The Lost City (2022) User Reviews

Pieces that work and pieces that don't

[guskeller · 5/10 · 25 March 2022]

The Lost City has pieces that work and pieces that don't. Placing pretenders into an actual adventure is good for laughs and heart, yet much of this script is generic. Unimaginative MacGuffins, flat villains, and predictable romances are individually forgivable, but together, they override the premise's charm. Furthermore, the dialogue, humor, and plot devices are subpar. The cast enhances the material (especially Pitt and Radcliffe), but some scenes are groaners. Tatum's charisma shines through and Pitt's cameo provides flavor, but that isn't enough to pull The Lost City out of mediocrity. It isn't painful, but The Lost City misses more than it hits.

Meanwhile, The Lost City's filmmaking is average. Its minor positives are the cinematography (intermittently dramatizing comedy and action), the sound (selling the combat and jungle setting), the production design (primarily real but often computerized), and the effects (employing real explosions amongst the CGI). Conversely, the editing occasionally sags (lingering on unessential jokes) and the music is distractingly trendy (forcing fun, rather than serving the narrative). Lastly, The Lost City lacks cohesion. Its humor and emotions never tonally blend, and instead take turns (which disconnects viewers). Ultimately, The Lost City has mild appeal, but functions inconsistently.

Writing: 3/10 Direction: 3/10 Cinematography: 6/10 Acting: 5/10 Editing: 4/10 Sound: 6/10 Score/Soundtrack: 4/10 Production Design: 6/10 Casting: 8/10 Effects: 6/10

Overall Score: 5.1/10.

Good fun.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 26 April 2022]

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this, but on the whole, I did, some bits of it were pretty silly, but there were some nice moments, and a few bits that had me in stitches. Some of the sweeter, romance moments were maybe a little corny, but that's what was expected I guess.

Nice special effects, it looks great, I loved the locations used. You can argue it had a somewhat old fashioned, maybe old school vibe about it, but sometimes you just need a bit of silliness in your life.

Nicely acted, they all did a good job, Daniel Radcliffe was good fun, always enjoy his work.

It really does make the most of Channing Tatum's looks, and it does work, he is ridiculously handsome, and there are several tongue in cheek moments, he seems like a good sport.

7/10.

Enjoyable and amusing

[FeastMode · 6/10 · 25 March 2022]

The first half of this movie is really funny. I was laughing more than most in the theater. There are so many well-written jokes and situational humor with about an 80% hit rate, including a few hilarious moments. The characters are fleshed out enough for me to care. The story is formulaic and relatively weak compared to the other aspects, but that's easily forgiven when it's making me laugh.

In the second half, the laughs slow down drastically. It gets a lot more serious with attempts at character arcs and story moments that aren't bad but are things we've seen a thousand times. I didn't hate watching it, but without as much comedy it's a much weaker movie.

The first half is easily seven stars. The second half is a weak six. I wouldn't mind watching this again but I wouldn't go out of my way to do so. (1 viewing, opening Thursday night 3/24/2022)

A Solid, Throwback Comedy

[kjproulx · 7/10 · 25 March 2022]

Mainstream comedies that actually make it to theatres are slim to none these days. I remember a time when there was possibly a big comedy coming out every one or two months, with at least half of them being good, but in today's climate, humour is just tough to get right. I was very happy to see that Paramount would be taking a chance and releasing a big comedy in The Lost City this year, but I truly didn't know to what to expect from it. After seeing it in theatres, I'm happy to say that I had a good time with it. It's not great, but it felt like a throwback comedy, just with a modern twist.

To put it simply, The Lost City follows Loretta (Sandra Bullock) as she's on a book tour with her cover model Alan (Channing Tatum) to promote the release of "The Lost City of D," but they are swept up in a kidnapping and find themselves on a real adventure in the jungle. Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe) is the reason Loretta was kidnapped in the first place, as he sees many similarities in her book to that of a real lost city. Being the privileged twerp that he is makes for a fun villainous storyline, even if it's pretty lame at times. Radcliffe aside (whom I still enjoyed), this film puts all of its weight on Tatum and Bullock to deliver the goods.

