The Lost City - Theatrical Review

From a story conceived by Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses, King Of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters), and directed by relatively new filmmaker brothers Adam and Aaron Nee - The Lost City starts out with a bang of action and comedy and never really lets up in its two-hour run time. Most all romantic comedies follow a strict formula that never deviates from its path. The reason the same formula works is usually its stellar A-List cast who comes on screen with a ton of charm, chemistry, and wit. If the performers have those elements, the movie can tell the same story and still feel fresh and funny. This is the case with The Lost City. Tatum, Bullock, Pitt, and Radcliffe are all fantastic to watch on screen and are all very aware of the movie they are making. Their over-the-top lavish performances are what really drive this hilarious movie home with its comedy and even a little bit of heart, soul, and romance.

Bullock plays Loretta Sage, a doctor of archeology who found huge success in writing romance novels that feature her love of archeology, complete with a devastatingly handsome cover model on her books series named Alan (Tatum). This cover model is the character in all her books named Dash and is the stereotypical chiseled man with long-flowing blonde hair, much like Fabio. Does everyone remember him? After a long string of books, Loretta has become bored of writing this material since most of her book signings are of women who just come to see Alan in character take off his shirt and reveal his eight-pack abs. This sets the stage for how unhappy Loretta is in her life, as she's still reeling from the death of her husband and trying to make her publisher happy with new material.

After a botched book signing with her co-star Dash, Loretta is kidnapped by flamboyant billionaire Abigail Fairfax (Radcliffe), who has set his sights on an ancient artifact that Loretta has written about in her romance novels. He believes she's the key to uncovering the location of this priceless jewel on a small remote island far away from her comfort zone. It's here where the action and comedy truly come together where Alan, who thinks he's actually his book character that can fight and save the day, has to hire a former friend and Navy-Seal operative Jack (Pitt) to help rescue Loretta. From here on out, the action sequences, romance, and comedy only grow bigger with each scene as Loretta and Alan try to survive deadly attacks from both nature and henchmen.

The smaller moments between both Bullock and Tatum are tremendous, whether it be a dance sequence that etches out their new fondness for each other that they hadn't seen before, or even a sequence involving leeches. These little moments are what make The Lost City wonderful with its charm. There are a couple of side quest characters that pop in as well, including a cameo from Oscar Nunez (The Office) who steals the show as a small island pilot with a furry friend. The action sequences are played out like a Michael Bay film as well with some serious, over-the-top fights, stunts, and explosions. This goes perfectly with its silly characters as they are forced to deal with terrifying situations. There is never a time when the movie is in over its head. The Lost City knows how to have fun and with directors Adam and Aaron Nee, they do a great job in conveying that perfect balance of comedy and action.

Bullock is not only one of the most talented actresses to ever grace the big screen, she is also one of the most underrated physical comedy performers. The way she moves around a jungle in high heels and a sequined onesie is downright hilarious in all the best ways possible. And of course, Tatum's comedic schtick in both his line delivery and physical stunts are wonderful. Pitt is just living his best life in this movie as well and serves as a pre-cursor to him standing next to Keanu Reeves as the next big action star over 25 years old. The Lost City is a fantastic ride that is guaranteed to pull smiles and laughs in everyone who watches it. Highly Recommended!