Before he become King Arthur this year, Charlie Hunnam was seeking out The Lost City of Z. The film is the courageous true story of British explorer Percy Fawcett and his efforts at the dawn of the 20th century to explore the Amazon in South America and map out areas and meet civilizations that had rarely been visited by a European before.
The Lost City of Z — out now on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital formats – takes us back to the beginning of Fawcett’s journey. He was haunted by a soiled family name in a society that revered little more than that. Fawcett climbed his way into the English society by taking on a mission to plant the British flag on soil that was inhabited by so-called “savages.” He did just that and as this story tells, did so in the most brave, innocently naïve and well intentioned manner that makes this true tale truly haunting.
The film arrives from director James Gray (We Own the Night) and also stars Robert Pattinson as Fawcett’s explore the jungle cohort, Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming) as his son and Sienna Miller as his wife.
It is a solid film with supremely sound performances all around, particularly from Miller, Holland and of course, Hunnam. They truly embody a family, especially of those times. It was a challenge, no question, to have a paternal figure who more than provided for his family, but the means with which he did so involved him being away for years at a time. Not to mention his constantly being in grave danger from vicious animals, disease and the locals. That ought to worry a clan about their dad.
Hunnam carries the film and in many ways makes an announcement with this particular role that he is a leading man of the highest order. The former TV star effortlessly shines in a two-and-a-half-hour story that finds him in almost every scene. Miller plays the pained and stretched-thin, but devoted, wife with a strength that she has perfected of late in roles such as American Sniper. Holland is currently enjoying the flair and fun of being Spider-Man, but history will look to this powerful turn in The Lost City of Z as the true moment his announced his dramatic prowess. His performance as the son seeking so much more from his father, and then trying to become him and the cost that requires, is mesmerizing.
As we stated in our theatrical The Lost City of Z review, the film is intense, moving and just a wee-wee bit on the long side. Interesting note: It almost made the cut of our Top 10 of 2017 (so far)!
When it comes to bonus features there are three featurettes and a commentary track by director Gray.
Given that the film is based on a popular book, diving into From Novel to Screen is what first compelled this reviewer. It is always the most fascinating of journeys to follow how the author’s written words becomes a screenwriter’s muse and how from there the story heads firmly into a director’s medium. This featurette is especially fascinating because there was such a rich source material that had to be a challenge to find what to keep and what to cut in order to keep it to two-and-a-half-hours. It sure helped that the screenwriter was also the director as then the vision of the final product is clear from the get-go.
Adventure in the Jungle takes into the heart of the crux of the film, and its rough and tumble landscape that proved to be an obstacle course for filmmakers to navigate. The viewer will get a fresh respect for the lengths all involved went to in order to shoot in the jungle instead of on a sound stage to amp up the reality factor and paying tribute to a legendary English icon.
Expedition Journal is just as it sounds it is, an almost play-by-play of what it was like to film on location and as we stated prior, how much that worked to adding layers of power to an already fascinating story.
Also a don’t miss, and might we recommend on subsequent viewings, is the commentary track by the man who is most responsible for undertaking this impressive cinematic endeavor, James Gray.
In the end, we wish there was more to the bonus features. Where’s a featurette on the real person? Just a thought…
Film Grade: B
Bonus Features: B