This premise is clever enough to work as a film, but it all comes down to who you cast and if they can make the material work. I never thought I needed to see this duo together, but I'm very happy they worked so well. On top of that, I have to admit that the best moments in the film feature Brad Pitt's character Jack Trainer. He isn't in the film much, but every second he was on screen had me laughing. Where I found the film to be slightly uneven though, was in the fact that I wasn't sure if it wanted to be funny or dramatic at times.

I'm all for heartfelt storylines as well as comedy, but I would argue that the majority of the humour is in the first half, while the second half gets a little more sentimental. These both worked in the movie, but the way the film begins gives absolutely no foreshadowing as to what the film will become by the end. I found that odd, but again, the cast sold all of the dialogue for me. From a few hilarious moments to some fun adventure/action throughout, as I said, I had a good time with this one.

In the end, The Lost City is exactly what I think moviegoers need right now. Nothing too serious or weighed down by heavy drama. This is a good old-fashioned, silly comedy/romance that I feel works for what it is. It's not going to be the type of comedy that a lot of people are going to watch over and over again, at least I don't think, but the heart of the film is in the right place and it never takes anything too seriously. Now playing in theatres, I'd give a recommendation to The Lost City.

Simple, fun, hilarious....

[PerryAtTheMovies · 7/10 · 24 March 2022]

7.0/10

I actually enjoyed this film way more than I expected. It perfectly fits into its categories of action, adventure, comedy, and romance.

The story was very enjoyable. It started off kind of wonky and felt like I was in for a bad time, but once the "prologue" passed and the main portion of the movie started it got much better.

The chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum worked surprisingly well, and only got better as the film progressed. I did enjoy Daniel Radcliffe as the antagonist. More of a bratty rich boy than an evil "I want to murder everyone" kind of bad guy.

By the end I felt that the big part of the film was that the romance was definitely geared towards the women while the action parts were geared towards the men. The comedy could've gone either way, and some may find certain parts funnier than others, both scenes and what's actually funny.

I also enjoyed the score. The way certain soundtracks were worked into the scenes noticeably helped enhance them (as soundtracks should).

Overall, I think this film is perfect for a movie date night. It's funny, it's romantic, it has a pretty good action/adventure story and it's not as cheesy as most romcoms tend to be.

I hope my review helps you make a choice on this film. Until next time.... Enjoy the show!

A Mess of a Weak Plot and Little Chemistry

[danew13 · 4/10 · 12 May 2022]

From the early reviews I thought this was the film to see...but seeing it i'm amazed at those reviews.

In short, this was a weak and humorless version of Romancing the Stone. Without any chemistry between the actors...except for the possible chemistry in Sandra Bullocks face.

One minute they're in a city, then in the jungle, they're being shot at,then sleeping, the they're walking miles and miles...you don't know what the hell is going on.

Cute and funny enough

[Calicodreamin · 6/10 · 25 March 2022]

A cute and funny enough rom com, a few more of the jokes were stale than I would have liked, but overall it accomplished its goal. A few laughs, a few "awhs", and a whole lotta "omg is Channing Tatum hot"'d.

Brad Pitt was hilarious

[Homer_Ate2 · 5/10 · 11 May 2022]

The writing let this film down. It was a little funny but burnt out too quickly. There was no chemistry between the two characters which made whatever romantic connection they were supposed to have towards the end not believable. Overall it was alright, gave us some thing to watch.

Better than the user rating on Imdb right now

[Roman-pc · 8/10 · 1 October 2022]

Bonkers that this film is rated only 6.1 on Imdb right now--it's better than that. Proof that folks who rate movies on here are sometimes guilty of the same crime that professional critics frequently make--looking the gift horse in the mouth. As you can see folks, this is not an art-house film--it's pure entertainment, and it delivers on that count.

My wife and I saw this in the theater--the Brad Pitt cameo alone is worth the price of admission and both Channing Tatum and Sandra Bullock have lots of funny lines and pure situational/physical comedy too. What's not to like? A cast that's easy on the eyes and talented to boot, a fairly decent script and a love story with enough heft but still airy and entertaining.

