The Lost City: An Enjoyable Adventure

Formulas, in every form, exist for a reason. If a formula works, there is no reason to reinvent the wheel for everything that comes along that feels similar. So long as the formula is followed properly, and the ending result is interesting and well made, it does not matter if a movie is made following the standard outline for narratives in that genre or if it is made with something entirely new. At the end of the day, all the movie-going audience wants is to see a well made and entertaining movie for the two hours they are sitting in the theater. The Lost City does not reinvent the adventure genre, or the romantic comedy genre for that matter, but the ending result is still a well-made and incredibly entertaining sub-two-hour treasure hunt movie.

The general idea of the movie is fairly simple. Sandra Bullock plays a romance writer named Loretta Sage who has been in a depression since her husband died. She writes her first book in five years and draws the attention of a jilted businessman named Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe) who kidnaps her after assuming that she can actually lead him to the treasure because of some translations she did in the book. After witnessing her kidnapping, Alan (Channing Tatum) sets out to rescue Loretta from her kidnappers.

Nothing about this movie is particularly unique or different, however strong comedic performances across the board make the movie incredibly watchable and engaging. The chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum works across the board and is a solid enough foundation to build a movie around. The supporting cast all have small moments to shine regardless of how small the role is. Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Oscar Nunez, Brad Pitt, and Patti Harrison especially are able to make a lasting impact with their limited screen time.

There are a few technical issues that plague this movie. The action sequences are nothing to write home about, but that’s not why the viewer is there for this film. There are also points where the sets look a little fake and it breaks the immersion, especially in the third act. There is also a sound mixing issue that makes Channing Tatum’s dialogue hard to hear at times, however by the end of the first act this is mostly resolved.

If someone wants to have a palate cleanser after seeing The Batman and before seeing some of the other fare coming next month, The Lost City is exactly the movie for them. It’s not a deep movie or particularly ponderous, but it is entertaining. It is worth a watch in theaters, however when it inevitably goes to home media (probably Paramount+ after a stint as a Premium Video on Demand title) it is still a serviceable date night movie for a night in.

Final Rating: 8/10