A deliriously madcap combination of laughs, guilty pleasures and jungle foliage, The Lost City is what would happen if Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom and Miss Congeniality conceived a love child on a Jumanji board.
Hollywood’s evergreen leading lady, Sandra Bullock, cuts a despondent figure as its troubled protagonist, Loretta Sage. She’s the author of a bestselling romance franchise that she’s no longer invested in. But after being pushed by her publicist Beth (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), Loretta reluctantly embarks on a tour to promote her latest book, ‘The Lost City of D’, with the novel’s heartthrob cover star Alan (Channing Tatum).
The Lost City becomes one big, messy, meta adventure when Loretta gets kidnapped by billionaire Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe) and is thrown into an adventure straight out of the pages of one of her books. Alan is soon adopting his fictional alter ego, Dash, with mixed results.
It’s what would happen if The Temple of Doom and Miss Congeniality conceived a love child on a Jumanji board
The next hour is a hilarious procession of flying fists, trashed charcuterie buffets and a scene-stealing cameo by a tousled Brad Pitt doing his best G.I. Joe impression. Bullock strikes up an unconventional, yet wildly entertaining will-they-won’t-they romance with Tatum as she trudges through the jungle dressed to the nines. Tatum is a joy as her water-allergic knight in shining armour, and the supporting cast bring laughs too.
If you’re looking for plot twists and meaningful messages about the preservation of ancient civilisations, you won’t find them here. But co-directors Aaron and Adam Nee’s decision to bet on star power over intricate storytelling pays off. For memorable gags and fun but wildly implausible plot lines, it’s a ride.
Out now in US and Hong Kong theaters. Out in UK cinemas Apr 13 and Australia Apr 14.