An enjoyable knockoff of Indiana Jones et al. Romantic and goofy.

[JohnDeSando · 26 March 2022]

Yes, The Lost City is a sometime dimwitted, formulaic romantic adventure like Romancing the Stone and Indiana Jones with not much creativity that I could tell. No, it is not totally boring because it offers a relaxing antidote to COVID anxieties plaguing us for two years. The cutthroat island shenanigans, with reclusive romance novelist Loretta (Sandra Bullock) and her cover model Alan (Channing Tatum) are kidnapped looking for buried treasure.

What makes this romance mildly enjoyable is the charm of its stars, Sandy/Loretta just a bit too old but looking fab, and Channing, buff and self-deprecating enough to generate a spark with Loretta. Daniel Radcliff as baddie Abagail Fairfax seems out of place, but then that may be the point.

At our AMC-like theater there were a few other audience members far enough from us that we could cut up and converse, much like renting the theater for ourselves. Some solid scenes of repartee reminiscent of screwball comedies added to the pleasure of the island scenery and robust chases along with our not-always witty declamations.

I would recommend you staying home and enjoying the house invasion Windfall on Netflix except that we enjoyed being out and seeing what Hollywood could do when it barely tries. And when Brad Pitt does a cameo with surprising dexterity, your retro romance Lost City is fully updated, and even semi-glamorous if you ask me. And you didn't.

there is a scene in the movie

[A_Different_Drummer · 6/10 · 12 May 2022]

... it goes by quickly so it's easy to miss, where Bullock steps out of character for a moment, takes the entire movie, cast, and crew, straps them to her back, and then carries them all to the finale. In other words, for Bullock fans only. The rest of the movie is a jumble of bad writing and bad directing.

Great duo and fun adventure but forgettable plot and thin amount of humor makes it decent.

[cruise01 · 6/10 · 27 March 2022]

3 out of 5 stars.

Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum were great with there on screen chemistry and worked great with providing humor. Taking them on a adventure to searching for the lost city before the bad guys go after the search. The cast is good. The concept is fun. The film does have some humor and entertainment. The plot is forgettable. And the film does have a small amount of humor that cant carry the movie.

Disappointing - stick wit the trailer

[jellyrhubarb · 6/10 · 21 May 2022]

Well darn it. I really wanted to like this movie! The cast is really likable and the trailer made me think it'd be a fun, smart romp. The trailer had all the best parts it turns out. All the filler in between a few funny bits was boring.

I'm glad I didn't see it in a movie theatre as I had planned. I ended up not even finishing the movie. Why bother with uninspired writing. Ho hum. Dumb.

A fun popcorn movie

[dtander-1 · 7/10 · 27 March 2022]

I wouldn't pay a premium price to see this, but it's funny and fun. Some great laughs, Gotta say, Sandra Bulloch's behind looks pretty fine for a woman in her fifties. Channing Tatum is a good foil for Bulloch's brainy character, although his character's evolution doesn't seem very consistent throughout the movie. Dan Radcliffe makes a convincing villain and Brad Pitt is a very amusing supporting character without stealing the movie. It just goes to show that good actors and a decent plot and writing can make even lightweight fare quite satisfying, for an afternoon matinee, at least. There's a sequel suggested...I'd definitely consider seeing that one.

Mediocre at best...

[garethwooduk · 4/10 · 25 April 2022]

Great line up, but this film tries to hard to be funny with cringy and unforgettable action scenes... Felt like a total gimmick and clone of Romance in the Stone & Jewel in the Nile that both captured romance, action & humour so very well!

I think Sandra Bullock should stick to drama movies! This movie was painfully boring.

Worst movie I've seen, ever

[abduluddin · 1/10 · 7 May 2022]

1st time I've ever walked out of a cinema. What were the actors thinking signing up to this movie?

The only good performance was from Brad Pitt - he must be regretting this now.

Way funnier than i thought it was going to be

[jobitaphillips · 8/10 · 23 March 2022]

I saw a screening of this and thought hey it's probably gonna be another cheesy action comedy but hey free. I didn't have high expectations but I have to say this movie was HILARIOUS! Good action. Really good comedy and even though it's 2 hours long it was good pacing. Definitely worth a watch!

