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“The Lost City” isn’t an especially unique film; its premise draws on “ Romancing the Stone ” and countless other adventure movies. Its punchlines are recognizable from a distance as the volcano dominating the remote island where most of the story takes place. This is a movie you can get a clear sense of from its opening moments, every beat clearly telegraphed.

There is, however, a significant amount of comfort and delight in all this familiarity. Directors and co-writers Adam and Aaron Nee understand exactly what their audience wants—much like a good romance novelist might—and deliver an undeniably charming (and refreshingly IP-free) romantic romp. This is a movie you watch in the theater, with popcorn, then again and again on streaming, with a glass of wine.

Loretta Sage ( Sandra Bullock ) is a burnt-out romance writer whose grief after the loss of her husband threatens to derail her career. Her disdain for her books is only matched by her dislike of their cover model, Alan ( Channing Tatum ), a seemingly dim beefcake who indulges her readers at signing events.

After an event promoting her latest book, Loretta is abducted by explorer/rich guy Abigail (it’s a gender-neutral name, apparently) Fairfax, played by Daniel Radcliffe . Fairfax knows that the lost city from Loretta’s book is real, and he wants her to translate some ancient writing that leads to a treasure before a volcano erupts and covers the whole thing. Alan mounts an ill-advised expedition to save Loretta, with help from his meditation guru, Jack ( Brad Pitt ), and Loretta’s beleaguered editor Beth (Da’Vine Joy Randolph).

Loretta and Alan’s eventual romance is unavoidable, but “The Lost City” does a great job exploring the mounting chemistry between Bullock and Tatum’s characters. In particular, the movie highlights Alan’s emotional intelligence and unwavering support. He may be the kind of guy who refers to Loretta as a “human mummy,” but he also knows she gets cranky without snacks, and that she could use a slightly more sensible pair of shoes traversing all that rocky terrain. Like many a beloved romantic hero, Alan is not only a gorgeous man, he’s a man who cares .

Tatum is great casting for a role like this on several levels; not only does he look like he belongs on the cover of a romance paperback, he’s also an actor who understands his own appeal and has proven time and again that he isn’t afraid to play it for laughs. Bullock is also more than happy to play into her character’s physical awkwardness and eventual shedding of her prickly exterior—it’s not exactly unfamiliar territory for her, either. Together, the pair exude fun and a sense of affection that’s easy to get caught up in.

Other members of the supporting cast, particularly a very welcome Patti Harrison as Loretta’s hysterically self-involved social media manager, add bright, bizarre punches of humor to a script that otherwise plays it by the numbers (oddly, this isn’t a criticism, “The Lost City” is working with an effective formula). Radcliffe is the only element of the movie that doesn’t work quite as well as the rest. His character is the one area where the film tries to change up established archetypes, and the result is that he feels out of place in a story where everyone else comfortably fits into their roles.

“The Lost City” may get dinged by some for being formulaic and silly, but it does many things well that are notable. It’s bright, both visually and atmospherically. It’s an original story, told by filmmakers who get what kind of movie this is. Most importantly, its central relationship displays a real understanding of the emotional sensitivity and vulnerability that make romance attractive as a genre. Ultimately, “The Lost City” is interested in hitting viewers’ expectations head on. It does so on a level that may seem obvious, but is done with an amount of care that’s sure to hold up to repeat viewings.

This review was filed from the SXSW Film Festival. The film opens on March 25th.

Abby Olcese

Abby Olcese is a film critic and writer based in Kansas City, where she is the film editor for The Pitch Magazine. Abby is a regular contributor to RogerEbert.com, Sojourners Magazine and Think Christian, where she writes about the intersection of popular culture and spirituality.

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The Lost City (2022)

Rated PG-13 for violence and some bloody images, suggestive material, partial nudity and language.

Sandra Bullock as Loretta Sage

Channing Tatum as Alan

Daniel Radcliffe as Fairfax

Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Beth

Patti Harrison

Oscar Nunez

Raymond Lee as Officer Gomez

Thomas Forbes-Johnson as Julian

Writer (story by)

• Seth Gordon

Cinematographer

• Jonathan Sela
• Craig Alpert
• Pinar Toprak

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The lost city, common sense media reviewers.

Bullock romcom adventure has cheeky moments, brief blood.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

You are the author of your life story, so live lif

Loretta is a smart woman who incorporates her rese

Non-stereotypical gender representation. Loretta i

One shocking, gruesome shooting with intense blood

Kiss. A character is naked during a long, comical

Strong language includes "ass," "a--hole," "d--k,"

Quite a few brands are notably displayed or mentio

Villains smoke cigars. Drinking throughout, includ

Parents need to know that The Lost City is a romcom action adventure starring Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, and Daniel Radcliffe. With a theme of moving on after loss, it has strong messages about being the author of your own story and that life is "sweeter after difficulty." While most of the violence is…

Positive Messages

You are the author of your life story, so live life to the fullest. With a theme of moving on after loss, the message delivered several times is that life is "sweeter after difficulty." Themes include courage, curiosity, and teamwork.

Positive Role Models

Loretta is a smart woman who incorporates her research on ancient cultures into her work. Alan is honest, courageous, and loyal and steps out of his comfort zone to help Loretta. While both Loretta and Alan are ill-equipped to survive a jungle, they work together to overcome obstacles. Beth is a successful boss who prioritizes people over profits.

Diverse Representations

Non-stereotypical gender representation. Loretta is smart and values substance over surface. Alan is emotionally vulnerable, sensitive, humble. Less positively, his beauty routine is a source of humor; there are a couple of laughs based on his supposed lack of intelligence. But his overall depiction is meant to show that a person's relative braininess is just one characteristic in what makes them unique. Eloquent words are used to describe something some see as "ugly" (a skin condition that leads to insecurity) as beautiful. A tough Navy SEAL is also a Buddhist yoga practitioner who quotes Taoist philosophy. Successful Black female publisher Beth is a fully expressed supporting character who brings (a little) body diversity to the film. Most other characters of color are depicted as villains, corrupt, unbalanced, or smarmy.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

One shocking, gruesome shooting with intense blood splatter (but no body shown on camera, and there's a positive resolution). Additional action violence is clearly choreographed to the point of hilarity, with punches, kicks, and knocking people out with hard objects. Villains are armed and shoot guns but mostly miss. Falls that likely result in death. Positive characters are constantly in deep peril, including trapped under water or in a fiery enclosure. Lots of talk about those who potentially die, acknowledging respect for the sanctity of life, even for those with evil intent.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Kiss. A character is naked during a long, comical scene that shows his bare backside, with another character commenting extensively about the size of his penis (it's not shown). The main character is a romance novelist, and there's some innuendo and suggestiveness in regard to her writing. Some low-cut shirts. Romantic feelings.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Strong language includes "ass," "a--hole," "d--k," and "s--t." "Slut" is used as a comical, misguided woman-to-woman term of endearment. "Jesus Christ!" said as an exclamation.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Quite a few brands are notably displayed or mentioned, indicating product placement, including Fiji water, Jamba Juice, and a Ram truck. Positive characters drink alcohol with the label of the beverage clearly seen, including Don Julio and Stella Artois.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Villains smoke cigars. Drinking throughout, including tequila, whiskey, champagne, wine, and beer. A character in her 20s appears to have had too much to drink.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Lost City is a romcom action adventure starring Sandra Bullock , Channing Tatum , and Daniel Radcliffe . With a theme of moving on after loss, it has strong messages about being the author of your own story and that life is "sweeter after difficulty." While most of the violence is typical big-budget action fare, there's plenty of peril and one gruesome moment involving a shooting that appears to have been added for shock value (but ultimately has a reassuring resolution). Tatum's bare backside is seen extensively in a nonsexual scene that also has a lot of references to his penis (which isn't shown). Bullock's character writes steamy novels, so expect innuendo and racy language ("d--k," "s--t," etc.), as well as some creative writing tips -- e.g., a humorous dissertation on when the word "throbbing" can and can't be used. There's lots of product placement, particularly alcoholic beverages, which are poured and consumed throughout (villains also smoke cigars). Non-stereotypical portrayals include an intelligent romance novelist, a muscular model who's emotionally vulnerable, and a philosophical Navy SEAL who's into yoga. Although most characters of color are unfortunately portrayed as corrupt or unbalanced, supporting character Beth ( Da'Vine Joy Randolph ) is a great role model: She's a successful Black businessperson who works hard, cares about profits and people, and establishes and maintains boundaries. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (12)
• Kids say (27)

Based on 12 parent reviews

Clean Hollywood movie. Thank you Sandra, Channing and Brad!

Very funny and entertaining, but not in the “family friendly” category, what's the story.

In THE LOST CITY, reclusive romance novelist Loretta Sage ( Sandra Bullock ) is starting the promotional tour for her latest work, The Lost City of D , accompanied by handsome cover model Alan ( Channing Tatum ). When Loretta is kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire ( Daniel Radcliffe ) to help him find the lost city's lost treasure, Alan sets off to rescue her to prove he's just as much a hero as the one he portrays on Loretta's book covers.

Is It Any Good?

Treasure hunting + adventure + comedy + romance seems like a formula for cinematic success, and, indeed, Paramount Pictures has struck gold here. Giving off Romancing the Stone vibes, The Lost City has a hilarious script that's made even funnier with perfect casting. Bullock is the master of playing a relatably put-upon woman, and here she also gets to be the smartest person in the room and the jungle. It's a kick to see Tatum and co-star Brad Pitt play into their sex-symbol images, laughing along with the audience while simultaneously showing that the "ideal man" has the same insecurities and vulnerabilities as everyone else.

While the top-billed stars are national treasures, the real find in The Lost City is Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Loretta's publisher, Beth. She could have easily turned out as a typical romcom confidante, but Randolph offers a different take, evolving "the best friend" into a magnificent, three-dimensional, confident woman who is a boss by all definitions, literally going to the ends of the Earth for those she loves. While this isn't a perfect film, it's pretty great, and writer Seth Gordon puts plenty in it to love, including a strong message that it's the hard times that help us appreciate the good times.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the violence and peril in The Lost City. How did the movie use death both for comedy and to magnify the importance that the loss of any life, even that of a villain, is a tragedy? The characters are often in extreme peril: Were you ever worried? Why, or why not?

What do you think "sweeter after difficulty" means? Why might it be a good mantra to remember during rough times?

Do you think The Lost City is a romantic comedy? Why, or why not? How does it compare to other romcoms?

What is product placement, and how does it impact buying choices ? Did you notice certain brands?

Are smoking and drinking glamorized here? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?

Movie Details

• In theaters : March 25, 2022
• On DVD or streaming : July 26, 2022
• Cast : Sandra Bullock , Channing Tatum , Daniel Radcliffe , Brad Pitt
• Directors : Aaron Nee , Adam Nee
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Paramount Pictures
• Genre : Action/Adventure
• Topics : Adventures , Great Girl Role Models
• Character Strengths : Courage , Curiosity , Teamwork
• Run time : 92 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : violence and some bloody images, suggestive material, partial nudity and language
• Award : Common Sense Selection
• Last updated : April 6, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Sandra bullock and channing tatum in ‘the lost city’: film review | sxsw 2022.

The stars share the screen with Brad Pitt in a 'Romancing the Stone'-inspired comedy-adventure directed by Adam and Aaron Nee.

