The Lost City of Z

People who compare The Lost City of Z to Indiana Jones and refer to its hero as Indy's predecessor probably lack judgment, insight, or both, and a pinch of common sense. The film, from which I didn't really expect much at first, reminded me of Lawrence of Arabia in the best sense. It's a similarly impressive adventure spectacle, somewhat old-fashioned (sometimes in a meditative style reminiscent of Terrence Malick), superbly written (searching, finding, prejudice...) and also acted. I was particularly surprised by Robert Pattinson, whom I've only seen in a small role in Harry Potter so far, and who definitely has something to say to the film world. (04/25/2017)

An old-school tale that often hints at Spielberg's most ambitious works. Slow, consistent, directorially pedantic, with an emphasis on the exceptional atmosphere of the early 20th century and an extremely charismatic protagonist. A message of discovery greater than that of Medicine Man, and visually as brilliant as The New World – which it most resembles. In content, however, those films are incomparable, because Gray sticks to facts and tangibles and Malick plays on feelings, philosophising through the game of image and sound. The Lost City of Z is a slightly more conventional, middle-of-the-road film for people who don't mind lack of action in favour of a dense story, although the pace and rhythm are occasionally problematic. 2 hours 20 minutes is too long for the material and the chosen concept, and in the second half, after all the cards have been revealed, it feels rather monotonous. (11/13/2017)

A pretty appealing premise and a promising Charlie Hunnam, who made a decent name for himself after King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, but simply boring for my taste. On the other hand, if the whole film was set in the jungle with the cannibals, I'd find it much more entertaining, but once the story starts going home and back, it loses pace and my interest considerably. The production design is decent, visually it’s ok, but the slow pace and extremely long running time hurt the film. 55% (07/20/2017)

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)

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)