"A beautiful film of the life of a brave explorer, with a few debatable changes."

Rating: 7/10 (12 October 2017)

JordanRossReviews: The Lost City of Z – 7/10 Rating: PG-13 | Family Friendly: No. 13+ | How to Watch: Streaming
Percy Fawcett's story was one I had no prior knowledge of, yet I found inspiring and adventurous as it was told through The Lost City of Z. I can't remember a film I've seen that began with the story of a cartographer, which I thought was an interesting call-to-adventure deep in the Amazonia. A story like this one stirs my explorer's spirit, but then quickly douses the boy-like fantasy as it reminds how dangerous these explorations could be.
Charlie Hunnam cast as the British explorer was a decision that was questionable to me, although I found out that Benedict Cumberbatch was originally supposed to play the role which would've have been much more fitting. I'm not sure if Hunnam is just too American, but his accent seemed a little unnatural. Although at times I thought he really sold the character, there were others when I felt he just wasn't the best choice for this role. I think he could handle the spirit of the character, but it was more of an issue with his look. Not the worst casting, just not the best. That being said, the casting of the supporting roles were great, and it may have just been me who took a moment to recognize Robert Pattinson as Henry Costin under that thick beard.
My favorite aspect of this film was the cinematography from Darius Khondji. Director James Gray made a decision to shoot with 35mm film which I enjoyed immensely. From Cork, Ireland and London, England to the wilds of the Amazonia the scenes were beautiful. Every shot was rich in color and had wonderful contrast. Gray had a vision that he executed with richness and beauty with Khondji. Although the decision to shoot with the 35mm cost the production an additional seven-hundred and fifty thousand dollars and logistical issues I think it was more than worth it in the end.
The largest issue I had with the film was the script. At times and certain scenes I thought the characters motivation and direction was clear, but other times I wasn't so sure. For example the obsessiveness of Fawcett in finding his lost city seemed under- explained. I wasn't sure of why he even called it the city of Z until I did my own research. For a man willing to leave his family and life behind he had to have more reason to go back to the dangerous amazon. Historically I found that the story of Fawcett was changed a lot, and Gray focused more on the characters then the actual adventure which gave me even more reason to want a more historically accurate tale.
The scope of the film was huge from the beginning and I think it was inspiring. In the end The Lost City of Z was a beautiful tale of exploration and sacrifice, yet could've held truer to the actual events. Even though I didn't agree with the casting of Charlie Hunnam it was a decent pick when Benedict Cumberbatch had to back out, although I still wish it was a British actor to take the role. The soundtrack was fitting with the amazing photography and the tale of such bravery into the wilds of the jungle rekindled my own sense of adventure. A challenging film to make and one that I'm glad I spent the time to watch.
FILM INFO: Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama, History Directed By: James Gray Written By: James Gray (Screenplay), David Grann (Book) Release: April 21, 2017 Runtime: 2h 21min Studio: Amazon Studios