Sundaymail Editor
Film Review
Tinashe Kusema
IT seems like every production that is not Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)-related is now instantly viewed as an afterthought.
Marvel’s solid grip on the industry, particularly through technology, has made quality entertainment even harder to come. Besides, spoilers and insider information are readily available at the click of a button on the internet.
The situation is made worse by modern fans that are now too serious, and seem to have forgotten why we retreat to film in the first place.
Cinema is a form of escapism, which, however, is no longer the case for many.
I only bring this up because of the grief that the new Sandra Bullock movie “The Lost City” is taking on the World Wide Web.
Admittedly, I am a little late to the party as the movie was released way back in March. But it was largely due to said ‘grief’ that I decided to wait a bit before doing this piece. I recently tried to find out what the fuss was all about but to my surprise, I enjoyed the Paramount Pictures’ action-adventure comedy.
The combination of Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum and Daniel Radcliffe, while not conventional, worked.
Tatum and Bullock appear to be very adaptable in terms of the types of roles they play. However, I have always been of the belief that Radcliffe is way more than a bespectacled boy wizard.
The trio play their respective roles well, with the duo of Bullock and Tatum having a surprising amount of chemistry.
The film’s plot is easy to follow and serviceable.
The fact that they made it a comedy was a brilliant idea on the part of Seth Gordon. A couple of gags gave the production a new dimension and made it a good film.
The movie follows Loretta Sage (Bullock), an author who writes romance-adventure novels centred around a fictional heroine, Dr Angela Lovemore, and her love interest, Dash McMahon, who is portrayed by cover model Alan Caprison (Tatum). Her publisher, Beth Hatten, insists that she must embark on a book tour with Alan to promote her latest work, despite becoming reclusive since the death of her husband.
After a disastrous start to said tour, Sage gets kidnapped by Abigail Fairfax, a billionaire with a passion for art and antiques. He enlists, forcibly, Sage to help him find the ancient city she writes about in her books as it is actually based on her findings together with her now-deceased archaeologist husband.
Eager to prove more, Caprison sets out to find and rescue Sage. He even enlists the help of a human tracker, Jack Trainer (Brad Pitt).
“Lost City” is one of those films one is likely to watch and then quickly put away, but one that you can always revert to during those slow, boring and eventless days or nights.
The plot is very simple, and is rooted in many treasure-hunt movies.
Yes, it lacks the sophistication of many of its predecessors but that is not necessarily a bad thing.
If it had borrowed more tenets from a movie like “National Treasure”, I doubt many would be lining up to watch it. I would assume, in this instance, many viewers would prefer to watch the original movie(s) of which it is based on.
In terms of performances, Bullock happens to be one of the most bankable stars in the industry today, and all she needs is someone who complements her comedy bits.
This is where Tatum, and in particular Radcliffe, come in.
From his feminine name, Abigail, Radcliffe’s character is by far one of the funniest characters in film and almost steals the show. For their part, Bullock and Tatum, show great chemistry and comedic timing. The polar opposite couple is thrust into the jungle and forced to not only fend for themselves but also evade their would-be captors.
The biggest highlight of the film, however, is the brief but memorable cameo by Brad Pitt.
It is unfortunate that Pitt’s role was spoiled in the film’s trailer and marketing, as it would have made for a big and pleasant surprise.
Still, Pitt’s screen time is enough for the now-divorced actor to flex around, swing and punish a couple of bad guys.
Great writers and reputable comedians like Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Beth Hatten) and Oscar Nunez (Oscar) add a special touch to the film.
Online Reporter