The Lost City

by Hans A. Carpenter

Release Date: March 25
Directors: Aaron Nee, Adam Nee
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum,
and Daniel Radcliffe
Mister Marquee Says: Meh +
Number: 3.5/4
A grieving, disillusioned romance novelist Loraine (Sandra Bullock) is kidnapped by a rich socialite (Daniel Radcliffe) and taken to a jungle island to translate an ancient parchment that leads to a hidden treasure. Only her romance novel cover model Allan (Channing Tatum) can save her.
There have been a slew of these Tomb Raider-adventure movies recently from the mediocre (Uncharted) to the awful (Jungle Cruise, Red Notice). The Lost City is definitely the most entertaining of the bunch. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and offers enough entertaining performances to distract from a lack of story.
The “lost city” aspect of The Lost City is confusing and under cooked. The archeological mystery isn’t treated with much intrigue and gets shuffled off to the side most of the movie. The bulk of The Lost City is an odd couple survival comedy, and that part Aaron and Adam Nee nail.
Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum have a lot of chemistry. Tatum’s well-meaning dope performance is the real heart of the movie and his comedic timing is the backbone of The Lost City’s entertainment value. Daniel Radcliffe makes for a decent if generic rich guy villain.
The Lost City doesn’t uncover anything special but it’s by far the most entertaining and least stupid of the dollar store Indiana Jones movies we’ve gotten in the last year.