Review of The Lost City of Z (2017) by Sheena P — 24 Jul 2018

Here's another book adaptation based on true events. The leads are a fairly young bunch. Sienna Miller as Fawcett's wife is at first presented as an equal in intelligence, but after a couple bits of dialogue to check the proto-feminist box, she is still forced to remain in the domestic role of mother.

Late in the movie when Fawcett's son (Tom Holland) has grown up, the father son dynamic on yet another journey to the Amazon jungle is well portrayed, but nothing new. Robert Pattinson (along with tween Twilight franchise costar Kristen Stewart) does seem to be picking surprising roles in indie projects in order to avoid the burnout from repeated big budget special effects driven spectacles.

Here in wilderness man mode he is barely recognizable, which allows him to completely serve the character and story. Charlie Hunnam is a popular young actor on the rise. He is attractive. I'm guessing with the work he's been getting that he professionally shows up on time, hits his marks, and says his lines without trouble.

Unfortunately his acting is not strong in this lead role as Percy Fawcett. His expressions are usually quite blank. The era of the early Twentieth century in Britain is brought to life well. Set during the height of "the empire on which the sun never sets," Imperial explorers are a source of exciting adventure, but also terrifying danger especially from the mostly uncharted South American jungles.

This has some similarities to the Columbian film Embrace of the Serpent from 2015. The people who finance the expeditions back home are portrayed as the real racists who believe all South Americans are savages, while Fawcett is portrayed as this progressive minded person who believes there was a lost high civilization in the Amazon before Europe invaded for resources.

Fawcett treats the indigenous people he meets on his multiple expeditions with patience and respects their customs as much as he can. He searches for proof of this lost city that will make him respected in Britain with the same zeal that Conquistadors had once searched for gold or a fountain of youth.

If you are at all knowledgable about history you will likely have doubts that he was really such a heroic guy. Eventually he becomes too cocky in his ability to navigate the jungles and negotiate peacefully with the natives.

The ending has a truthful unhappy note that goes against other classic adventure tales like this from back when the studio system was controlling the stories told.