Amidst a world riddled with pandemic ending mandates, blockbuster infused cinema and a staggering attempt to build-up the next generation of movie-watching, The Lost City is an interesting film when it comes to where it sits in the history of cinema as we know, not really the film itself.
Within the next couple of days, on Sunday, it seems to suggest that the Oscar’s will crown a streaming service’s first original film as the first ever Best Picture winner (sorry Roma), igniting a very new age in the world of cinema. Whether it be the critical darling The Power of the Dog from Netflix, or Apple’s heartwarming and audience adored Coda (our money is on Coda), streaming services and their original content are here to stay.
Alas, which brings us to The Lost City. More lost than a lot of the original content we have seen in cinemas as of recently, it’s funny to see an old school Rom-Com, with 80’s and 90’s narrative elements are recycling themselves for audiences now. After such a damaging time in cinema’s history due to the ramifications of the pandemic, it seems as though Paramount Pictures had a lot riding on the star power of Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum and Brad Pitt. What is most interesting about this picture is its heavy references to its influencing films. Yet, unlike the straight Rom-Com from Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson just a couple weeks ago in Marry Me for the Valentine’s Box-Office draw, we see The Lost City twisting the formula on it head by using its heavy influenced Romancing the Stone narrative and changing the gender roles and making a very relevant, albeit, unsuccessful action-adventure treasure flick that is geared more towards a female audience, thanks to the pull of Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum and of course, the one and only Brad Pitt.
Sadly, The Lost City misses the mark completely, despite its hard marketing push from Paramount Pictures and an incredible cameo from Brad Pitt. Call it goofy and an outdated slapstick comedy, call it a lack of chemistry or call it a defamation of the exaggeration of the high school identities we have come to know all so well, like jocks, nerds and such, The Lost City seems like a digression of the very wits we as audience members have tried so hard (in the last couple decades) to overcome. Beef-caked up Tatum serves as the obvious polished, prime and proper eye-candy for a generally favourable female audience, Pitt serves as the macho-ruggedness for our female counterparts. While Bullock sticks out like a sore thumb throughout the film, in a sequenced purple one-piece for the duration of the feature (whoever thought of that, really needed to reconsider their costume choices) which makes her character, film and her obvious disinterest in the picture out of sequence and quite apparent.
Sure, Brad Pitt did the film as a favour to his co-star Bullock after doing the film Bullet Train (a film that promises to be leaps and bounds better than this one) together, but favours for distinguished actors should not be the main pull for any film. Lucky for us, the favour ended up being the best part; Pitt easily provides The Lost City with its true heart and soul, showcasing a parody like action-hero in a film that both defines and defies the realities of a real life action man.
Bulluck and Tatum do their best to keep the hunt alive between them, despite some semi-strong underlying redefinition of the atypical personas they portray. Initially, the role of Tatum was suppose to be for the always charming Ryan Reynolds, allowing a reunion for The Proposal couple. Sadly, Reynolds was not available for this film, given his involvement with half of the productions in Hollywood, currently. Sadly, this is one role we would have loved seeing Reynolds in, despite Tatum doing his best Reynold impersonation, without much avail. Plus, you never know, a movie with Reynolds always gives the promise of a star-studded cameo…which is always something to look forward to; I mean, the movie IS set in the jungle after all, and we all know who the current king of the jungle is (raises eyebrows).
Unfortunately, just like a boat cruise that takes way longer than you expected and the promise of new and exciting locales filling your eyes and hearts with so much promise and adventure, the only thing you come back home with is seasickness. The Lost City is a lost and undiscovered gem that needs no romancing. Void of any real excitement, exploration and any warranted character development, The Lost City is a city we would rather not explore, not ever again and a film that we wish we brought our neck pillow for.
Grade: ⭐️