MovieChat Forums > Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) Discussion > Those stupid, STUPID glosticks

Those stupid, STUPID glosticks

posted 10 years ago by bijinius
3 replies | jump to latest

there's a post on these boards calling this flick one of the last "90s movies". What a perfect idea, and it certainly applies here. I haven't read the actual post, but I'm willing to bet dollars to donuts that a so-called "90s movie" is referring to an action tentpole so overstylized, illogical and mind-numbingly absurd that to watch it now, in the dark, dark post-nolan movie-verse where magic reality is a rather large no-no, is to laugh and laugh.

And so we arrive at those f--king glosticks. WHAT, may I ask, is their purpose - other than to look wicked cool in a trailer or whatever? they seem to illuminate maybe ten inches or so. And why orange light?? Lara Croft is f--king RICH, MAN! are you telling me she had to go with sodium-lit glosticks to save money!? Though I suppose, you know what they say - those who are rich remain that way by pinching pennies. (Actually, NOBODY says that. 'cos I just made it up.)

oh, and the screenwriter(s) should be drawn and quartered for the head-smasher "I am with you always, just as I've always been." We musn't repeat ourselves, 'cause even if it looked okay on paper, it sounds like DOGS--T COMING OUT OF JON VOIGHT.

[–] kanyon18080 10 years ago

I never put much though into the glow sticks. I guess they could have used flashlights or something.

A movie like this requires a ton of suspension of disbelief. If you aren't down with accepting some wacky plot elements then you won't enjoy it n

[–] ttaskmaster 9 years ago

WHAT, may I ask, is their purpose - other than to look wicked cool in a trailer or whatever? they seem to illuminate maybe ten inches or so. And why orange light?? Lara Croft is f--king RICH, MAN! are you telling me she had to go with sodium-lit glosticks to save money!?

The military have used Cyalume lightsticks for decades before they made it to the civilian market and nightclub scene.
They come in a range of brightnesses, from very dim ones designed as markers, right up to very bright ones that illuminate fairly large areas.

The problem with using the properly bright ones is that they blind the camera, so you need to use the dim ones just to show what the character is doing, then create the actualy lighting effects through other means.

[–] falseprophet616 9 years ago

A shining example of quality screenwriting:

Manfred Powell: Into the belly of the beast.

Alex West: And out of the demon's ass.