Review of The Lost City (2022) by Scryptkeeper — 27 Jan 2023

“The Lost City” is an interesting take on the classic treasure hunting story, as it presents itself as more of a freewheeling jaunt than a suspense-driven tomb crawler. While some moments of expected peril still persist, the film as a whole goes out of its way to assume a more subdued approach that fits with the characters and narrative.

The plot overall is concise and imaginative, though the climactic moments could have been stronger had a more serious outlook been utilized: an example of this would be the direction that was taken for the main antagonist. While their repercussions are negligible and vague, a more fitting demise that could have stemmed from their blind arrogance and drive for notoriety would have been more memorable.

The humor throughout the film acts as a good counterweight for the somber tones introduced off and on in the main character’s arch, and it lands decently overall. Minus a few gratuitous moments that could have been cut, most of the comedic output meshes well with the action and storyline.

One point of dissonance that unfortunately cropped up several times involved the poor build up and execution of moments dealing with the fate of a reoccurring side character. Twice, when two different supporting characters seemingly met their end, the story presented the scenes so abruptly that they felt jarring in contrast to what came before and after - A few wisecracks one moment and a visceral gunshot immediately after - While both of these scenes could have stood out positively and led to satisfying conclusions, they ultimately felt bizarly rushed.

In summery, “The Lost City” mostly achieves what it sets out to accomplish. It’s a lighthearted adventure that stumbles at times, but holds its viewer’s focus through clever plot, fun characters, and a heartwarming through-line of timeless love. While not the shiniest of cinematic gems, it remains a solid experience for anyone looking for a new adventure.