Tomb Raider The Cradle of Life

For this weeks DVD blog, I have decided to analyze the sequal to the firstTomb Raider, Lara Croft Tomb Raider, The Cradle of Life.

Wow, this time around a lot has changed about the Tomb Raider DVD interface. The opening sequence to the menu if entirely composed of motion graphics from the movie. Everything goes by so quickly, it was hard to grasp everything that was going on.

Getting right to the point, the menu begins with Lara Croft (Angelina Jolie) punching towards the screen. Having previously watched the movie, I realize that this is an underwater scene from the movie when Lara is punching a large shark. The color of this scene is all shades of blue, hence the underwater scene. When her fist comes towards the foreground, as she is punching a flame appears as though it came from her punch (the first transition) and a completely new scene with a very orang/red color pallet come up. This time in the background is an African Landscape (a major part of the movie take place here) and in the foreground is a motion graphic (not relating to the African scene) of Lara Croft.

As soon as this African scene is displayed, a circle pattern shows up in the top left corner of the DVD movie screen appearing as though it is emerging from the sun in the background. This circular patter surrounds a brightly colored sphere in it's center as it begins to enlarge and motion from the background towards the foreground. What I find very fascinating in this menu scene is that it looks like Lara is staring at the sphere and circular pattern emerging from the sun.

A few seconds later there are three blue "marks" in the top right corner of the DVD movie screen. These marks actually look like the result of rain drops on a water surface, however this time they are "rain drops" on the African scene, which then bring us to our second transition.

When the "rain drops" fall they reveal a blue scene with Lara Croft under the the water, which lasts only a few seconds long before it is transitioned by a school of fish rapidly swimming by and another blue underwater scene displayed. Once again this is a scene from the movie with Lara swimming under the water, however, that circular pattern is back and where would assume the central sphere would be located is blocked by Lara's head; her head appears to be the center and the circular pattern follows her as she moves. This is a very quick scene because the same fish that transitioned to this one, when they are finished swimming by transition to the next.

Now we have yet another blue scene, however, this time it is not under water but instead has a landscape scene from the movie in the background and a motion graphic of Lara Croft in martial arts gear with a martial arts staff doing some martial arts moves (also from a separate scene in the movie). As she is doing her moves, Lara becomes illuminated by a white outer glow and ancient looking white text begins to scroll by in the middle of the scene, behind Lara's character, but remaining in front of the background. As this text is scrolling across, the circular patter shows up and is much bigger than the previous times I have seen it. I can not see the sphere, instead I only see the circular lines and more text scrolling by behind Lara.

The blue sphere behind Lara illuminates brighter and a new blue motion graphic scene displays. Here we have a close up of Lara Croft in the foreground with the sphere and circular pattern to the left of her appearing as though it is slowly floating. In the water. This time, Lara in the foreground doesn't look like she in the water, but the motion graphic behind her, from a users point of view, looks like we are under the water because we see what appears to the the bottom of boats moving along the surface of the water.

And, that ends the blue scenes for this menu. But for the scenes in general, Tomb Raider isn't done. The last blue scene transitions to a red/orange underwater scene where Lara is swimming towards the top of the menu screen; appearing as she is attempting to reach the surface of the water for air. The sphere and circular patter is to the left of Lara once again however this time it seems like it is moving upwards.

Then, suddenly the motion graphic changes to Lara on her motorcycle driving from the background to the foreground. It appears as though she is just driving by the "camera." The main difference in this scene is that the background is a simple static orange/red color with the Tomb Raider, The Cradle of Life Text logo appearing towards the bottom of the background.

When Lara rides by, the sphere and circular pattern comes out from behind the movie logo and grows larger as it approaches the foreground and this is where the main menu appears. The main menu is orange/red in color and it appears as though we are looking at Lara's back and shoulder as she is holding out the sphere in her hand. Surrounding the bright sphere, which is giving off rays of light, is surrounded by two circles and a smaller half circle. Every few seconds a very short scene from the movie will display in the sphere area and will then be wiped out by a motion graphic that looks like a turning globe.

The half circle located to the left of the sphere displays the menu options play, set up, special features, and scene selection to its left. The options are darkened by a darker red strip behind them (however still above the back of Lara). And, in this darker red strip large ancient text is slowly scrolling to the left while smaller ancient text scrolls to the right. The ancient text is so dull that it does not make is hard to read the text for the menu options (buttons). When you mouse over the menu buttons a yellow like box appears around the top, left, and bottom part of the text (the right part rests on the half circle).

The music is very basic, simple dramatic music that plays along with each scene and continues here in the main menu. The overall color pallet is limited, much like the first Tomb Raider movie, to blue and orange/red shades. This time around movie scenes were used instead of generated 3D graphics and the motion graphic opening scene is much more elaborate! Overall I enjoy this menu and although it was very difficult and time consuming trying to analyze all of the transitions and scenes, I am glad I did. Breaking down something that may appear to be simple, has really opened my eyes to how complex and rather difficult it must be!