The Lost City
The Lost City
Starring Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe, Da'Vine Joy Randolph
Directed by Adam Nee & Aaron Nee
Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock) is a successful writer of romance-adventure novels, but her desire has been waning since the death of her explorer husband years earlier. She's become more secluded and hasn't written much, to the chagrin of her publicist Beth (Da'Vine Joy Randolph). She finally finishes a book that focuses on an adventure to the Lost City in search of the fabled "Crown of Fire," and Beth makes her go on a book tour, to her chagrin - and it's even more annoying for her because the cover model for her books - Alan Caprison (Channing Tatum) - travels with them, and his natural charisma and beauty makes all the girls swoon over him, while Loretta is annoyed due to his seemingly lack of intelligence.
While on tour, Loretta is abducted by eccentric billionaire Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe), who wants to use Loretta's knowledge to find the real Crown of Fire. Alan - who harbors a secret crush on Loretta - tracks her to a nearly-deserted island where the Lost City resides, and with the help of Navy Seal/CIA Agent Jack Trainer (Brad Pitt), frees Loretta and the two of them end up lost in the jungle. While avoiding Abigail and his henchmen, Loretta discovers that she's closer to the Crown of Fire than she thought, and wants to find the fabled Lost City and jewel in a real-life adventure based on her novel.
"The Lost City" is basically a newer version of "Romancing the Stone," and directors and co-writers Aaron and Adam Nee don't really shy away from their inspired predecessor, but that doesn't detract from the story. In a cinematic age filled with continual intellectual properties that churn out sequel after sequel, it's refreshing to find an (almost) wholly original story with characters that we haven't seen before, and how their story develops. We're fully along for the ride despite knowing its final destination long before the characters do, and it's due to the insane chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum - not just the sexual chemistry, but their comedic timing as well, as both actors are in their respective wheelhouses for the story.
Sandra Bullock has pretty much made a name for herself in the romantic comedy category, churning out classics like "Miss Congeniality" (which has a nod in this film if you notice it), "The Proposal," and "Forces of Nature," so "The Lost City" is essentially a breeze for this Oscar-winning actress. She can pull off the goofy, clumsy damsel "sometimes in distress" character brilliantly, and do so with an effervescent charm. Loretta is a complex character even though it's told almost in a simplistic way through Bullock's talented methods: she's dealing with the death of her husband, her lack of desire for writing, and sees everything through a cynical, sarcastic lens. Still, there's a spark in her that doesn't run out, and that spark is what drives her to keep going. Even though she's jaded and hurting, she still manages to provide the laughs due in no small part to her ability to work well off others, specially Tatum.
Channing Tatum has also made a name for himself as the aloof, goofy, kind-hearted yet simple-minded character and once again utilizes his strengths here as well. Alan is more than just a stupid cover model that Loretta thinks he is, and essentially he really is every girl's dream: he's rugged and handsome, but also caring and sensitive - he knows Loretta loves cheese, he brings her new shoes during their escape, and he would genuinely lay down his life for her, even though she sees him as nothing more than a guy who takes his shirt off. He's also great with the comedic timing, and I laughed out loud the most when they're being chased in the jungle and Loretta wonders how they keep finding them, and Alan replies simply: "you're a walking disco ball" (as she's wearing a sequined dress at the time). He's hilarious and heartfelt, and you can sense the growing chemistry between the two actors that comes across as natural and not forced.
Daniel Radcliffe seems a bit out of his element here as the villainous Abigail (which, apparently, it a gender-neutral name), who holds to the traditional tropes of the villain in a movie like this: he wants to prove himself, he thinks he's the smartest person in the room, and he continually allows the good guys to escape despite easily dispatching them when he has a chance to - over and over again. Still, he provides decent laughs and even though I still see him as Harry Potter, he manages to hold his own. Da'Vine Joy Randolph also shines as Loretta's publicist Beth, who travels halfway around the world to rescue her novelist friend, while maintaining a smart, sassy demeanor throughout. Yet it's Brad Pitt's cameo that really steals the show, a performance that'll be added to any upcoming "best cameos in film" list (btw you can see my old list by clicking here).
The setting of the film is what you'd expect from a live-action romance novel, as our heroes traverse the dangerous jungles of a nearly abandoned island in search of the fabled Crown of Fire, while being tracked the whole way by their villainous counterparts. Shot in the Dominican Republic, the film utilizes the natural setting while supplying a backdrop of a volcano that's about to explode, further adding to the sense of danger. Then, on a personal level, there's a moment where Loretta has to go through a very cramped cave, and for someone who suffers from claustrophobia - even though I was in a huge theater - I still felt constrained. The Nee brothers use their setting perfectly, further adding to the action and humor that they deliver. It might not traverse any new ground, but sometimes the well-worn path is there for a reason - and "The Lost City" travels that path like trained soldiers holding the line.
The Score: A
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