By John DeFore

John DeFore

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A Romancing the Stone -like adventure featuring a more unlikely pair of lovers-to-be than Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, Aaron and Adam Nee’s The Lost City follows a romance novelist ( Sandra Bullock ) as she’s caught up in a plot every bit as loony as those she has grown tired of inventing for her fans.

While it’s no longer surprising to see the sensitive and funny sides of costar Channing Tatum , his hunky character’s puppy-like devotion to Bullock’s dismissive damsel in distress serves the pic quite well, enlivening action that (after a winningly over-the-top kickoff) might otherwise grow too generic. A vastly bigger undertaking than The Last Romantic , the microbudget debut the directors brought to SXSW in 2006, it’s a thoroughly commercial film despite feeling only a little bit more of-the-moment than its 1984 inspiration.

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South by southwest heading to london in 2025, keanu reeves says he and sandra bullock "would knock it out of the park" if they did 'speed 3', the lost city.

Release date: March 25 (Paramount Pictures) Venue: SXSW Film Festival (Headliners) Cast: Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Oscar Nuñez, Patti Harrison, Bowen Yang Directors: Adam Nee, Aaron Nee Screenwriters: Oren Uziel, Dana Fox, Adam Nee, Aaron Nee

Five years after the death of her husband, Bullock’s Loretta mourns him mainly by refusing to finish her much-anticipated new novel. She hates writing this stuff, which is a cheap exploitation of the serious history- and archaeology-based work she started her career with. But it’s the backbone of the publishing house run by Beth Hatten (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), so Loretta finishes the book (promising herself it will be her last), grits her teeth and begins the tour to promote it.

You’d hate doing a promotional tour too, if fans only really showed up for a glimpse of the model whose torso graces all your book jackets. (Wearing a flowing blonde wig and an easily removed shirt, Tatum’s Dash takes the stage with boisterous showmanship not seen since Gob’s magic act on Arrested Development .) Loretta makes a mess of this event and exits as quickly as possible, whereupon she is promptly abducted.

It turns out that billionaire archaeology enthusiast Abigail Fairfax (a smartly cast Daniel Radcliffe ), the scion of a media empire, has been hunting for an ancient relic and believes Loretta’s the only person who can help find it. (Drawing on research she did in more serious years, she revealed some actual knowledge of dead languages in her latest romance.) He jets her to a forgotten island, where he expects her to translate stone carvings and find a fabled Crown of Fire.

Dash, behaving like the adventurer in Loretta’s novels, sets off to rescue her — even if that requires the help of a man with actual skills. Jack Trainer ( Brad Pitt ), a rugged man of few words, really is the brains-and-brawn hero Loretta has imagined all these years, and the contrast between the two men provides plenty of laughs as they sneak into Fairfax’s island compound. They rescue Loretta, who’s still clad in the idiotic sequined jumpsuit Beth forced her to wear on tour; but they’re soon separated, leaving the sincere but unskilled male model trying to get through the jungle with a woman he has quietly realized he loves.

That infatuation only goes one way, despite Loretta’s many opportunities to recognize the tenderness under all that beefcake. Bullock isn’t at her most misanthropic here, but she makes Loretta as myopic and self-absorbed as any of her previous characters, accepting Dash’s help as if she were doing him a favor. Meanwhile, he’s bringing her jungle-appropriate footwear and the kind of snacks he knows she likes. And eventually hatching some fairly clever plans to evade Fairfax’s henchmen.

This is pretty close to a classic screwball-romance equation, of course. While the dialogue rarely crackles the way the original screwball films did, the Nees and their two co-writers find some pleasing little bits of action to demonstrate how the heroes’ increasing reliance on each other is destined to grow into love. Sure, it’s lame that Loretta only really warms up to Dash after she sees the bottom half of a body that is so often naked from the waist up; but Dash is a big enough man to get over being objectified.

The Nees push their luck when they look past Stone to draw on the adventures of Indiana Jones; here, action is best when it’s comedic and character-driven, not reminding us of genre masterworks. But if failing to live up to the example of Raiders of the Lost Ark were a crime, much of Hollywood would be in jail.

Even with an unnecessary subplot or two, the film feels reasonably brisk for its nearly two-hour running time — rushed, even, when it comes to the consummation of a relationship that finally begins to resemble the one that made Loretta’s books a success. Which is not to say we need another film exploring this odd-couple affair: The Nees would be wise to move on from their Stone fixation before making a pic like that film’s misbegotten sequel, 1985’s The Jewel of the Nile .

Full credits

Venue: SXSW Film Festival (Headliners) Distributor: Paramount Pictures Production companies: 3dot productions, Exhibit A, Fortis Films Cast: Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Oscar Nuñez, Patti Harrison, Bowen Yang Directors: Adam Nee, Aaron Nee Screenwriters: Oren Uziel, Dana Fox, Adam Nee, Aaron Nee Producers: Liza Chasin, Sandra Bullock, Seth Gordon Executive Producers: JJ Hook, Dana Fox, Julia Gunn, Margaret Chernin Director of photography: Jonathan Sela Production designer: Jim Bissell Costume designer: Marlene Stewart Editor: Craig Alpert Composer: Pinar Toprak Casting directors: Miguel Fernandez, Tricia Wood

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The Lost City review – Bullock and Tatum bring welcome silliness

Tongues are firmly in cheeks in this amiable adventure-comedy which sees game performances and quality cameos deliver the laughs

T here are some nice lines, game performances, midrange CGI and a worryingly unfunny credits sting in this otherwise likable adventure-comedy in the tradition of Romancing the Stone. Sandra Bullock plays Loretta, the author of a novel franchise-series about a Lara-Croft-type badass discovering exciting secrets in far-flung places with her lover Dash. But Loretta has to live with the fact that her books are bestsellers because of the hunky male model, Alan (Channing Tatum) who always appears on the front covers “playing” Dash – and this temperamental, over-moisturised gym bunny now gets to appear on stage with Loretta on her book tours, preening and pouting like Magic Mike for the simpering fanbase. But when an evil bearded British billionaire (Daniel Radcliffe) kidnaps Loretta and takes her to a mysterious island because he is convinced she can tell him about ancient treasure there, silly Alan has to toughen up and be the swashbuckling hero he dreams of being, by rescuing her.

There are some amusing touches and quality cameos, including one from Brad Pitt as the (genuine) tough guy that they initially hire to find Loretta. Bullock duly has a stunned piece of dialogue with him: “Why are you so handsome?” “My dad was a weatherman.” There is also Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Loretta’s manager Beth, who has her own adventure getting to the island to ensure her client is safe.

This is all amiable enough, with the all-important dimension of laughs: Tatum and Bullock showing that they are smart enough to know how silly it is, and that they know that we know that they know. There is also a very bizarre scene, apparently inspired by The African Queen, in which Bullock has to pluck blood-sucking slugs from Tatum’s rock-hard buttocks and is then reduced to gibbering inarticulacy at the sight of his penis. I don’t remember Katharine Hepburn doing this with Humphrey Bogart.

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The Lost City Reviews

For a certain kind of mood, one filled with patience, forgiveness and the need to pass a few hours of time, The Lost City might almost be what the doctor ordered.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.75/5 | Oct 10, 2023

The Lost City is the perfect palate cleanser for those who are looking for a fresh twist on the comedy genre.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Sep 26, 2023

Laughing, smiling, & losing my shit! Hands down one of the best comedies I’ve seen in awhile. I need more Channing Tatum & Sandra Bullock now! + Brad Pitt was amazing! This is the perfect Adventure film for all!

Full Review | Jul 25, 2023

Despite billing itself as a return to the entertaining adventure-romance movies of the ’80s (it’s impossible not to think of Romancing the Stone), The Lost City was afraid to lose itself in eccentricity.

The Lost City is one of this year's surprises, managing to vary the well-known formulas of the genre in a creative, fun manner (...) a thematically rich ending compensates for any cliches. Definitely, a family viewing party recommendation.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Jul 23, 2023

The Lost City is every bit the romantic adventure we didn’t know we needed and then some. It’s fun and hilarious, and its on-the-nose praise of the romance genre is something we’ll never tire of exploring.

Full Review | Jul 23, 2023

Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum get blindsided by a wonky and aimless script better suited for the balls-to-the-wall performances of its side characters.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jul 21, 2023

Sandra Bullock’s return to light-hearted comedy is welcome. While not to be taken too seriously the film does throw in a few heartfelt moments.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 14, 2023

Ultimately, the The Lost City is relatively hollow with a somewhat uncharacteristic denouement that connects back to Bullock’s late husband and her inability to let him go.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Dec 25, 2022

...the breezy chemistry with Sandra Bullock renders this a painless hijinx...

Full Review | Dec 22, 2022

The Lost City is at its best when it is light and silly, smoothing over some of the rougher edges where its jokes don't always land.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Sep 23, 2022

The Lost City is a terrific throwback to studio romcoms of the 90s and 00s, with two true-blue movie star performances from Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 1, 2022

A story about the vicarious pleasures of romance fiction, and about the folly of either dismissing them as stupid or of taking them too seriously … The obviousness of the genre machinery isn’t really a flaw – it’s part of the fun.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Aug 29, 2022

[Channing Tatum's] energetic and eager to please — virtues he shares with the film.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 24, 2022

The sort of bubbly, unchallenging studio plaything that some of us may receive gratefully in these harrowed times.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Aug 24, 2022

Bullock is a solid anchor, Radcliffe gets a couple of humorous lines, and Tatum does his best. But it’s Pitt who steals the show. So much so that the drop-off is pretty significant whenever he’s not on screen.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 16, 2022

A word comes to mind that isn’t often used when describing movies lately. Thinking, thinking … oh, right! The word is “fun.” “The Lost City” is fun.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Aug 15, 2022

An unofficial remake of 'Romancing the Stone' with a big movie star cameo. Dull, obvious and very familiar with a script that just pokes along.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Aug 14, 2022

There are five writers sharing screenplay credit, but for me the writing of Bullock's character was the weakest element.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 9, 2022

The breezy pace is appreciated, but in two years, viewers won't recall any discernible differences between this, Uncharted, and Jungle Cruise.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jul 31, 2022

Review: Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum go enjoyably neo-screwball in ‘The Lost City’

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Midway through the tomb-raiding, car-crashing, butt-baring shenanigans of “The Lost City,” Channing Tatum pauses to remind Sandra Bullock not to judge a book by its cover. It’s an apt cliché: She plays Loretta Sage, the author of a series of popular romance novels; he’s Alan, the stud whose ripped chest and Fabio wig have helped sell her paperbacks to millions of happy readers. To Loretta, Alan is an incompetent himbo with delusions of grandeur and certainly the last fool she’d want to be stuck with on a wild and crazy jungle adventure. But like a lot of Tatum characters (see the “Magic Mike” and “21 Jump Street” movies — seriously), he turns out to be smarter, deeper and more genuinely heroic than she expects.

So sure, don’t judge a book by its cover. I should note, however, that I may have committed an equivalent offense when I opted to check out “The Lost City”: The poster made it look kind of fun, and lo and behold, it is. It helps that the pairing of Bullock and Tatum — now that sounds like a law firm I’d hire, or at least a hoity-toity restaurant I’d eat at — is as delightful as you’d expect from two actors of such goofy charm and combustible energy. It also helps that the directors, Aaron and Adam Nee ( “Band of Robbers” ), have tailored this unapologetically derivative vehicle to their stars’ easygoing chemistry, taking what might have been a strained, clanging excuse for a mainstream action-comedy and investing it with, if not big belly laughs, then at least a refreshing sweetness of spirit.

