The Lost City Review: Bullock & Tatum Charm In Fun Old-School Adventure

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.

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.

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.

About The Author

Mae Abdulbaki
(1107 Articles Published)

Mae Abdulbaki is a movie reviews editor with Screen Rant. She previously wrote about a variety of movies and TV shows for Inverse, CinemaBlend, Pajiba, and The Young Folks, where she wrote reviews, features, news pieces. Her other work can be found at The Mary Sue, Film School Rejects, UPROXX, Heroic Hollywood, Looper, The List, and Bam Smack Pow, among others. Mae has also appeared on television segments, podcasts, and panels to discuss all things entertainment.

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