China bans Tomb Raider sequel

Part of the film was shot in Hong Kong

The second Tomb Raider film, starring actress Angelina Jolie, has been banned in China because it portrays the country "negatively", authorities said.

Lara Croft Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life had not won the approval of Chinese censors, distributor Andrew Cripps said.

"We are very disappointed but I cannot say we are surprised," Mr Cripps was quoted in the South China Morning Post.

Censors said the film portrayed China as a country in chaos.

"After watching the movie, I feel that the westerners have made their presentation of China with malicious intention," an unidentified official said in reports.

First ban

The Chinese also complained the film had made the country appear to have no government and run by secret societies.

"The movie does not understand Chinese culture. It does not understand China's security situation. In China there cannot be secret societies," the official said.

The film, the second to be based on the popular video game, is partly set in China as well as in Kazakhstan, Greece and east Africa. China is the first country to ban it.

The film was due to be released in the autumn. Mr Cripps said the distributors, United International Pictures, had to abide by the Chinese decision.

Parts of the film, which has received less than glowing critical attention, were shot in Hong Kong, with Jolie's character at one point parachuting into the city's Victoria Harbour.

The first Tomb Raider film took $1.76m (£1.12m) on release in China in 2001. It took more than $300m (£192m) around the world.