a breakdown of all of Tomb Raider's Easter Eggs, many of which show just how much this take on the character played by Alicia Vikander has been inspired by the 2013 game.
There are moments and characters which have been lifted directly from that and others changed in some surprising ways. So, to check out the full list, all you need to do is click on either one of the buttons below. Once you're done, feel free to weigh in with your thoughts down in the usual place.
A Nod To The 2001 Movie
When Lara is in the lobby of Croft Holdings, a piece of classical music (by Bach) can be heard playing in the background which is actually the same tune that the Angelina Jolie version of the character performed to during the memorable bungee ballet scene in the original movie released back in 2001.
The Endurance
While a lot of video games fans will no doubt be glad that the movie so closely follows those, others will surely find fault with the lack of originality here. However, the ship also being called "The Endurance" is a nice nod to the 2013 reboot and one of the smaller details gamers will appreciate.
Stabbed In The Side
After parachuting from a plane, Lara gets stabbed through her side. In the games, this happened when she cut the rope to free herself from a tree; the only difference is what side she gets stabbed in!
The Pickaxe
Look closely and you might notice that the pickaxe used by Lara in the movie is literally identical in both shape and colour as the one used by her video game counterpart. Even the pulley she uses on the Endurance shows up when she enters and exits the tomb, something only video games fans will spot.
Yamatai And The Devil's Sea
Lara is left stranded on Yamatai after a perilous journey through the Devil's Sea in both the movie and game with the main difference being that the big screen version doesn't feature as many wrecks.
Recognise Those?
Marvel Studios inadvertently spoiled Black Panther's mid-credits scene in one of the trailers and the same thing happens for this reboot's actual ending. In typical origin story fashion, Lara doesn't get her dual USP Match Pistols until right at the very end of the movie, a cool moment which obviously homages the franchise but is a tad unsatisfying for those hoping to see them actually used here.
A Familiar Ending
The climactic battle between Lara and Mathias is clearly inspired by the video games because it wraps up in the exact same way when the villain perishes after falling off a ledge. Just like the first time we saw it, it's a pretty satisfying end for him but something a bit more original really wouldn't have hurt!
The Outfit
Perhaps the most obvious Easter Egg in the movie is the fact that Alicia Vikander's Lara is wearing a costume which is damn near identical to the one worn by the video game version of the character (she even winds up with a bandage on the same arm). However, her belt buckle appears to have been inspired by older versions of the hero, specifically the Lara Croft played by Angelina Jolie.
"I'm Just Not That Kind Of Croft"
When Ana picks Lara up from the police station, she attempts to convince her to sign over Power of Attorney in a bid to take charge of the family business. Lara's having none of it, though, and makes it clear that "I'm just not that kind of Croft," a line which is also used in the game when the hero has to climb to the top of a radio tower in the 2013 reboot. It's pretty obscure as Easter Eggs go!
Lara's First Kill
Lara is a badass both on the big screen and in the video game but the first time she kills someone, it really hits her and this particular moment plays out in live-action almost identically to on consoles. It's also worth noting that her choice of bow and arrow is something else lifted out of the games.
A Grounded - But Similar - Approach
While Tomb Raider may have a lot in common with the video games, it's actually a far more grounded affair which ditches a lot of the fantastical elements from the source material. For example, the big screen version of Lara has to survive the various traps in Himiko's tomb, while her video game counterpart is forced to do battle with the villain's mystical control over the weather.
Plane Crash
In the game, Lara uses a plane to get across a gap just like in the movie and when she later finds another, she manages to grab a parachute which she uses to save herself from a nasty fall after plummeting through broken glass. Things play out in the exact same way in the movie but both sequences are combined into one, presumably to save time (and money in the special effects budget).