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This may sound like a strange thing to say about a movie in which the male lead gets spattered with human viscera and attacked by blood-sucking leeches (though not, thankfully, in the same scene). But I’m getting ahead of the plot, which is a pleasant mix of the familiar, the preposterous and the familiarly preposterous.

Along with their co-writers, Oren Uziel and Dana Fox, the brothers Nee have rearranged the sturdy bones of “Romancing the Stone,” Robert Zemeckis’ 1984 adventure starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. Once again a pulp novelist finds herself lost in a distant jungle thanks to some treasure-hungry ne’er-do-wells, and once again a not-entirely-trustworthy man comes to her ostensible rescue. This variation on the formula has fewer crocodiles and more explosions; it also has a bonus extended cameo by Brad Pitt , briefly and amusingly sending up his own guy’s-guy nonchalance.

Sandra Bullock makes ‘The Lost City’ feel like home at SXSW

The action-comedy ‘The Lost City,’ starring Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum and Daniel Radcliffe, brought warm, friendly star power to Austin, Texas.

March 13, 2022

The two lead roles have also been deftly customized, both to reflect a more 21st-century gender dynamic and to accommodate the yin-yang mix of Bullock’s smarts and Tatum’s sensitivity. Loretta may be a popular writer, but she also despises her work and most of her readers; she’s a serious-minded archaeologist by trade (so, sniff, was her late husband) with a specialty in dead languages. This (sort of) explains why she’s suddenly kidnapped, mid-book tour, by Alistair Fairfax (a very good Daniel Radcliffe), a wealthy media baron with a Murdoch-scion complex who flies her to his heavily guarded compound on a distant island, where she and she alone can locate the whereabouts of some storied El Dorado.

And so even as she has to traipse through the jungle in an impractical sequined jumpsuit as purple as her prose, Loretta is hardly a damsel in distress. And Bullock, having already bested an exploding bus in “Speed,” a failing spacecraft in “Gravity” and a suicidal epidemic in “Bird Box,” regards this out-of-nowhere abduction as if it were merely an ill-timed holiday. Loretta is better prepared to survive a deadly tropical adventure than, say, Alan, who nonetheless touchingly chases after her, determined to live up to the chivalry and heroism of his fictional alter ego.

And after a bumbling, grumbling fashion, he does. Alan isn’t much of a fighter, as we see in a few amusingly staged early action scenes, but his abiding sweetness gradually disarms Loretta, as does his habit of shedding clothing whenever narratively necessary (which is cheekily often). It also nudges “The Lost City” into a more pleasurably laid-back groove than you might expect. You wouldn’t call this movie understated, exactly: There are cars to crash, ancient treasures to uncover and bad men to incinerate, but Bullock and Tatum never seem in any particular hurry to get it all done.

They make an effortlessly watchable duo, whether they’re squeezing into a hammock or negotiating the gently bickersome neo-screwball rhythms of the dialogue. The other actors pick up nicely on their vibes, including Oscar Nuñez as a friendly guy with a goat and a terrific Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Loretta’s tirelessly loyal book agent, who knows all too well the value of romantic fantasies as shrewdly calculated as this one.

‘The Lost City’

Rated: PG-13, for violence and some bloody images, suggestive material, partial nudity and language Running time: 1 hour, 52 minutes Playing: Starts March 25 in general release

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The Lost City

A reclusive romance novelist on a book tour with her cover model gets swept up in a kidnapping attempt that lands them both in a cutthroat jungle adventure. A reclusive romance novelist on a book tour with her cover model gets swept up in a kidnapping attempt that lands them both in a cutthroat jungle adventure. A reclusive romance novelist on a book tour with her cover model gets swept up in a kidnapping attempt that lands them both in a cutthroat jungle adventure.

• Sandra Bullock
• Channing Tatum
• Daniel Radcliffe
• 1.1K User reviews
• 253 Critic reviews
• 60 Metascore
• 3 wins & 10 nominations

• Loretta Sage …

• Abigail Fairfax

• Beth Hatten

• Jack Trainer

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• Trivia Ryan Reynolds was originally sought after for the lead male role, marking this a reunion with Sandra Bullock after The Proposal (2009) but a deal couldn't be reached.
• Goofs A reoccurring joke of criticizing a character for comparing another character to a "human mummy", is made by other characters, with them stating that "all mummies are human". This is false, as ancient Egyptians were known for mummifying animals (often the pets of the deceased) as well as humans, such as cats, dogs, birds, and snakes. So not all mummies are human. However, all the other characters being wrong only shows that Alan is actually smarter than everybody likes to think. (Don't judge a mummy by its bandages.)

Loretta : Why are you so handsome?

Jack Trainer : My father was a weatherman.

• Crazy credits There is a short scene after the first part of the credits.
• Connections Featured in Late Night with Seth Meyers: Holly Hunter/Patti Harrison/Catherine Cohen/Larnell Lewis (2022)
• Soundtracks True Written by Gary Kemp Performed by Spandau Ballet Courtesy of Parlophone Records Limited By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

User reviews 1.1K

• Mar 25, 2022
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• March 25, 2022 (United States)
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• $68,000,000 (estimated)
• $105,344,029
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• Mar 27, 2022
• $192,907,684

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• Runtime 1 hour 52 minutes

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‘The Lost City’ Review: Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum’s Chemistry Carries Charming Jungle Comedy

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In Adam and Aaron Nee’s “ The Lost City ,” a wild, careening screwball comedy set in the jungle, the stars are on full display — and they need to be. See, the directing duo are following a similar roadmap used by “Romancing the Stone,” the Indiana Jones franchise, and Tomb Raider: colossal big-budget adventures dependent upon the stars who lead them as much as the exotic locations they call home. Here, a quartet of marquee names carry a knowingly pastiche romp whose lightweight charm somehow impedes its path to rom-com success.

You can’t totally blame the Nees for leaning heavily on their ensemble. In a slapdash comedy filled with big punchlines — and even bigger explosions — they’ve assembled a couple of the best comedic personalities available in Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum . The pair portray noted romance novelist Loretta Sage and her steamy cover model Alan as her franchise’s Fabio-inspired champion, Dash. After a string of best sellers, the jaded Loretta would rather her storybook career just end. But in this broad script built upon menacing henchmen, an evil filthy rich villain compensating for being the wrong son, and a mythical legend concerning a lost treasure, the story can never end, only (hopefully) reinvent itself.

But the Nees aren’t terribly interested in fixing what’s not broken, sometimes to their own detriment. Instead, they drudge out formulaic tools to craft new thrills to varying results. Five years ago, Loretta lost her archeologist husband, John. We never learn how he died, just the ways it has left her in stasis. Her publicist Beth (a thankless Da’Vine Joy Randolph) wants to revitalize the author’s once-sterling career by planning a major book tour. She hires Allison (Patti Harrison), a no-filter, crass social media specialist who thinks in Shawn Mendes hashtags to run her Twitter account. Those people, unfortunately, can’t cheer Loretta’s still-grieving heart. A grief she often throws toward Alan, who soaks in his status as hulk cover model and romance hero. In Loretta and Alan’s fraught dynamic, the Nees find treasures rich enough to support their hilarious, albeit overly familiar, adventure flick.

To kick off “The Lost City,” Loretta is kidnapped by the obscenely wealthy Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe in a welcomed return to blockbuster filmmaking). Think of him as a vicious John Hammond. He’s been hunting for the fabled crown of fire, held in the lost city of D, possibly located on a remote island with an active volcano in the middle of the Atlantic. And he believes Loretta is the only person alive who can translate the tattered parchment that might lead him to the treasure. Good mysteries revolve around hard-won clues (take “Indiana Jones” using a golden medallion for guidance), but “The Lost City” crafts simplistic puzzles. That flatness heaps greater pressures on the stars’ shoulders, a responsibility DP Jonathan Sela increases by relying on one-shots and standard coverage to place individual actors front and center (it’s very obvious whenever an extra is used for blocking, and it happens often).

The film crafts indelible moments through its bevy of unforgettable personalities. To track down Loretta, for instance, Alan calls former Navy SEAL and meditation partner Jack Trainer (Brad Pitt in a breezy role similar to “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”). Both actors wield their onscreen personas to devastating effect: Pitt swings across the screen as the swooning action star, while Tatum continues a run he began in the “Jump Street” movies as the bumbling, muscle-bound heart-throb with a heart of gold. In a physically uproarious scene, Alan and Jack infiltrate Fairfax’s archeological dig to rescue Loretta. Pitt moves swiftly, easily disabling a cadre of brooding henchmen while Tatum plays Alan with slapstick appeal by taking crushing pratfalls and leaning into a knowing bodily awkwardness. Tatum has always been a physically aware actor, often downplaying his brawny exterior for laughs, and he’s never been better here, employing a nervous nimbleness and hesitant daintiness for precise gags.

Once sprung from the clutches of Fairfax, the novelist and cover model oscillate between open hostility and a wellspring of flirtation. See, Alan desperately wants to be Loretta’s knight in shining armor, to be as intelligent as her, for he to see him as more than a dumb cover model. But he is, in a brilliant reversal, often the damsel in distress. Seeing Tatum and Bullock prance around the jungle, the latter in a sequin purple jumpsuit designed by Marlene Stewart, as a well-calibrated double-act makes one wish they were together more often, especially as they play off each other like popping ping pong balls. Amid the expected off-color gags, the heart of the film asks us to see people as more than their exteriors suggest, and to learn to live and love again.

The jungle as a setting, which should be rife with dread, is a mere backdrop as unimaginative as a cheap romance novel. The henchmen, well, are henchmen. The villain, Fairfax, well, is a villain. Apart from a backstory involving him losing his media empire to his brown-nosing brother, he exists without the necessary dimensions to impose any overt danger. Luckily, Radcliffe is capable of performing some heavy lifting to imbue the manic baddie with a blitzkrieg of enraged eyes and popping line deliveries. In a script where he’s often relegated to delivering eye-rolling punchlines, he’s a proper salesman. Other components fall by the wayside too: Beth is a Black Best Friend (though Randolph does admirably carve out a couple well-delivered one-liners). The mystical aspects surrounding the crown fizzles.

Whenever “The Lost City” seems in danger of falling prey to other big-time star-studded adventures, particularly those calculated by Netflix, the obvious chemistry between Tatum and Bullock saves the day. What’s always made the two actors such formidable stars isn’t just their wicked comedic timing, it’s their uncanny ability to impart real vulnerability and a down-to-earth vibe to their heroic characters. Only these stars could make peeling leeches off of Tatum’s buttock not only an exceptionally funny scenario, but also a promising first date. And as Alan and Loretta evade lava from a soon-to-erupt volcano, work to escape a crumbling tomb, and dance in the warm amber-colored sun, they discover a kind of love that transcends fairy tales.

“The Lost City” might not be as majestic or breathtaking as its loftier influences, but it is the swooning stuff that great romance novels are made of.

“The Lost City” premiered at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival. Paramount will release the film in theaters on Friday, March 25.

