The Lost City. Quick Review

Adventure author Sandra Bullock gets trapped in the jungle with her cover model Channing Tatum after being kidnapped by eccentric billionaire Daniel Radcliffe in this action-comedy. The film arrived in UK cinemas having gotten some good buzz and strong box office from its US release. It starts incredibly strong as one of the best mainstream comedies in quite some time. Built on a foundation of quippy dialogue, well-staged slapstick and a genuinely amazing cameo from a certain A-List actor that has unfortunately been spoiled in the marketing. Bullock is a solid leading lady. Tatum gets to show off his underrated comedic chops and Radcliffe has just the right mixture of threat and scenery-chewing as an obligatory British villain. The first half suggests this could be something truly special The best mainstream studio comedy since Instant Family in 2019. Unfortunately, the piece doesn’t quite keep up that level of amazing momentum as it reaches the climax. The switch from odd-couple buddy movie to standard adventure fare is solid enough in its own right. Unfortunately lacks the magic or dynamite comedic set pieces of the narrative opening stretches. It remains watchable but this viewer was instantly reminded how much he won’t stick up for the rebooted Jumanji series ( especially Welcome to the Jungle) for being the textbook example of how to do this genre effectively within a modern context. Even Disney’s Jungle Cruise was fairly solid. Not to say The Lost City doesn’t belong with those but it Came out of the gate so effectively that this viewer wished it had been able to elevate itself for the full running time and become something truly memorable. As it is the opening act is strong enough to give the film a solid recommendation. Especially if you’re looking for something light and fun to watch as the summer months approach. That said it could have been so much more.
7/10.