Movie Review: The Lost City

Directors: Aaron Nee, Adam Nee
Writers: Oren Uziel, Dana Fox, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe, Brad Pitt, Da’Vine Joy Randolph

Action adventure rom-coms are a rare breed at the cinema these days. Somewhere between the rise of the superhero epics, the stunt filled spy thrillers, and the hard-hitting slice-of-life dramas, they slipped into obscurity. But if The Lost City is anything to go by, we’ve been missing out on a whole lot of zany fun.

The plot kicks into motion when grieving, widowed author Loretta (Bullock) reluctantly sets off on a book tour for her latest romance novel with her publicist (Randolph) and her cover model Alan (Tatum), who is harbouring a secret crush on Loretta. When Loretta is kidnapped by eccentric billionaire Abigail Fairfax (Radcliffe) during the tour, Alan launches an admittedly rather underwhelming rescue mission that sees them wind up lost in the jungle on a quest for help that turns into a treasure hunt.

The film bears all the beats of a classic 2000s action rom-com; there’s some quintessentially tender moments of connection interspersed with a solid amount of bickering and a number of quick quips mined from opposing personalities. However, with tech related gags, pop-culture references, a few digs at modern society, and the appearance of a rather magnificent cheese board, the formula has been updated to fit the times. It’s popcorn cinema at its best—sophisticated, refined, and capable of expanding the mind? Not especially. Fun, frivolous, and easy to digest? Absolutely.

The roles aren’t anything revolutionary; Sandra Bullock has been the up-tight, disenchanted, serious voice before. Likewise, Channing Tatum is no stranger to playing the well-intentioned airhead (Alan could easily be an older version of Jenko from 21 Jump Street), but they both know how to deliver in those roles, and it’s no different here; Bullock and Tatum play up their archetypes, doubling down on the fun.

Daniel Radcliffe is a standout as the scorned yet still ridiculously entitled Fairfax; the guy just does quirky, off-beat villainy really well. Brad Pitt hams it up as former Navy SEAL turned CIA operative Jack Trainer; everything from his skills to his appearance is enough to make Alan feel insecure. Meanwhile Da’Vine Joy Randolph makes some magic out of a few short appearances as Loretta’s steely, never-say-die publicist Beth.

At times, it gets a little heavy-handed as the film struggles to balance the darker tone of Loretta’s grief with the comedy of the rest of the plot. It’s not especially nuanced, there’s little in the way of subtlety or deeper meanings; everything is served right up on a silver platter. As unashamedly sparkly and superfluous as Sandra Bullock’s sequinned jumpsuit (an absolutely iconic get up for plugging through the jungle by the way), The Lost City plays like a party on screen, jazzed up in glitter and gold, and it’s not at all ashamed of it. The plot might not be a puzzle, the beats might feel familiar, but with a star-studded cast, easy gags, and some explosive set pieces, the movie provides plenty of entertainment during the course of its run.

So yes, The Lost City may be skating by on glitz and glamour, and yes it’s cheesy and predictable, but you know what? Sometimes the world needs a little cheese and predictability. Sometimes a rollicking good time, where the stakes are middling at best, is just what the doctor ordered.

Will it be a hallmark of movie history? Probably not (but then again, who’s to say). Will it bust a few hours of boredom? Yep, it’s just the ticket. Sparkly shenanigans abound, The Lost City may not be ground-breaking, but it’s a solid, fun watch all the same.

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