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The Lost City review: Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum prove once again that they’re romcom pros

Adventure romcom is the kind of project that’s suctioned itself to its a-list leads like a barnacle on a ship, article bookmarked.

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Dir: Adam Nee, Aaron Nee. Starring: Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Brad Pitt. 12A, 112 minutes.

Channing Tatum plays himbos like Mozart wrote symphonies. It’s a delicate art, and about much more than playing dumb. It’s about capturing the sweet, wounded desperation of a man who’s aware of the pressure on him to fulfil some kind of masculine ideal, but wouldn’t even know where to start. The himbo, I’d argue, is an underrated feminist archetype, a positive image of masculinity that simultaneously critiques the kinds of wild expectations we place on men. It’s all about subversion – that what he’s ultimately valued for aren’t the superficial markers of dominance or caveman brawn, but the pure goodness of his heart.

Tatum has spent his entire career perfecting that kind of himbo, whether it be in the 21 Jump Street or Magic Mike films. And, finally, in The Lost City , he’s been paired with his ideal opposite: Sandra Bullock , the actor you call to play very smart women who still can’t seem to keep their lives together, who delivers in ways that are relatable as opposed to patronising. Though the film, directed by brothers Adam and Aaron Nee, presents itself as a 21st-century retread of Robert Zemeckis’s adventure romcom Romancing the Stone , it’s really the kind of project that’s suctioned itself to its A-list leads like a barnacle on a ship.

Bullock is the flinty but loveable Loretta Sage, an archaeologist who’s become an emotional shut-in after her husband’s untimely death. She’s now slumming it – in her opinion – as the author of a series of steamy romance novels. Tatum is Alan Caprison, the cover model and now public face of Loretta’s hunky creation, Dash McMahon. His dedication to the role mildly repulses her. At Loretta’s latest book signing, he answers questions like he somehow had a hand in writing her work, before promptly ripping off his shirt. Alan, in a way, has become the physical manifestation of her own self-loathing. It doesn’t help that her publicist, Beth (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), insists that she turns up to the event in a sequinned jumpsuit so tight that it forces her to shuffle around like someone wrapped head-to-toe in medical bandages.

It’s not the ideal fit for what happens next. Loretta is kidnapped by the unloved son (a very game Daniel Radcliffe ) of a media mogul, Abigail Fairfax, who’s convinced the tidbits of historical knowledge littered throughout her books make her the key to finding the lost Crown of Fire. The treasure is said to be buried deep beneath a volcanic island out in the Atlantic, somewhere in the ruins of The Lost City of D, which has recently exposed itself to the elements. Well, technically, as Abigail points out, it’s exposed “just the tip”. Expect much more innuendo where that came from.

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The story here leans pretty hard on its “don’t judge a book by its cover” lessons, sometimes in the literal sense – Alan chastises Loretta for dismissing her books as nothing but low-brow shlock. But Bullock and Tatum are such dedicated professionals in the romcom field that it almost feels a little rude not to fall for their eventual romance. It’s lovely to watch the way Loretta warms up to Alan once his self-imposed image of masculinity starts to chip away, as she tenderly applies eczema cream to his back while laying out how she’d describe the moment in one of her novels. The Lost City , for the most part, finds that sweet spot between goofy and sincere, especially during the scenes where Tatum’s Alan tries to match up to the mercenary hired to rescue Loretta, played by none other than Brad Pitt . The star flips his long, blonde locks around like he’s back in Legends of the Fall , and smoulders with smug self-satisfaction. Tatum, in reaction, flounders magnificently.

Unfortunately, the further away from Tatum and Bullock you get, the more the film struggles. The fact that Patti Harrison, as Loretta’s social media manager, steals away all of her scenes just by being weird enough to call someone’s grandmother a “slut”, highlights how deficient the writing can be in other places. Randolph is stuck playing the Black best friend whose entire existence gravitates around the white protagonist; there’s an attempt to poke fun at the adventure genre’s implicit exoticism that feels awkwardly half-hearted. But if you can force yourself to be myopic enough that nothing outside of its central romance matters? Well, then, The Lost City plays like a dream.

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Directed by Adam Nee and Aaron Nee from a screenplay they co-wrote with Oren Uziel and Dana Fox, The Lost City feels like a film from the past (in a good way). The film doesn’t set out to do anything different, settling into the comforts certain tropes and story beats provide. However, that doesn’t make The Lost City any less fun than it aims to be. With the effortlessly charming and talented cast doing most of the heavy lifting, The Lost City makes for a highly entertaining, joyful adventure.

The Lost City follows best-selling romance author Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock), a widow who is trying her best to finish her latest book in time for a book tour her manager, Beth (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), put together. Loretta isn’t feeling it, though, especially when she realizes Alan (Channing Tatum), a model who portrays Dash, Loretta’s character, on the cover of all of her books, will be at the events. All Alan wants to do is please Loretta, but all the recluse wants to do is to go back home. However, her life takes an adventurous turn when she’s kidnapped by billionaire Abigail Fairfax ( Daniel Radcliffe ), who believes the Lost City of D the author wrote about — as well as the tomb containing a treasure he’s seeking — is real. Enter Alan who, despite not knowing at all what he’s doing, endeavors to go save her.

Related:  Sandra Bullock Fought Studio Hard to Get The Lost City Movie Made

The Lost City has a lot going for it: a charming cast, genuinely funny moments, and some adrenaline-fueled adventure. The film harkens back to the days when such romcom adventures were more of a constant. Bullock and Tatum have the bickering down, but when things slow down between them, they’re able to understand each other a lot better than before. As a team, they work well and they’re the highlight of the film overall, with their comedic timing being especially worth noting. Tatum really delivers as a man who’s got his heart in the right place, even when he isn’t the most intelligent of people. His rapport with both Bullock and Brad Pitt — whose role as Jack Trainer is smaller than the trailers would have one believe — is fantastic. The frustrated energy Bullock puts out is fabulous and the physical humor employed by Tatum underlines his comedic abilities well.

If anything, The Lost City could have used a lot more heat between Bullock and Tatum, with only a couple of scenes making good use of their chemistry before the film moves on too quickly to the next thing. That said, the film is well-paced and, at one point, even surprising. Not all the humor lands, but it is so full with comedic moments that the audience will find themselves laughing more often than not at the antics and reactions of the characters. Tatum’s Alan, who has zero combat skills, takes to slapping Fairfax’s henchmen when they attack and it’s incredibly amusing to watch. Mostly, The Lost City is buoyed by Bullock and Tatum’s charisma, of which they have plenty. Radcliffe’s turn as the villain of the story really works, though he only gets a few moments to show off how truly menacing he can be.

The Lost City is an overall fun film. It’s engaging and full of humor that never feels forced for the sake of it. Aaron and Adam Nee have crafted a film that is never boring, maintaining its sense of intrigue and momentum throughout without falling flat. It’s rare for films these days to mix a bit of romance with the thrills of an adventure without crumbling under their own weight or lack of charm. However, The Lost City has plenty of each and, while obviously formulaic, audiences will find themselves entertained for the majority of the film’s runtime thanks to a story that understands what it’s supposed to be and the talents of a great cast.

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The Lost City is playing in theaters as of March 25, 2022. The film is 112 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for violence and some bloody images, suggestive material, partial nudity and language.

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‘The Lost City’ review: Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum find a chemistry that’s off the charts

Movie review.

How charming is “The Lost City”? So charming that the villain is played by Daniel Radcliffe. So charming that it leaves you wondering why nobody has asked Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum to host the Oscars, or make an “Ocean’s 8” sequel in which he’s the mark, or team up for a series of PSAs in which they just banter for 30 seconds and make everyone feel better. So charming that the popcorn I was holding simply vanished, with no memory of it having ever existed. So charming that Brad Pitt, who pops by for an extended cameo, is not even the most charming person in it — and that, my friends, is a lot of charm.

“The Lost City,” directed by brothers Aaron Nee and Adam Nee, is no masterpiece; you sense that in the hands of a lesser cast, it might even have been a bit of a slog. Its story feels both ridiculous and predictable: Loretta Sage (Bullock), the reclusive author of bestselling romantic adventure novels, gets kidnapped while wearing a purple sequined jumpsuit (this is an important detail) by an eccentric rich dude (Radcliffe) who hopes she can lead him to a lost treasure in an ancient city alluded to in her recent book. Alan (Tatum), the absurdly handsome cover model for her book series, takes it upon himself to rescue her. Lots of running about in the jungle ensues, along with other “Romancing the Stone”-ish complications that you can likely figure out for yourself.

But Bullock and Tatum take hold of the material and turn it into an enchanted screwball. These two characters, we learn, don’t initially like each other very much: Loretta complains to her long-suffering agent (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) that “he’s always glistening all over the place”; Alan calls Loretta a “human mummy,” only to be reminded that mummies are human. (Alan is not the brightest bulb in the box, something Tatum plays with a sweetly masterful deadpan; referring to Loretta as a “word writer extra ordinary.”) After the kidnapping, Alan engages the services of a contractor skilled in jungle rescue (a grinning Pitt, having a ball) but insists on coming along on the mission, “for backup and awesomeness.” I cannot begin to describe how perfectly Tatum delivers that line, and I would like to get it as a ringtone.

The comic chemistry between these two is off the charts, and it’s such a pleasure to see Bullock, who’s been taking a detour into heavy drama lately (“Bird Box,” “The Unforgivable”), reminding us that she’s both the most likable of stars and a brilliant comedian. Watch her variety of funny walks; note how Loretta’s posture changes in that jumpsuit (it’s as if she’s apologizing for it); and listen as both she and Tatum mutter asides to each other that feel entirely spontaneous. Maybe they are? Here’s hoping these two team up again, immediately; we need them.

With Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe, Brad Pitt, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Oscar Nunez, Patti Harrison. Directed by Adam Nee and Aaron Nee, from a screenplay by Oren Uziel, Dana Fox, Nee and Nee. 112 minutes. Rated PG-13 for violence and some bloody images, suggestive material, partial nudity and language. Opens March 23 at multiple theaters.

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The Lost City Review

13 Apr 2022

The Lost City

Death cannot stop true love; it can only delay it for a while. Or so The Princess Bride taught us. Sure enough, the much bally-hooed death of the big-screen romcom is beginning to look more like a hiatus, because here we are in 2022 with a crowd-pleasing, star-led romance in an exotic location. If much of directors Adam and Aaron Nee’s plot feels like a throwback to an earlier era, and in particular to Romancing The Stone , the humour here is entirely up-to-date and immensely fun.

The familiar bits first: Sandra Bullock steps into Kathleen Turner ’s shoes as a successful romance novelist whose personal life is a mess. But unlike Joan Wilder, Bullock’s Loretta is grieving a lost husband, and seems irritable at the success of her own books. In place of Michael Douglas ’ tough jungle guide we have Channing Tatum ’s gentle cover model Alan, who’s nursing both a crush on and a grudge against Loretta, the latter for her refusal to take her own books seriously. However, when she’s kidnapped by a media billionaire’s son, Abigail Fairfax ( Daniel Radcliffe ), Alan swings ineffectually into action, and soon our two heroes are lost in the jungle of a small island, bickering and perhaps bonding as they try to find safety.

