Blu-Ray Review: "The Lost City"


“The Lost City” came at a very interesting time in the world of film.  Audiences are beginning to return to the theaters because they are looking to be entertained. Released in March of this year, Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum delivered an old-fashioned adventure. The film follows a reclusive author (Bullock), who is on a book tour with her cover model Tatum. Crossing paths with an eccentric billionaire (Daniel Radcliffe), they are swept up in a jungle adventure. The film does not break new ground narratively but delivers old-fashioned Hollywood thrills.  “The Lost City” can best be described as “Romancing the Stone” meets “Indiana Jones.”

Tatum and Bullock have an instant and infectious rapport that made me smile ear-to-ear. There is a timelessness to them as performers that is hard to come by nowadays.  Not all their jokes land, but both leads are so likable, that I forgave what felt flat. The film's standout element is its scene-stealing supporting cast,  of Radcliffe as the film’s villain, and Brad Pitt as a CIA agent. You can feel that both performers were given a chance to try different things in one scene, whether jokes, line deliveries or something as minute as facial expressions. This sentiment can also be applied to other supporting actors like Oscar Nuñez, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and Patti Harrison. Directors Adam and Aaron Knee use these actors just enough without making them feel overbearing. 

If there is a problem with “The Lost City,” it is the familiarity of the film. We have seen characters like this before, the disgruntled author, the “man candy” with more to him than meets the eye, and the eccentric billionaire.  The roles could be plugged into many classic stories.  However, the performances are engaging enough to forgive the fact that you can predict the outcome.  Around the time of the release, “The Lost City” served as a piece of cinematic comfort food. It reminded audiences that films can help us escape the real world.

Having the chance to receive a review copy from Paramount Pictures, I was able to dig into the special features. The “escapist entertainment” quality of the film was definitely on the mind of all involved. As both lead and producer, Bullock says it best in one of the many featurettes of the film. “I wanted to make a film that I don’t often see anymore.” 

Any good comedy film will usually have a blooper reel, and “The Lost City” is no exception. Everything in the five-minute featurette made me laugh, be sure to watch it! The Nee’s let this cast loose, and Pitt took advantage of this. The same could be said for Radcliffe in a featurette describing the film's villains. You can see how much he enjoyed chewing the scenery, especially with his character's name being “Leslie.” We also get attempts at learning about Leslie’s henchmen, and it seems that they had more substance than the film portrayed. It is an unfortunate misstep, but understandable as it did not serve the larger story.

“The Lost City” will make for an enjoyable watch in the comfort of your own home. It delivers mild but consistent laughs which are made stronger by the performances and true star quality of Bullock and Tatum.  I definitely recommend the film as a rental or possible purchase for your home media collection.


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