Unconventional, yet an all encompassing recount of the intriguing search for the Lost Cities of the Amazons

Rating: 8/10 (15 June 2017)

After coming out of the gates strong, but then slipping in terms of reviews I went into The Lost City of Z intrigued but unsure of what I would come out with. I must say I felt that The Lost City of Z was extremely fascinating and interesting, it is a well adapted recount of the life of Colonel Percy Fawcett. I found this film to be bold and tackles multiple themes in its long runtime of over 2 hours, a factor that may have caused the film to drag a bit yet I still enjoyed it quite well.
Firstly the cinematography was amazing, the crew has spent time shooting in the Amazons and there is a real payoff that can be seen in the final works, all the scenes filmed in the jungle was magnificent. The acting from the more minor characters such as Tom Holland as Jack Fawcett and Sienna Miller as Nina Fawcett were great whenever they are on.
But, I must talk about the two leads; Charlie Hunnam as Percy Fawcett and Robert Pattinson as Henry Costin. I really, truly don't get it. I do not get the Charlie Hunnam hate, I've seen this in the reviews for this film and also saw this for his role in King Arthur. I personally enjoyed his performance very much, in Arthur I found his charismatic and comedic whereas in the lost city he delivered quite well also, he manages the role quite well despite poor aging makeup (I finer detail that is a rather minor point). I felt that his emotions towards his family came through in his portrayal and I truly did not see him as a dull act.
Now, Robert Pattinson on the other hand was just amazing, and this was truly a surprise after being bored through the entirety of the Twilight saga. He plays this grizzled and experienced character of Costin impeccably and this came as such a surprise because the character looks nothing like Pattinson's usually perceived young and sexy image. A true sign that Pattinson can pull off much more complex roles.
So about the narrative itself which has been pointed out as poorly written I once again disagree, I found the story of the search for a hidden city extremely intriguing. The film deals with the theme of a questing adventurer quenching the audience's thirst for action and adventure but also tackles more profound themes also. It deals with the theme of obsession through Fawcett's undying need to find such a hidden city, to the point where it leads to the struggle between whether or not such a city existed at all. The film deals with the theme of 'the journey', the idea that the search/journey is more important than the destination and gave much character development and emotional development as the characters travel through the Amazons. There are themes of family, a man's duty, gender roles, the classic 'hero's journey' all sprinkled in yet all were dealt with accordingly and appropriately. It did not become a case where a film tried to encompass everything and end up in a mess precisely because of the extended run time and the expertly devised roles each idea played, none had too much of a presence to overtake the central theme of the film and that's why for me The Lost City of Z truly worked and is quite a masterpiece.
This is unconventional filmmaking, is is a bold move from director James Gray. I cannot say that it paid off for everyone but personally it worked for me and I enjoyed this fascinating adventure film.