Movie Review: The Lost City

The Lost City is moderately funny and entertaining  movie which pairs Channing Tatum and Sandra Bullock in an adventure which sadly feels all too familiar. It's weird when you think about how many jungle/action/comedy films there out there, it's a notably saturated genre of film which I feel is often overplayed. I haven't got anything against films basing their storyline around such premises, but because of the multitude of similar entries, I'm personally looking for an entry which does something notable or different and Lost City while entertaining in it's own right, just doesn't do enough to stand apart from the rest of them.

Directed and co-written by Aaron and Adam Nee, the basis of The Lost City is pivoted around a reclusive middle age writer called Lorretta Page, who is struggling to find the motivation to continue her adventure novel series. During the start of a brand new book tour, Loretta ends up getting kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire called Abigail Fairfax and she taken to a pacific island which holds the secrets of the Lost City. Fairfax believes Loretta based her novels on real-life findings and intends to use her to locate a legendary treasure known as the Crown of Fire. Learning of her kidnapping, the cover model for her books; Alan Caprison sets out to go save Loretta from her precarious situation and the film follows the duo as they attempt to escape the island while dealing with their conflicting relationship. 

While notably unique in it's setup, it's not a storyline I can say sticks out as enticing or engaging. It's a very safe style narrative which I feel doesn't do nearly enough to stand out from the majority of other familiar movies. The biggest issue for me is the island and it's Lost City plotline itself. To me that aspect of the story doesn't feel nearly as well thought out as the comedy element of the films writing and a jungle adventure movie is only as good as it's setting in my opinion and this film just doesn't try to do anything special with it. Where the films writing does succeed though is in it's comedy. I feel the dynamic between Tatum and Bullocks characters is easily the most captivating part of the film. It's fun to watch them get out of dangerous situations and try to get along with one another. The comedic element of the film isn't only tied to it's main duo either. I feel there's a consistent collection of jokes and running gags throughout the film which are all carried by a surprisingly commendable cast. 

There's nothing majorly wrong with The Lost City in all honestly, it's a decent enough time if you just want an easy and funny experience. I just feel like the genre is so saturated by this point that as a viewer I want to see new entries try to do something different. I don't think Lost City had much intention in redefining the genre however, rather just be another entry in it, which is fair enough. It's still a fun 112 minutes I think you'll be content to spare if you are just looking for a easy viewing experience however.