None of this is particularly new, of course. Bullock has played the wary, uptight over-achiever before; Tatum’s given us previous variations on witless-yet-beautiful; even a bit with leeches has been done before. But the film finds nuance to season the archetypes. There’s more than lip service paid to Loretta’s grief and her dashed dreams of serious scholarship, and while she’s not immune to Alan’s looks, you can see 
why he wouldn’t be on her radar. Tatum, meanwhile, gamely plays the bimbo role, but manages to inject just enough edge to suggest 
that Alan’s brain is merely underutilised and not entirely absent.

This movie is like its star’s jumpsuit: sparkly, gorgeous and entirely frivolous.

With the stars carrying the film along, the Nees can add emotion and humour in the detail. They mine laughs from Alan’s phone contacts and Fairfax’s cheese board, while costume designer Marlene Stewart puts Bullock in a fuschia-coloured sequinned jumpsuit that plays well against the otherwise standard jungle aesthetics. Brad Pitt ’s hyper-capable survival trainer, Jack Trainer, is an awe-inspiring embodiment of the romance novel archetype who threatens even the usually laid-back Alan, while Da’Vine Joy Randolph does a lot with very little as Loretta’s editor. Radcliffe even comes close to saying something true about the entitlement and self-righteousness of the super-wealthy as a black-sheep billionaire.

Really, though, you have to want to find deeper meanings here. This movie is like its star’s jumpsuit: sparkly, gorgeous and entirely frivolous. It coasts by on charisma and comedic talent, on dancing and daring, on stunning locations (the Dominican jungle) and stakes that are high enough to hold the attention and not a millimetre higher. You will predict almost every beat before it arrives and welcome its arrival anyway, because the formula works. The romcom is dead; long live the romcom.

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The Lost City review: A big screwball swing for old-school action-comedy

Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum are 'Lost' and on the loose in a breezy, patently ridiculous throwback to '80s romps.

Somewhere in the mists of time before IP and franchise, there used to be a lot more of a certain kind of sunny, modestly ambitious movie that might have been called a romp: blithe action comedies in which two pretty people fight and blunder and fall for each other, and maybe romance a few stones along the way.

Almost everything about The Lost City (in theaters March 25) feels familiar in that sense, and comforting, too: a cheerfully shambolic grab-bag of shenanigans and movie stars with enough screwball wit and self-awareness to drag it into 2022. It's also a fitting send-off for Sandra Bullock , who recently announced her retirement , or at least a furlough from acting, and was essentially forged in stuff like this. Here she's Loretta Sage, a woman who writes bestselling bodice-rippers she can barely stand; Channing Tatum is Dash, the genetically blessed himbo whose fame as the palomino-maned cover model for her novels have made the two of them synonymous, much to her chagrin.

Except his real name is actually Alan, and the hair, like his life skills, is largely an illusion. He's only ever really had to play the hero on embossed paperbacks, so when Loretta is plucked from a book-tour event by unknown assailants and kidnapped, he feels compelled to prove that he can be that guy in real life. And when her Apple Watch pings somewhere over the Atlantic, her panicked publicist, Beth (Da'vine Joy Randolph), agrees to let him go ahead, largely because he's the only one with anything resembling an action plan.

That plan pretty much begins and ends with texting Jack Trainer ( Brad Pitt ), a freelance mercenary he met once at a meditation retreat. Jack is everything Alan isn't: combat expert, casual intellectual, man of substance and advanced sleeper holds. Thankfully, he also accepts crypto, and it doesn't take them long to track Loretta down on the remote tropical island where the black-sheep son of a media mogul called Abigail Fairfax ("It's a gender-neutral name!") has taken her in the hopes of using her knowledge of ancient cuneiforms to track down an ancient treasure known as the Crown of Fire.

In other words, it's all ridiculous, and everyone here, including directing duo Adam and Aaron Nee ( Band of Robbers ) knows it. But Fairfax is played by Daniel Radcliffe, who is clearly having more fun than most actors recently conscripted to represent today's favored screen bogeyman, the feckless tech-bro villain (See also: Free Guy , Old Guard , Venom , The Matrix Revolutions ). His Abigail is a perfect twerp, the peevish flipside to Pitt's Most Interesting Man in the World shtick. Randolph's harried, brutally honest Beth and Patti Harrison, as a daffy social-media manager, also regularly manage to steal their scenes from the margins.

But nothing in Lost City would really hang together without its main pair, whose chemistry movies like this inevitably live or die on. She's a trademark Bullock heroine, forever vacillating between serene self-assurance and high anxiety; he's like a happy Labrador, winning hearts and minds while heedlessly crashing into things. Their rapport feels both meticulously market-tested and somehow gratifyingly natural, and strong enough too to withstand a careening, unabashedly cartoonish plot (penned by Horrible Bosses director Seth Gordon) whose into-the-sunset endgame is already guaranteed. They're just here to play with wigs and passports and pratfalls and for two breezy, anesthetizing hours, make the world outside disappear. Grade: B

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• DVD & Streaming

The Lost City

• Action/Adventure , Comedy , Romance

Content Caution

In Theaters

• March 25, 2022
• Sandra Bullock as Loretta Sage; Channing Tatum as Alan; Daniel Radcliffe as Fairfax; Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Beth; Brad Pitt as Jack Trainer; Patti Harrison as Pratt Caprison; Oscar Nunez as Adrian Austin

Home Release Date

• May 10, 2022
• Aaron and Adam Nee

Distributor

• Paramount Pictures

Movie Review

Loretta Sage is suffering from a serious case of lover’s block.

Not writer’s block. The novelist can string words together just fine. But the thing is, Loretta writes romance novels. And honestly, ever since her husband died, Loretta just hasn’t been in the mood for romance.

Her latest book , The Lost City of D (featuring her popular protagonists Lovemore and Dash) was as steamy as a cold shower, as sultry as a tax audit. And even though her romances have sold incredibly well, Loretta feels as though The Lost City of D might be her last. Dash can dash off, for all she cares—yellow hair streaming in the sunset—and leave Loretta alone.

But first, she’ll have to participate in one more excruciating book tour—answering the same questions, plastering on the same fake smiles. Worse yet, the tour includes Alan Caprison, the beefy, blond model who—thanks to myriad appearances on Loretta’s book covers—has become synonymous with Dash. In fact, it seems that most of Loretta’s fans actually want to see Alan . And preferably without his shirt.

But as the first stop on the tour winds down, Loretta meets a fan who wants to talk with her . It would’ve been more flattering, perhaps, if the fan (a rich fellow named Fairfax) hadn’t also sent a couple of goons to kidnap her. Fairfax, you see, isn’t that interested in the plot of the Lost City of D : He’s more interested in the actual lost city Loretta wrote about, and the treasure that might be found there.

Fairfax knows that before Loretta became a romance novelist, she was a lost-language specialist: He believes that she based her book on real history. In fact, Fairfax knows it: He found Loretta’s Lost City and now owns the island on which it sits.

But now he needs Loretta’s help. See, somewhere in that archaeological ruin lies the fabled Crown of Fire, a bit of treasure that must be worth ever-so-much. Moreover, he’s uncovered a strip of cloth written in a language lost to everyone but Loretta. He believes that it might—no, it must —point to the fabulous crown. And he needs to retrieve it quickly, before the island’s volcano buries it underneath a few layers of lava.

Loretta politely declines to work with Fairfax, but refusal is not an option. The novelist is promptly chloroformed and whisked off to this island paradise/prison/potential tomb. She’ll help Fairfax: Oh, yes. Fairfax will make sure of it.

It’s just the sort of scenario that Loretta might write about, actually—one she’d neatly resolve with heroic Dash riding in on a white horse, hair gleaming, muscles flexing, gun booming, dimples dimpling.

Alas, Dash isn’t real. But Alan is. Yeah, that’s right: The cover model. Sure, Alan may not have two doctorates or years of martial arts training like Dash. But he is a certified Crossfit trainer, and that counts for something, right?

Positive Elements

So, yes, Alan’s a little out of his depth here. He dives into this adventure despite being allergic to water. (A little dip in a jungle river gives him a serious case of eczema.) But he’s kind of attracted to the author, and he’s willing to put his life on the line to save her. He also turns out to be a pretty decent, kind-hearted fellow, too—not just Dash’s mindless, muscle-bound stand-in. You might say (and the movie actually does) that Loretta learns a bit about not judging book models by their cover. Or something.

Beth, Loretta’s publisher, is equally dedicated to the writer. While she doesn’t come swinging into the jungle like Alan does, she works tirelessly to rescue Loretta—buying tickets, twisting arms, riding goat-laden cargo planes as she tries to track down her star writer. And she gets a little help herself from Adrian, the owner of the aforementioned cargo plane, who aids the party in unexpected ways.

Spiritual Elements

Someone calls Adrian an angel in passing. “How did you know?” he says. Some characters participate in what appears to be a meditation class, and we learn that Alan met a character at a meditation retreat. We hear an exclamation of “Holy Christmas!” We hear a quote attributed to Lao Tzu, the founder of Taoism: “To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.”

Sexual Content

Fairfax refers to Loretta as the “sex book writer.” And gathering from the snippets we hear from her books, that feels pretty accurate. Readings are filled with suggestive imagery and titillating verbiage (without crossing the line into straight-up verbal pornography), and Loretta coaches someone on how to pace a book’s erotic elements for full emotional appeal. One night, as she tries to treat the eczema on Alan’s exposed back, Alan asks how she might “write” that scene and make it romantic. Her narration is filled with erotic descriptions and ends with the heroine’s request to have sex.

Loretta and Alan don’t physically replay Loretta’s sensual narration, but (obviously) a mutual attraction does develop between them, and they smooch a time or two. They also, comically, share a hammock. Loretta also sees all of Alan’s anatomy after a leech-infested wade through a river: Alan exposes his buttocks to her (and the camera), and Loretta has to pull leeches off his posterior. He then turns around so she can inspect his crotch: (She makes several comments on what she sees, but the audience doesn’t itself see anything.)

Alan often goes shirtless, and Loretta quips that the model finds an excuse to remove his shirt during every public appearance. (During a mutual appearance during the book tour, the audience convinces Loretta to remove Dash’s shirt for him—though the removal attempt goes awry.) During that same tour stop, Loretta’s publicist forces Loretta to wear what the writer describes as a “glitter onesie.” It reveals quite a bit of cleavage and is quite tight—so much so that Loretta claims the fabric is climbing up into numerous areas. (She wears the outfit for most of the rest of the movie, though the onesie’s leggings eventually are ripped off.) She smuggles a bit of cloth in her own outfit, tucking it between her breast and the onesie’s fabric.

Alan helps Loretta scale a cliff by pushing his head into her crotch (thus helping to push her up). Beth also wears outfits that showcase cleavage. In a physical manifestation of part of Loretta’s book draft, Lovemore and Dash lie next together—and at first it would seem they’re in the throes of post-coital bliss. (That turns out not to be the case.) We hear crass references to body parts and sexual activity, along with both intentional and unintentional double entendres. Loretta takes a bath, and we see her from the shoulders up. Later, in the clutches of bad guys, she exposes her shoulder seductively. She describes herself as a “sapio-sexual,” which she says means that she finds intelligence sexy. Someone calls another woman a “slut” (in what the caller hopes is an affectionate, chummy way).

Violent Content

In a fairly shocking scene—shocking, in part, because of the movie’s PG-13 rating—someone is shot in the head, sending blood and brain matter everywhere. A good bit of the gore seems to land on Alan’s face (including his mouth), and he complains that he can “taste” the victim’s thoughts.