Funny and enjoyable

[weidner903 · 7/10 · 10 April 2022]

I enjoyed this movie. It wasn't top drawer, but it was fun and funny. Since I originally liked Romancing the Stone a lot and this was so similar of course I liked it.

Uggggggggghhhhhhh

[KOOLAIDBRO · 1/10 · 12 May 2022]

This was rough. I guess I put my expectations too high from the previews. The part with Brad Pitt was fine the rest a typical Sandra Bullock overreacting to mild inconveniences and complete stupidity. Shoutout to the marketing team for making this look like something I would enjoy when I knew better, but thought maybe? Just maybe? Well I knew better. This is terrible.

A fun and entertaining one time watch

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 7/10 · 2 June 2022]

Novice writers and directors brother duo the Nee's did an impressive job with this full length feature film, especially considering their previous works were mainly shorts. The 112 runtime was used up well, although a little faster pacing and/or some scenes trimmed down would've shown better. Casting and performances were excellent, especially Channing Tatum who was the main source of laughs. The story is not revolutionary, but did have some refreshing changes to the genre. It's a fun and entertaining one time watch, especially if you're a fan of any of the lead cast.

Proper 2000s vibe from this movie

[adamcomito · 7/10 · 9 December 2022]

I think you get a real 90s/2000s vibe from this movie. Reminds me of The Mummy or Sahara and the like. It would be right at home getting released early 2000s. I like that it's a parody of those serious adventure movies. You don't get movies made like this these days. Switch off and enjoy the pretty island like you're on holidays. I think the reviews are way too harsh on this movie. It ticks alot of boxes, does alot of things right and doesn't take itself too serious. I don't know what these people were expecting with the bad reviews, it's a adventure/comedy movie with some romance chucked. Just enjoy it for what it is.

Some really funny scenes

[darrenco1967 · 7/10 · 2 April 2022]

The premise was entertaining, the acting a bit cheesy and some great comic timing, but it was a bit to shallow. I found myself focussing on the lips of sandra bullock, far too much botox.

Pleasantly surprised

[fuelrodx · 7/10 · 28 August 2022]

I thought Channing Tatum and Sandra Bullock did well in this. I got my laughs from it. IMO, a comedy can be silly if it wants to as long as it delivers the goods. I don't look for some great plot in a comedy. As long as it isn't boring. When Alan makes his entry on the stage with Loretta and hams it up I was chuckling thru it. I liked the action moments with Brad Pitt which was kinda short, but it worked. I know these types of movies are difficult to make successful so I don't want to be too critical of it. But I always have like Sandra Bullock's acting. In any event, as long as I'm entertained, great.

This is in the TOP 5 DUMBEST Movies of All Time

[kidzcouponz · 1/10 · 11 May 2022]

The Plot makes NO SENSE, the Jokes are DRY & Not Funny at all, there is ZERO CHEMISTRY between Bullock & Tatum.

I am Shocked that Paramount actually gave this movie the Greenlight to start with, the Script is very weak with dry humor throughout the film.

This film is so stupid, it's an embarrassment...

goofy

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 29 June 2022]

Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock) has written a series of romance adventures based on the real world of archaeology. Her manager Beth Hatten (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) is trying every wacky gimmick to save the declining series. Loretta has to do a book tour with idiot book cover model Alan (Channing Tatum). She gets kidnapped by Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe) who is obsessed with finding an archaeological bejeweled artifact. Alan recruits former military mercenary Jack Trainer (Brad Pitt) to rescue Loretta from her volcano island captivity.

This is a rather goofy screwball comedy. I wasn't sold on this movie at first. Tatum's idiot character is either not goofy enough or too goofy. I couldn't tell until the arrival of Brad Pitt. Pitt sets a great tone. His dead-pan performance cements this movie's ridiculousness. It's a matter of degrees. Nevertheless, Tatum has good chemistry with Bullock. There is some fun between these two stars. The leeches are memorable. He should have kept the Fabio hair. That would have upped his ridiculousness. I like the general tone and many of these actors. It could be better but it still has plenty of goofy fun.