User reviews

I knew going into this it was going to be bad. I love this type of theme but they always seem to screw it up with bad writing. Id love to finally see a good movie with this type of setting. I will say part of it I was entertained. Action, relationships, some twists and turns. When we left the theater, multiple people mentioned it didn't make sense. While it did to me, I get that viewpoint. Because it was weak when they were trying to be creative. It's a sleeper, and i don't suggest people use their hard earned money to see this. While it was beautiful and you could see they put in a lot of work, it just came out super flat with the story.

Watched at AMC on 3-6-2025.

I had high expectations for In the Lost Lands, given the well-known cast and the intriguing premise. Unfortunately, this turned out to be one of the worst movies I've seen in a cinema.

The film relies heavily on visual effects, but beyond that, there is little to enjoy. The storyline is chaotic and lacks clarity, making it difficult to stay engaged. The dialogue feels artificial-almost as if it were generated by AI-devoid of any real emotion or depth.

Milla Jovovich and Dave Bautista are talented actors, and their performances were solid, but even great acting can't save a movie with a weak script. A compelling story is the backbone of any good film, and this one simply didn't have it.

I can't help but wonder: Did anyone actually read the script before agreeing to this project? With such a high-budget production, featuring top-tier actors and elaborate CGI, it's baffling that the storytelling was so poor.

I'm giving In the Lost Lands a 5/10, solely because of the acting and visual effects. Sadly, without a strong narrative, it all feels like an empty spectacle.

2 out of 5 stars.

In the Lost Lands is a bad fantasy epic film that is based on a story from George Martin. Which the story is brief and lacking substance.

Pros:

The film is very fast moving. It's a Paul W. S. Anderson film which means it's going to be quickly paced. Plenty of action. And mindless entertainment. Well it is fast paced but it lacks every thing else in the film.

Cons:

It is one of Paul W. S. Anderson worst films in his history. The Three Musketeers had a somewhat decent entertainment value. I loved the Resident Evil films for what it was. And it was not much. It was plenty of entertainment. Even his Monster Hunter. In the Lost Lands is a film that is a combo of genres of gunslingers, westerns. And post apocalyptic. Mad Max with a bit of werewolves, witches and monsters. And a cult of church fanatics that went insane. Film was all over the place. It was just boring.

The visual effect were throughout the movie from sets and back drop. Creating the hazy, brooding atmosphere, and dark lighting. Film just felt like one big hazy dream. Lots of camera lens flares that was used for the tone of the film just felt like a cheap production.

The plot was fast and lacking development with the story. It was difficult to care for any characters.

The action sequences were disappointing. Paul Andersons worst films on handling the action. It was brief in most scenes. And lacking the entertainment value. The climatic fight with Werewolf and Witch was short and quick. It was hard to care for it.

Milla Jovovich and Dave Bautista were okay with there roles. The script had cheesy dialogue filled for there characters and lacking any depth for them. The villain was very forgettable and was just there to be the person chasing the characters throughout the film.

Overall, it was one bad film that action was boring, even the story and direction. It was shocking to see Paul Anderson slipping as a filmmaker. Which he does a great job in creating blockbuster entertainment. This fantasy film is not one of them.

Watching this movie with no sound would probably make it a better experience, as most of the visuals are striking and quite beautiful. The cinematography, the production design, the palette choices, the use of light and shadow are all great.

But the story is incredibly boring and nonsensical. The dialogue sounds like it was generated by a poorly coded AI. And all of the actors - including Bautista and Jovovich, both talented, charismatic performers - are reduced to delivering their lines as if the director asked them to intentionally sound wooden and forced, almost like a parody of a fantasy movie, but an unfunny, slog of a parody.

I would have walked out of this - a thing I have only done in the middle of only one other movie my life (the last "Terrifier") - if it were not for the fact that my wife fell asleep after the first act, and I didn't want to wake her up.

I would recommend that no one waste their time with this movie. If you're interested in the visuals, when it's streaming maybe play it in the background with the sound muted while you're listening to your favorite audio podcast.

"In The Lost Lands" sets the stage for an action-packed adventure, starring the duo of Dave Bautista and Milla Jovovich. Unfortunately, despite its promising premise, the film ends up being a muddled mix of contrasting elements that fail to deliver on its potential.

The movie attempts to blend light-hearted banter with fast-paced action scenes, but rather than complementing each other, these two elements feel disjointed. The interactions between Bautista and Jovovich are meant to bring an engaging dynamic to the screen, yet their relationship comes across as confusing and inconsistent. It's as if the film can't quite decide if it wants to be a buddy action flick or a more serious, high-stakes adventure. The result? A love-hate chemistry that never quite resonates.