A man falls from a ledge, apparently to his doom. Two others fall off a cliff after crashing into each other on motorcycles. (“Perhaps they’re fine,” Loretta suggests, though that seems unlikely.) Someone is set ablaze via cigar ashes and alcohol. Someone’s knocked off the roof of a moving SUV/tank. A few people are rendered unconscious due to sleeper holds. Others are knocked out during fights, which involve fists and feet and drinking glasses and car doors.

Two people nearly drown. Guns are pointed and sometimes fired. A tomb holds the skeletal remains of two people embracing, and others are nearly buried alive in the same tomb. A volcano threatens the safety of many. A scene in one of Loretta’s books depicts a tomb littered with poisonous snakes. Loretta is overcome by chloroform.

Crude or Profane Language

We hear two uses of the s-word along with several other milder profanities, including “a–,” “crap” and “h—.” God’s name is misused nearly 15 times, and Jesus’ name is abused thrice.

Drug and Alcohol Content

“Why can’t your own personal tank have its own mini-bar?” Fairfax asked. It’s a rhetorical question, of course, because his personal tank has one. He enjoys his whiskey and drinks it often. Others imbibe as well. We see, for instance, a pre-kidnap Loretta sip a glass of iced Chardonnay in the bathtub. Someone smokes a cigar—with unfortunate consequences. (Turns out, smoking really can kill you.)

Other Negative Elements

We hear references to bat feces, and a cave mouth is compared to a “troll anus.” Someone urinates in a body of water. Both Alan and Loretta gag while dealing with leeches. After Loretta kicks a trash can over, she’s appalled with herself for littering.

As Loretta and Alan plot out their next move—trying to decide whether to get off the island or dive deeper into the jungle to find the fabled Crown of Fire—Alan turns to Loretta.

“This is your story,” he tells her. “How do you want to write it?”

Someone might’ve posed the same question to the movie’s screenwriters.

The Lost City can feel a little lost itself. While it always aims to be a romantic adventure comedy, a la 1984’s Romancing the Stone , it swings wildly on its PG-13 pendulum. Though our protagonists rarely kiss and never have sex, Loretta’s raunchy prose and the screenplay’s naughty entendres push this blushingly out of bounds for most families. For much of its runtime, the movie seems to intentionally avoid both death and blood—and then in one shocking moment, that restraint is blown to pieces … along with part of someone’s head, apparently.

With just a little more restraint, The Lost City could’ve been unexpectedly navigable. But because of a handful of scenes, the film is unexpectedly ooky. It’s almost as if the studio received a nice, sweet, funny script and hired Family Guy’ s Seth MacFarlane to handle the rewrites.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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THE MOVIE CULTURE

The Lost City Movie Review & Summary: Finds Its Treasures in Just the Right Places

Upon first impression, The Lost City might sound like the title of the next installment in the Uncharted video game franchise or possibly Dwayne Johnson’s next swashbuckling action-adventure trip. But beyond that, Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum starrer, The Lost City attempts to be everything that an action-adventure can be and yet evoke laughter on the tropes utilized abundantly across the genre.  

The Lost City Movie Cast

• Sandra Bullock as Loretta Sage / Angela
• Channing Tatum as Alan / Dash
• Daniel Radcliffe as Abigail Fairfax
• Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Beth Hatten\
• Brad Pitt as Jack Trainer

The Lost City Movie Plot

Romance-adventure novel writer Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock) finds her career in a downfall after she chose to lead the life of a recluse post her archaeologist husband’s death. Although her novels, centered around Dr Angela Lovemore and her lover, Dash McMahon, remains a hit among the writer’s fans, with the cover model for Dash, Alan Caprison (Channing Tatum), managing to cultivate quite a fan base for himself. But, in reality, Alan is the antithesis of the book’s character Dash. While he still retains the charm and looks of the character in the real world, he’s anything but the adventurous, macho, and daring alpha male in the world outside of Loretta’s adventures.

In the midst of the book tour for her latest book, Loretta is kidnapped by billionaire Abigail Fairfax, who has discovered the lost city Loretta has written about in her latest book ‘The Lost City of D’. Alan, forced by her feelings for Loretta, hires Jack Trainer (Brad Pitt) and embarks on a journey to rescue Loretta, with the intention of proving that he can be much more than just the cover model Loretta takes him to be.

The Lost City Movie Review

The Lost City banks its money on the opportune situations that the setting of an action-adventure movie presents with cool action sequences, weird dilemmas, and the obvious challenges faced when being presented with a questionably baffling mystery. The movie ticks every box on the checklist for an action-adventure but it’s the way it approaches the genre is where things start taking a different turn.

Beyond the basic premise, the movie doesn’t really provide a lot of adventure to ride upon, instead, it focuses on poking fun at the obvious bluffs played by similar movies on the bandwagon of the action-adventure genre. In that aspect, more than an action-adventure, The Lost City treads on the path of a romance-comedy with near-perfection, evoking some heart-warming conversations between the two protagonists as they transform into different individuals while on a journey inside a jungle on a remote island in the Atlantic. While the movie doesn’t throw curveballs when it comes to the story or the execution, it’s the comedic respite and awkward conversations that arise out of the situations at hand that add to the entertainment presented by this film.

The Aura of Actors keeps The Lost City Alive

The most attractive aspect of the movie is not its story, action, suspense, and visuals. What keeps the machine going in The Lost City is the aura of the actors who grace the roles and share incredibly fun chemistry with each other. The focus of the story remains momentarily on solving the potentially great mystery at hand while engaging deeply with the evolving relation the characters share on their journey into the unknown. Comedic exchanges, cliched yet hilarious banter, and paving the way for situations to emerge that resonate with most of the action-adventure movie lovers prove to be the strengths of this oft-charming, frequently hilarious, and decently adventurous action-adventure movie.

Channing Tatum’s Alan, a young model trying to follow his dreams and fit into the mold, provides the unexpected travel partner to an uptight novelist who mostly looks down upon her own work. Both of them discover something new in themselves and each other as they find a way to escape a hilariously menacing villain who’s been suffering from his own insecurities as his father gave away all the property to his brother. Followed by this set of main characters are a bunch of uniquely different ones who add their own tang to the humor. A highly motivated publisher, a quirky social media manager, a local henchman, and an eccentric pilot contribute generously to the hilarious action centered around the odd couple.

What pulls back the potential of this film is the lack of novelty in the presentation. While the witty dialogues and banter provide fun and interesting moments to enjoy, the lack-luster and simplistic plot with a predictable storyline is not one that might keep the on-looker hooked and wanting for more. The brilliantly energetic and exciting beginning, thanks to a cameo by Brad Pitt, meets a rather underwhelming end. The nature of events proves rather inconsequential and the feeling left at the culmination of an adventure an unsatisfactory one. The poorly done CGI doesn’t work magic either, especially at the moments when the character on screen is staring at the picturesque beauty of the scenery around with an expression of perpetual awe, without any of the emotion reaching the viewer, who’s looking at something that looks like the indoors of a cheap attraction in an amusement park.

The Movie Culture Synopsis

A movie like The Lost City will always retain its charm because of its straightforward nature of handling its characters and action without any pretentiousness of the action-adventure genre holding it back. The makers have devoted their attention to presenting a fun, enjoyable, and occasionally smart story that evokes interest in the characters it houses inside rather than the plot.

The film really believes that unprepared characters put in seemingly tough situations often end up creating moments of laughter and love. Having some protagonists and a bunch of supporting characters who barely know what they are actually doing throughout the course of the story, barring a couple of moments, adds to the freshness presented by The Lost City in a gratifying manner .

Undoubtedly, the story is predictable, lacks novelty, and feels like a lost opportunity in creating something that could have potentially utilized the marvelous talent available. But despite its many shortcomings, The Lost City will strike a chord with those looking for a fun and adventurous romantic comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously, too often.

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In Theaters and Digital

The lost city - movie review.

Expecting a film like The Lost City to be rich with meaningful ideas and impactful motifs would be setting expectations way too high. That’s just not why people are attracted to romantic adventure films like this one. However, being pleasantly surprised that there is actually a theme – as slight as it is – beneath all the goofy shenanigans, is an added bonus and a much-welcomed ambush. Just one of several pleasant surprises.

That’s not to say it makes The Lost City a great film. It isn’t. However, its palpable chemistry, star-studded cast, dopey humor, and stunning jungle locations will provide enough charm and attraction to delight a broad swath of movie goers. And maybe that’s just what the movie industry needs right now.

Loretta Sage ( Sandra Bullock ) is a once thriving romance novelist currently struggling with anxiety following the unexpected death of her husband. She knows the latest novel in her "Lost City" series isn’t up to snuff, but her energetic publicist ( Da’Vine Joy Randolph ) sends her out on tour to promote it anyway. Accompanying her will be Alan ( Channing Tatum ), the doltish but charming cover model whose image graces the novels’ dust jackets.

What follows is an endless stream of silly mishaps, close calls, and stupid happenstances that in any other movie would wreck the whole experience. But the chemistry and magnetism shared by Bullock and Tatum , coupled with the pair’s rat-a-tat-rat comedic delivery saves the whole thing. The remainder of the cast, including Radcliffe 's bad guy and Pitt 's hilarious cameo, is just hammy enough to fit in perfectly with the film's tongue-in-cheek intentions.

In addition, there’s the unexpected thread of learning to never judge a book by its cover that ties everything together with an emotional resonance as we watch the romantic connection between the two blossom. Yes, the jokes are stupid, and we are always one step ahead of the highly formulaic script. But, darn if the thing isn’t actually quite cute and tons of fun. It’s even hilarious at times with more than one laugh out loud moment.

Make no mistake, though. The Lost City won’t even come close to blowing your socks off. It does nothing new or original and its Romancing the Stone similarities can’t be denied nor can they be excused. But hats off to directors Adam and Aaron Nee for understanding what they have and for playing to those strengths. The Lost City is well structured and steadily paced even if it does play it way too safe most of the time. But most importantly, it will make you happy. What more could we ask for as theaters begin to ramp up for the summer movie season.

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence and some bloody images, suggestive material, partial nudity and language. Runtime: 112 mins Director : Aaron Nee; Adam Nee Writer: Oren Uziel; Dana Fox; Adam Nee Cast: Sandra Bullock; Channing Tatum; Daniel Radcliffe Genre : Comedy | Adventure | Romance Tagline: The adventure is real. The heroes are not. Memorable Movie Quote: Theatrical Distributor: Paramount Pictures Official Site: https://www.thelostcity.movie/ Release Date: March 25, 2022 DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: Synopsis : A reclusive romance novelist on a book tour with her cover model gets swept up in a kidnapping attempt that lands them both in a cutthroat jungle adventure.

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Find Family Movies, Movie Ratings and Movie Reviews

The Lost City Parent Guide

Thanks to its excellent cast, this is a lively, madcap adventure that harkens back to classic screwball comedies..

Theaters: Author Loretta Sage is happy to sit at home with only her books for company, but with the release of her new novel she has to go on a publicity tour. While on tour, Loretta is kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire. Now Loretta's only hope for rescue is her handsome cover model.

Release date March 25, 2022

Run Time: 92 minutes

Get Content Details

The guide to our grades, parent movie review by kirsten hawkes.

