The Lost City of Z

Major Fawcett was no Dr. Jones, but it wasn't until the second half that I realized I was watching an unconventional "based on a true story," film because something so old-world, so austere, and yet so nourishing in terms of audience enjoyment would not have been approved by any legitimate producer, even if it cost a mere 30 million. Unfortunately, it didn't make even a third of that, and since Hollywood is ruled by accountants, I'm a little worried about the blue-eyed blond Hunnam, who (in Czech movie theaters) gave two diametrically opposed charismatic performances in the space of a month. It's really too bad because it deserves a stronger audience response if only for the darkened atmosphere, the focused and careful direction, and the very unobtrusive glosses of the period. (08/02/2017)

Just don’t expect another Indiana Jones. The Lost City of Z is not big-screen adventure fun (like the recent unremarkable Kong), but an almost intimate drama about a dreamer who would like to be a good husband and father, but he is driven onward by his endless determination to discover hidden worlds. The movie’s characters and atmosphere are nice, as is spirit of the story. There’s no annoying digital crap, but no really exciting scenes either. Charlie Hunnam is good; as the producer, Brad Pitt is turning him into his younger successor. Incidentally, what is it with Brad Pitt and the letter Z? (04/19/2017)

A journey that does not lead along any seemingly clear paths. It is not a tale of adventure, but neither is it a detailed study of jungle turmoil, fortunately. Fawcett and Costin may have attempted both directions, and yet they are described in a completely different spirit. One where the main focus is on their own determination, the search for a life goal, and not losing sight of that goal no matter the sacrifices. The result is that increasingly rare phenomenon of an honest epic film, which takes as much time as it needs to reach its point. Its only (but easily visible) mistake is that it takes at least half an hour more than necessary to fit everything precisely. (04/10/2020)

I admit that I enjoy similar movies to this one. Ones that are elaborate, technically precise with great camera work and soundtrack, and that attempt to convey a message while providing space for the viewer's imagination. The Lost City of Z is a film about human courage, the desire for knowledge, and the obsession to achieve a set goal. It tells a story from a time when explorers had to be adventurers and men, and when it truly mattered to push one's limits and consciously calculate that one might be saying goodbye to loved ones for the last time. In terms of genre, it combines adventure spectacle (without the beloved action and fantasy elements) with the biographical story of Major Fawcett, whose task was to map the region known as the "green hell" in the Amazon basin. A generation later, travelers were already using planes and motorboats, while Percy Fawcett resembled the renowned 19th-century adventurers equipped only with a compass and immeasurable determination to fill the vast blank spaces on the map. I like The Lost City of Z because it is a mature film in every sense, making no concessions to family audiences or teenagers, and not relying on emotions and sentiments. If I had to dwell on something, it would perhaps be the film's idealism of Fawcett's relationship with indigenous cultures, which corresponds to the opinions of modern urban liberals of Euro-American civilization and does not fit into the mindset of the British officers raised with the civilizational superiority of the white man and the elitism of a member of the British Empire at the height of its power. The film also could have been more atmospheric in the Latin American part, with more focus on magical realism elements. There could have been more scenes like the expedition's entrance into the opera straight from the jungle or the hallucinogenic scene of being captured by an indigenous tribe. Nevertheless, I give it an honest 4 stars and an overall impression of 80%. (05/05/2017)

An adventure in the most crystalloid form. Mapping areas that civilization has not reached and looking for the legendary city of gold. The effort to adhere to reality at all costs here is amazing. Piranhas, cannibals, remnants of ancient civilizations and the jungle as the enemy and great loves too. The acting can’t be faulted. Hunnam is excellent, clever, and preoccupied leader type, Pattinson in a perfect role of an unshaved orator. The type of movie that resounds inside you and triggers your desire for discovery. (02/04/2018)