Review: 'The Lost City' is big, dumb, and a little fun

The Lost City
3 out of 5 Stars
Directors: Aaron Nee, Adam Nee
Writers: Oren Uziel, Dana Fox, Adam Nee
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Brad Pitt
Genre: Adventure, Comedy
Rated: PG-13 for violence and some bloody images, suggestive material, partial nudity and language.

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) – Synopsis: A romance novelist is kidnapped by a wealthy sociopath with a bruised ego because believes she knows the location of ancient treasure.

Review: The poster for “The Lost City” features Channing Tatum pushing a wheelbarrow containing Sandra Bullockwho is sitting on a chair dressed in a purple sequin suit with explosion acting as their shadows. Other cast members are haphazardly photoshopped into the flames. A medium sized Daniel Radcliffe holds a lamp (it’s daytime) looking intensely into the distance while giant Tatum and Bullock pose in front of an active volcano. It might have been designed by a 12-year-old on his iPad. That’s not a criticism. In fact, I salute everyone at Paramount Pictures for their ability to sum up the tone of “The Lost City” in the poster. It’s juvenile nonsense. The filmmakers know it, the studio knows it, and most certainly the scenery-chewing cast know it as well.

Bullock stars as romance novelist Loretta Sage who upon completing her new novel sets out on a promo tour. Her heart isn’t in it. The death of her husband has taken the wind out of her sails. She’s reclusive. Depressed. She’s annoyed by everything and everyone. Particularly Adam (Tatum), her cover model who has forgotten that the stories she writes aren’t real.

Enter Abigail Fairfax (Radcliffe), the self-consumed son of a media mogul who is deeply bruised by his father gifting the company to his brother. Abigail’s attention has been turned to finding a legendary crown. A crown that Abigail believes only Loretta, who worked the crown into her latest book, can help him find. Loretta isn’t interested. So, Abigail kidnaps her and takes her away to the island where he believes the crown is buried.

Adam feels like it is his job to save her. So, Beth (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), Loretta’s publicist, Jack Trainer (Brad Pitt). Adam begs to tag along. Nothing goes to plan. Not for Abigail, Loretta, or Jack. Adam doesn’t really have a plan. Not until everything goes wrong.

The first half of “The Lost City” is a little too dumb for its own good. The final act plays better, feels a little smarter. Maybe I’ve just warmed to the material. It’s always silly, occasionally funny, often a bit of fun, but isn’t on par with top-shelf Bullock like “The Heat” (or “Gravity” if you want to stray into her dramatic work). It works well enough even if it is all sugar and empty calories.