Since the death of her archaeologist husband four years ago, Loretta’s (Sandra Bullock) life has stalled. She doesn’t want to leave her house and she’s lost her zest for writing romance novels. Needing to kick off sales for The Lost City of D, she reluctantly embarks on a publicity tour with cover model Alan (Channing Tatum). After listening to fans repeatedly ask Alan to remove his shirt, Loretta has had enough. Unwilling to sit through interviews with a guy she sees as all-pecs-no-brains, she stomps out of the hotel…only to be kidnapped.

The villain behind her abduction is Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe), overlooked son of a media tycoon. “It’s a gender-neutral name,” he insists, as he informs Loretta that he needs her specialized archaeological knowledge to help him find the treasures of the Lost City of D before the nearby volcano erupts. Incredulous, but aware of her peril, Loretta drags her feet as she waits for rescue. What she doesn’t know is that Alan is determined to prove to her that he’s more than just a pretty face. With the help of an ex-navy SEAL (Brad Pitt with Fabio hair), Alan has put himself in charge of saving the damsel in distress.

Negative content aside, The Lost City is a lively, madcap adventure that harkens back to classic screwball comedies. It’s well paced, the jokes are usually funny, and the characters are appealing. Channing Tatum occasionally feels a bit flat, but Sandra Bullock shines as the jaded Loretta. There are no surprises when her adventures provide a parallel personal journey, bringing her from loneliness and anxiety to courage and openness. But just because her transformation isn’t surprising doesn’t mean it can’t also be heartwarming. Her relationship with Alan might be unlikely, but the alteration in her perceptions certainly proves the truth of the adage, ‘You can’t judge a book by its cover (model).”

About author

Kirsten hawkes, watch the trailer for the lost city.

The Lost City Rating & Content Info

Why is The Lost City rated PG-13? The Lost City is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for violence and some bloody images, suggestive material, partial nudity and language.

Violence:   There are frequent scenes of peril and combat. In a make-believe sequence, a man and woman are tied up and surrounded by menacing snakes. A woman is kidnapped and sedated against her will. There are frequent scenes of hand-to-hand combat where people are punched, hit, and choked. Cars blow up. A person is shot off screen but a large quantity of blood splatters on to other characters. Men on motorbikes unintentionally drive over a cliff. A man is told to kill someone “creatively”. A woman deliberately starts a fire inside a vehicle. A man falls off a cliff. People are locked inside a stone tomb. Sexual Content: A man and woman kiss. A man is seen naked from the back and side (no visible genitals) and there is a coded discussion about his genitalia. A woman wears a skin-tight, very low cut jumpsuit. A man is repeatedly asked to remove his shirt. A man pushes his head under a woman’s backside to boost her up a steep incline. A person reads a few suggestive lines from a romance novel but there is no detailed sexual content. Profanity:   The script contains 18 terms of deity, three crude anatomical terms, and a single scatological curse. Alcohol / Drug Use: A main character drinks alcohol to manage stress. Adults drink alcohol in social situations. A man smokes a cigar and blows the smoke in a woman’s face.

Page last updated January 10, 2024

The Lost City Parents' Guide

How does Loretta see Alan? What experiences or preconceptions led to her assessment of him? What changes her perspective?  Have you ever had to change your opinion of a person? What caused your mistaken perceptions in the first place?

Related home video titles:

Romancing the Stone is an earlier version of a similar tale, i.e. a romance novelist on an adventure in the jungle.

In The Lost City of Z , the real life Colonel Percival Fawcett goes on a quest to find a lost city in the Amazon jungle.

An intrepid botanist and her brother go seeking a fabled healing flower in Jungle Cruise . Little do they know that undead conquistadores will stand in their way.

The archetypal treasure-seeking adventure is Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark . This adventure sees Indy braving snakes in Egypt as he tries to prevent the Nazis from obtaining an artefact with supernatural powers.

Viewers of all ages can get a comic adventure fix from Muppet Treasure Island .

If it’s romance you’re looking for, a wealthy young man and spunky young woman learn to question their assessments of each other in Pride and Prejudice .

Wildcat Review | An Overindulgent Portrayal of a Literary Icon

• Maya Hawke excels as Flannery O'Connor in Wildcat, embodying the writer's struggles with faith and creativity convincingly.
• Director Ethan Hawke's use of fantasy sequences overwhelms the film, detracting from the narrative and causing pacing issues.
• Despite a talented cast and meaningful subject matter, Wildcat's emphasis on style over substance results in a forgettable experience.

Wildcat explores the formative early life of celebrated Southern Gothic novelist Mary Flannery O'Connor through vivid depictions of her imaginative writing process. The deeply devout O'Connor struggled to reconcile her Catholic faith with artistic ambitions while suffering from debilitating lupus. Director/co-writer Ethan Hawke , scion Maya Hawke, and a venerated supporting cast revel in an overindulgent portrayal that confuses creative expression for substantive depth . A ping-pong structure, where the ensemble plays multiple characters, grinds the pacing to a cinematic drip. There's a lot of effort on display. That's appreciated, but the experience becomes arduous and unfortunately forgettable .

Hawke opens Wildcat with a salacious black and white movie trailer of an O'Connor short story. This is the first taste of O'Connor (Maya Hawke) putting herself and her mother, Regina (Laura Linney), as fictional leads in distressing sexual, racial, and religious narratives; the overarching themes of her work. These fantasy vignettes are always signaled by the clacking of O'Connor's typewriter, her constant voice-over describing the action, and a nod to the actual events, people, or objects that served as inspiration.

Reality takes hold with a card placing O'Connor in 1950 New York City. She bristles while receiving criticism from a prospective publisher (Alessandro Nivola). Her labored additions to a submitted manuscript dilute the audience's focus. He believes she's purposely punishing them with the grotesque. O'Connor prays for guidance but can't afford to stay in New York and pursue her writing. She's seen off at the train station by her mentor, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Cal Lowell (Philip Ettinger). O'Connor is enthralled in his presence but cannot muster a romantic response.

A Mother and Daughter Reunion in Georgia

Directed by Ethan Hawke and starring his daughter Maya Hawke, Wildcat is based on the true story of Southern Gothic writer Flannery O'Connor as she is diagnosed with lupus. While struggling to come to terms with her condition, she sets out to make a mark in the writing world before her life is taken by the same illness that killed her father.

Release Date May 3, 2024

Director Ethan Hawke

Cast Levon Hawke, Phillip Ettinger, Vincent D'Onofrio, Laura Linney, Cooper Hoffman, Maya Hawke, Steve Zahn, Rafael Casal

Runtime 1h 45m

Genres Biography, Drama

Writers Shelby Gaines, Ethan Hawke

Studio(s) Good Country Pictures, Under the Influence Productions, Renovo Media Group

Distributor(s) Oscilloscope Laboratories

• Maya Hawke does a very good job as Flannery O'Conner.
• Ethan Hawke has tremendous style and the aesthetics of Wildcat are impressive.
• Wildcat wanders all over the place, avoiding its own narrative.
• The constant fantasy sequences become tedious.

The distressing trip back home to Milledgeville, Georgia, reveals the sickness that haunts her. O'Connor's face breaks out in red splotches. She shivers with cold while daydreaming of another story: a developmentally disabled farm girl (Hawke) who catches the eye of a one-armed tramp (Steve Zahn), much to the delight of her mother (Linney). The source of O'Connor's dread waits on the platform as the train pulls into the station. Regina is alarmed at the sight of her frail daughter. O'Connor sighs with exasperation as she's immediately whisked off to a doctor.

10 Movies That Accurately Depict Mother/Daughter Relationships

O'Connor had a tremendous distaste for many aspects of her Southern upbringing. She lampoons her mother in fiction but was wholly dependent on Regina's care. The always brilliant Linney, who plays six characters including Regina, is a stalwart rock for her daughter. She doesn't understand why O'Connor can't write stories like Gone with the Wind , but never dissuades her precious child from pursuing the one thing that makes her happy. The complex relationship between O'Connor and her mother is the actual backbone of the film . Ethan Hawke's script highlights this but doesn't spend nearly enough time with them in actual settings.

Wildcat Gets Lost in Its Own Digressions

Wildcat's driving theme is O'Connor escaping physical and psychological torment through her mind . Every idea gets a mini adaptation that fleshes out the eventual published work that would catapult her to fame. The issue is the fire hose delivery of the execution. The asides take precedence over the narrative to a fault. There's a nonstop back and forth that becomes exhausting. Ethan Hawke needed to hold his ground with pertinent exposition . The fantasy scenes become excessive and lose their meaning. They may delight literary buffs, but turn into filler once you realize there's barely an hour of actual plot.

This conceit also affects the film's production values. Wildcat looks pretty good, but again lacks any restraint. There's erratic lighting, the characters freeze in frame, and a billowing smoke FX scene that's honestly puzzling. This visual overload is meant to contrast the crippling depression of O'Connor's daily life. It comes across as if Ethan Hawke wants to show every feather in his filmmaker's cap.

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Maya hawke as the remarkable flannery o'connor.

Maya Hawke is an effective lead as O'Connor and her fictional variants. Wildcat will undoubtedly get the nepotism brand. That's not damning or insulting criticism in this case. Hawke has proven to be a versatile actress across different genres, from the arthouse eccentricity of Asteroid City to the big-budget popularity of Stranger Things . She has good chemistry with Linney. You empathize with her as lupus ravages O'Connor's body and soul . Yes, another actress could have played the part. But she's not a weak link and deserves respect for an engaging performance.

Exclusive: Maya Hawke and Rupert Friend Frolic in Asteroid City

Flannery O'Connor was a remarkable but conflicted woman who achieved literary greatness in spite of a terminal illness that ended her life at age 39. Wildcat has an abundance of talent in front and behind the camera. It's obvious that everyone involved in the film was passionate about her life and writing. What's missing is a more measured approach that incorporates the fantasy elements without letting them dominate the runtime. That would have eased a sluggish delivery and bolstered the dramatic impact.

Wildcat is a production of Renovo Media Group, Good Country Pictures, and Under the Influence Productions. It's currently in limited theatrical release with nationwide expansion on May 10th.

The Walking Dead: Dead City Review: A Surprisingly Good Redemption

Negan and Maggie team up on a dangerous mission to Manhattan in this genuinely good Walking Dead spin-off series.

Does The Walking Dead need another show? That may be the first question people consider ahead of The Walking Dead: Dead City . After all, there's been Fear the Walking Dead, World Beyond, Tales of the Walking Dead , and the original series, which concluded less than a year ago in its 11th season (with what some may call diminishing returns). Let's be honest, it's a lot of TV shows about zombies .

But The Walking Dead has never really been about zombies, has it? It could be zombies, a pandemic, a natural disaster — whatever the case, the franchise is a study of humanity 'after the fall,' a meditation on the politics of communities, and an exploration of the human condition in states of crises. It's about people — the real antagonists — not zombies.

That's what makes Dead City and a couple of other upcoming series, Rick & Michonne and Daryl Dixon , arguably more interesting than anything else since the first few seasons of The Walking Dead . These new shows are focusing directly on individual characters with a great deal of intimacy (and not a little fan service).

