The Lost City of Z (2016)

A true-life drama, centering on British explorer Major Percival Fawcett, who disappeared whilst searching for a mysterious city in the Amazon in the 1920s.

Director:

James Gray

Writers:

James Gray (written for the screen by), David Grann (based on the book by)

Stars:

Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller

6 wins & 30 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charlie Hunnam	...	Percy Fawcett
Robert Pattinson	...	Henry Costin
Sienna Miller	...	Nina Fawcett
Tom Holland	...	Jack Fawcett
Edward Ashley	...	Arthur Manley
Angus Macfadyen	...	James Murray
Ian McDiarmid	...	Sir George Goldie
Clive Francis	...	Sir John Scott Keltie
Pedro Coello	...	Tadjui
Matthew Sunderland	...	Dan
Johann Myers	...	Willis
Aleksandar Jovanovic	...	Urquhart
Elena Solovey	...	Madame Kumel
Bobby Smalldridge	...	Jack Fawcett (7 Yr Old)
Tom Mulheron	...	Jack Fawcett (3 Yr Old)

Storyline

The Lost City of Z tells the incredible true story of British explorer Percy Fawcett, who journeys into the Amazon at the dawn of the 20th century and discovers evidence of a previously unknown, advanced civilization that may have once inhabited the region. Despite being ridiculed by the scientific establishment who regard indigenous populations as "savages," the determined Fawcett - supported by his devoted wife, son and aide de camp returns time and again to his beloved jungle in an attempt to prove his case, culminating in his mysterious disappearance in 1925.

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Plot Keywords:

jungle | amazonia | based on true story | based on book | explorer | 

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Taglines:

Based on the true story of one of Britain's greatest explorers.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence, disturbing images, brief strong language and some nudity

Did You Know?

Trivia

First feature length film for Ian McDiarmid since Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005).

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Goofs

At 1:35:42 a soldier can be seen bringing a cigarette up to his mouth, you can see that the cigarette has a white filter. Cigarette filters were not invented till 1925, nine years after the time period the film takes place in.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Nina Fawcett: [handing him the timepiece] The Brazilian gave me this to give to you. He said Percy told him you would understand. I have trained myself to be impartial to evidence, but surely... surely this is a sign.
Sir John Scott Keltie: Yes. I will have it examined.
Nina Fawcett: Thank you. That is all I can ask.

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Crazy Credits

Near the end of the credits, jungle noises resume.

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Alternate Versions

Originally rated R for "brief violence", the distributor chose to cut the movie to secure a PG-13 rating.

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Connections

References Apocalypse Now (1979)

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Soundtracks

Cosi Fan Tutte, Act I Finale, Eccovi il medico Signore belle!
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (as Wolfgang A. Mozart)
Performed by Sesto Bruscantini, Richard Decker, Albert Dohmen, Laura Cherici, Monica Bacelli, Marchigiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Gustav Kuhn
Courtesy of Naxos of America

User Reviews

Where No Man Has Gone Before

It's very rare in 2017 Hollywood that we get an epic like The Lost City of Z. Albeit noticeably flawed in many aspects, this film hearkens back to the days where exploration epics were a normalcy in the filmmaking world.

The strengths of The Lost City of Z lie with its unique journey the protagonist takes, and not necessarily with the protagonist or the film itself. What I mean by that is that I think the actual story the film is based on is more interesting than how the film portrays it. Sometimes biopics that span a great length of time are difficult to effectively portray on the big screen. Because 'Z' takes place over the course of roughly 20 years, it becomes increasingly tough to grapple onto something worth enjoying. Every time one of his explorations seems to get interesting, we get interrupted by his abrupt return to civilization and more family drama. Whether or not that's how the true story of Percy Fawcett went is irrelevant. Sometimes it takes some tweaking to make for an entertaining feature length film.

Charlie Hunnam plays Fawcett, an explorer who seeks glory in finding a mysterious city of people which has "never been touched by a white man". Fawcett himself is an interesting character, especially when the film dives into his own psychology and obsession over 'Z'. He's a lot like Matthew McConaughey's character from Interstellar, always searching for something nobody has seen before even if means leaving his family for years at a time. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why Fawcett isn't very likable. We constantly see him leave his family even though, with the exception of war, he has a choice in the matter.

There is something to admire about someone, or in this case multiple people, who keep searching for the dreams no matter the cost. Fawcett, along with a few consistent compadres, go on dangerous expeditions through the jungle to find what they think is a real lost city. The aspects of the film I enjoy the most are watching men go through hardships in search of something they truly care about. In this regard, the film is a fascinating exploration physically and mentally.

Aside from Hunnam, there are a few great performances from Sienna Miller as Nina Fawcett, Robert Pattinson as Henry Costin, and Tom Holland as Jack Fawcett. All elevating each scene they are in and making the journey worth it for sure. There's a lot this film does well, including making a lasting impact on viewers minds in terms of exploration, but the writing can be a little bit more polished with certain changes made to fit a movie and not just serve the story properly. There's a happy medium there that I think could have benefited the final product.

+The Story

+Brings back a lost genre

-Uncharismatic characters

-Uneven script

6.7/10

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English Portuguese Tupi Spanish German

Release Date:

21 April 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Lost City of Z

Filming Locations:

Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$110,175, 16 April 2017

Gross USA:

$8,580,410

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$19,263,938

Company Credits

Production Co:

Keep Your Head, MICA Entertainment, MadRiver Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

141 min 104 min (Mainland China Cut Version)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1