Dead City mainly focuses on Negan and Maggie, who already had one of the more emotionally interesting relationships in the original series. Yes, Dead City suffers from several of the same problems that plagued The Walking Dead , and yes, it can be pretty silly and illogical (really, what else would anyone expect?), but it is probably the best thing to come out of this franchise in years.

A Little Ditty About Maggie and Negan

If you're unfamiliar with The Walking Dead , this new series probably isn't the best starting point. Even if the six-episode Dead City introduces us to a range of new characters, there is simply too much history between the two main ones that newcomers will likely not receive the brunt of the show's emotional impact. But for fans of the franchise, and fans of the wonderful Negan character ( played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan ), Dead City will be a delightful continuation, even if the original show created a pretty complete arc for him.

See, we all have bad in us, but Negan had a little more. He was a cult-like kingpin whose intimidation and menace created an empire and kept hundreds of people alive after the zombie apocalypse, while hurting and killing countless others. The original series does a great job of detailing Negan's wickedness, his downfall, his dawning self-awareness, and his attempts at some kind of redemption. He killed Maggie's husband, but by the end of The Walking Dead , he's weeping and apologizing to her for the monster he has been.

Related: The Walking Dead Cast and Character Guide

Dead City finds Maggie seeking out Negan's help — in a weirdly Seven Samurai type of situation, her farming community has been raided with the threat of repeated raids, and her son, Hershel, has been taken hostage. She needs Negan, and Negan needs to evade the rabid law enforcement that's on his tail. Maybe he feels guilty, maybe he has a death drive, or maybe it's just convenient plotting, but he tags along with Maggie and heads to Manhattan to find 'The Croat' (a deliciously over-the-top Željko Ivanek, the highlight of the series).

New Characters, Two Stars

Complications ensue and not all is what it seems, of course. Trailed by a tough marshal, Perlie Armstrong ( Friday Night Lights ' Gaius Charles), Negan and Maggie navigate the infested Manhattan, which seems to harbor The Warriors -style gangs. One thing leads to another, and they're embedded in one group and being hunted by another.

An abundance of new characters enter here, such as Amaia (Karina Ortiz) and Tommaso (Jonathan Higginbotham), leaders of the ultimately friendly gang Negan and Maggie find themselves working alongside. None of them are terribly interesting, unfortunately, and no matter how many clumsy monologues are given by new characters, it's hard to become attached to any of them, really, except for The Croat. He's disturbing and villainous, sure, but he's entrancing, a little pathetic, and wonderfully fleshed-out, thanks mostly to Ivanek, who is incredible.

Related: Fear the Walking Dead: How the Series Is Different From The Walking Dead

Lauren Cohan returns as Maggie Rhee, and the camera is in love with her. There are myriad shots which simply linger on her reactions, her suspicious eyes, her listening face as she takes in what's happening offscreen, and they go a long way in making this character more mesmerizing than she should be. Cohan is a great actor, but not great at Southern accents, and it gets a little awkward here. It's simply more interesting to watch her silently react than command the room with words and gestures.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan Is Redeeming Negan

Dean Morgan is also back as Negan Smith, and is arguably better than ever. He can't help but dominate nearly every scene he's in, even if the dialogue is patently worse than the first few seasons of the original series. Dead City ultimately feels like his story, using The Croat and his Manhattan operation as an analogue to Negan's worst self. Now that he's supposedly evolved and changed for the better, can Negan see the harm that The Croat is doing? Can he recognize himself in the bad guy? Will he succumb to his old nature and stronger devils?

Throughout its six quick, easily bingeable episodes, Dead City sets up an ethical labyrinth, and Negan is in the center. Of course the show would be about him and Maggie — Maggie is the ultimate remainder, the leftover proof that Negan was an awful person, and his quest with her is akin to Orpheus trying to escape hell with Eurydice.

The ending is a bit anticlimactic in terms of the fun action set pieces the series executes in every other episode, but thematically, it's absolutely perfect. Perhaps it should've ended there with solidity, but this is The Walking Dead ; if Dead City does well, viewers will likely get eight more seasons. They're not needed, and it would've been nice to see this spin-off end with some finality, but instead, it explicitly suggests a second season. It's a bit of a tease, and if it wasn't so symbolically perfect, it'd be upsetting.

As it stands, we have the best elements of The Walking Dead in this new show, but also just a few of the worst (too many characters, confusing editing, comically over-the-top violence that is more laughable than disturbing). With just six episodes, though, it doesn't outstay its welcome and uses its time wisely. The odds are good for this one.

The Walking Dead: Dead City will premiere Sunday, June 18 at 9:00pm ET on AMC and AMC+, with five more episodes airing each subsequent Sunday. You can check out the trailer below:

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A recent post on the Music Network of Maine Facebook page by singer-songwriter Anni Clark about an upcoming show.

Maine music fan and guitarist John Perry started the Music Network of Maine Facebook page about a decade ago. It’s described as a place for videos, photos and events involving Maine musicians and shows in the state.

On any given day, you can see anywhere from a handful to dozens of posts about upcoming performances by musicians and bands happening at venues all over the state.

Singer-songwriter Anni Clark is an active contributor, and her most recent post shared info about a May 9 show in Westbrook. Another recent post had details about a Fleetwood Mac tribute show scheduled for May 18 in Bath.

Account: Music Network of Maine

Platform: Facebook

Followers: 12,700

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Solar Storm Intensifies, Filling Skies With Northern Lights

Officials warned of potential blackouts or interference with navigation and communication systems this weekend, as well as auroras as far south as Southern California or Texas.

By Katrina Miller and Judson Jones

Katrina Miller reports on space and astronomy and Judson Jones is a meteorologist.

A dramatic blast from the sun set off the highest-level geomagnetic storm in Earth’s atmosphere on Friday that is expected to make the northern lights visible as far south as Florida and Southern California and could interfere with power grids, communications and navigations system.

It is the strongest such storm to reach Earth since Halloween of 2003. That one was strong enough to create power outages in Sweden and damage transformers in South Africa.

The effects could continue through the weekend as a steady stream of emissions from the sun continues to bombard the planet’s magnetic field.

The solar activity is so powerful that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which monitors space weather, issued an unusual storm watch for the first time in 19 years, which was then upgraded to a warning. The agency began observing outbursts on the sun’s surface on Wednesday, with at least five heading in the direction of Earth.

“What we’re expecting over the next couple of days should be more significant than what we’ve seen certainly so far,” Mike Bettwy, the operations chief at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, said at a news conference on Friday morning.

For people in many places, the most visible part of the storm will be the northern lights, known also as auroras. But authorities and companies will also be on the lookout for the event’s effects on infrastructure, like global positioning systems, radio communications and even electrical power.

While the northern lights are most often seen in higher latitudes closer to the North Pole, people in many more parts of the world are already getting a show this weekend that could last through the early part of next week.

As Friday turned to Saturday in Europe, people across the continent described skies hued in a mottling of colors.

Alfredo Carpineti , an astrophysicist, journalist and author in North London, saw them with his husband from the rooftop of their apartment building.

“It is incredible to be able to see the aurora directly from one’s own backyard,” he said. “I was hoping to maybe catch a glimpse of green on the horizon, but it was all across the sky in both green and purple.”

Here’s what you need to know about this weekend’s solar event.

How will the storm affect people on Earth?

A geomagnetic storm watch or warning indicates that space weather may affect critical infrastructure on or orbiting near Earth. It may introduce additional current into systems, which could damage pipelines, railroad tracks and power lines.

According to Joe Llama, an astronomer at Lowell Observatory, communications that rely on high frequency radio waves, such as ham radio and commercial aviation , are most likely to suffer. That means it is unlikely that your cellphone or car radio, which depend on much higher frequency radio waves, will conk out.

Still, it is possible for blackouts to occur. As with any power outage, you can prepare by keeping your devices charged and having access to backup batteries, generators and radio.

The most notable solar storm recorded in history occurred in 1859. Known as the Carrington Event, it lasted for nearly a week, creating aurora that stretched down to Hawaii and Central America and impacting hundreds of thousands of miles of telegraph lines.

But that was technology of the 19th century, used before scientists fully understood how solar activity disrupted Earth’s atmosphere and communication systems.

“That was an extreme level event,” said Shawn Dahl, a forecaster at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. “We are not anticipating that.”

Unlike tornado watches and warnings, the target audience for NOAA’s announcements is not the public.

“For most people here on planet Earth, they won’t have to do anything,” said Rob Steenburgh, a space scientist at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.

The goal of the announcements is to give agencies and companies that operate this infrastructure time to put protection measures in place to mitigate any effects.

“If everything is working like it should, the grid will be stable and they’ll be able to go about their daily lives,” Mr. Steenburgh said.

Will I be able to see the northern lights?

It is possible that the northern lights may grace the skies this week over places that don’t usually see them. The best visibility is outside the bright lights of cities.

Clouds or stormy weather could pose a problem in some places. But if the skies are clear, even well south of where the aurora is forecast to take place, snap a picture or record a video with your cellphone. The sensor on the camera is more sensitive to the wavelengths produced by the aurora and may produce an image you can’t see with the naked eye.

Another opportunity could be viewing sunspots during the daytime, if your skies are clear. As always, do not look directly at the sun without protection. But if you still have your eclipse glasses lying around from the April 8 event, you may try to use them to try to spot the cluster of sunspots causing the activity.

How strong is the current geomagnetic storm?

Giant explosions on the surface of the sun, known as coronal mass ejections, send streams of energetic particles into space. But the sun is large, and such outbursts may not cross our planet as it travels around the star. But when these particles create a disturbance in Earth’s magnetic field, it is known as a geomagnetic storm.

NOAA classifies these storms on a “G” scale of 1 to 5, with G1 being minor and G5 being extreme. The most extreme storms can cause widespread blackouts and damage to infrastructure on Earth. Satellites may also have trouble orienting themselves or sending or receiving information during these events.

The current storm is classified as G5, or “extreme.” It is caused by a cluster of sunspots — dark, cool regions on the solar surface — that is about 16 times the diameter of Earth. The cluster is flaring and ejecting material every six to 12 hours.

“We anticipate that we’re going to get one shock after another through the weekend,” said Brent Gordon, chief of the space weather services branch at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.

Why is this happening now?

The sun’s activity ebbs and flows on an 11-year cycle, and right now, it is approaching a solar maximum. Three other severe geomagnetic storms have been observed so far in the current activity cycle, which began in December 2019, but none were predicted to cause effects strong enough on Earth to warrant a watch or warning announcement.

The cluster of sunspots generating the current storm is the largest seen in this solar cycle, NOAA officials said. They added that the activity in this cycle has outperformed initial predictions .

More flares and expulsions from this cluster are expected, but because of the sun’s rotation the cluster will be oriented in a position less likely to affect Earth. In the coming weeks, the sunspots may appear again on the left side of the sun, but it is difficult for scientists to predict whether this will cause another bout of activity.

“Usually, these don’t come around packing as much of a punch as they did originally,” Mr. Dahl said. “But time will tell on that.”

Jonathan O’Callaghan contributed reporting from London.

An earlier version of this article misstated the radio frequencies used by cellphones and car radios. They are higher frequencies, not low.

How we handle corrections

Katrina Miller is a science reporting fellow for The Times. She recently earned her Ph.D. in particle physics from the University of Chicago. More about Katrina Miller

Judson Jones is a meteorologist and reporter for The Times who forecasts and covers extreme weather. More about Judson Jones

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