The monsters featured in the film are a notable aspect, with two very distinct types making an appearance. However, while they could have added an exciting layer to the narrative, their presence doesn't feel fully explored or impactful. The action sequences, though fast-paced, seem to lack any real depth or excitement, leaving the audience somewhat detached.

The pacing of the movie is another point of frustration. For all the action and monster encounters, the film still manages to drag in places. Despite the thrilling backdrop, I found myself zoning out at times, wondering why the story failed to maintain my attention. The blend of humor, action, and monstrous threats should have kept things lively, but instead, it felt like a series of missed opportunities.

In conclusion, "In The Lost Lands" is a film that doesn't quite know what it wants to be. The relationship between Bautista and Jovovich offers a flicker of potential, but the inconsistent tone, lackluster action, and overall pacing make it a difficult movie to invest in. While it may appeal to those who enjoy lighter, more chaotic fantasy films, I found it hard to stay engaged.

In the Lost Lands" is not just a bad movie-it's a masterclass in how to take an intriguing concept and strip it of anything remotely compelling. Paul W. S. Anderson, the king of soulless adaptations, once again proves that he can turn even rich source material into a dull, lifeless, CGI-infested wasteland. This so-called "dark fantasy epic" feels more like a two-hour endurance test, complete with cringe-worthy dialogue, terrible pacing, and a story that stumbles over itself before falling flat on its face.

Milla Jovovich, ever loyal to her director husband, sleepwalks through the role of Gray Alys, a "powerful" witch who does absolutely nothing of consequence. Dave Bautista's Boyce is reduced to a grunting sidekick whose only personality trait is looking annoyed. Arly Jover's villain, Ash, is as generic as they come-another discount "mysterious antagonist" who seems to exist solely because the film needs a bad guy.

Visually, it's an absolute mess. The CGI looks cheap, the sets are empty and lifeless, and the action sequences-supposedly a highlight-are choppy, weightless, and completely devoid of impact. The editing is so erratic that it feels like the movie was pieced together by someone who had never seen a film before. The color grading makes everything look like it was shot through a dirty fish tank, and the soundtrack is as forgettable as the script itself.

The biggest crime of In the Lost Lands is that it's boring. There's no tension, no stakes, and no reason to care. It pretends to have deep lore but refuses to develop it, instead throwing vague fantasy jargon at the audience and hoping it sticks. Even George R. R. Martin's weak endorsement-saying it "captured his voice better than other adaptations"-feels more like a desperate attempt to salvage its reputation than genuine praise.

By the time the credits roll, the only real mystery is how this ever got made. A movie with this much potential should not be this awful. In the Lost Lands is a soulless, plodding, incoherent disaster that even the most forgiving fantasy fans should avoid at all costs. If you're looking for a dark fantasy adventure, watch literally anything else."

I had not watched anything from this 2025 movie prior to sitting down to watch it. But I figured that there was potential here, as it was starring Milla Jovovich. And I have to admit that the premise of a post-apocalyptic setting did seem mighty alluring.

But what director Paul W. S. Anderson delivered here was essentially just another "Resident Evil" movie, just without the T-Virus and the zombies. Or at least that the sensation and vibe I was getting from the movie, as the story unfolded and we got to know the characters. Yeah, Gray Alys (as Milla Jovovich's character was named in this movie) was essentially just a variant of the Alice character from the "Resident Evil" movies. Except for being a clone, she was a witch with magical powers, but the same fighting skills and also using the same weaponry.

The storyline in "In the Lost Lands" was pretty straightforward, although a bit of a strange mixture of many different genres scrambled into one. Sure, it was watchable and entertaining enough for the mindless action fantasy that it turned out to be, but don't get your hopes up for a stellar storytelling event here. I have not read the short story, from writer George R. R. Martin, that this movie was based upon, so I don't know how true screenwriters Constantin Werner and Paul W. S. Anderson were to the source material.

The acting performances in the movie were fair enough taking into consideration the material they had to work with. The movie does have some familiar faces on the cast list, with the likes of Milla Jovovich, Dave Bautista and Fraser James. Fraser James really stood out in the movie with his performance as The Patriarch. I am by no means a fan of Dave Bautista, and "In the Lost Land" didn't convince me otherwise.

What worked out the most in "In the Lost Lands" was the special effects. The CGI effects looks good and there were some nice creature designs, and the props and wardrobe departments definitely worked their magic quite well.

This movie is an odd mixture of multiple genres, and thus it was a little bit hard to fully get submerged into. But it proved to be fair enough entertainment for the mindless action that it was.

My rating of director Paul W. S. Anderson's 2025 movie "In the Lost Lands" lands on a five out of ten stars.

Worth a look on the big screen.

Enjoy this fantasy actioner for its cool visuals and strong lead actors. Story was good but nothing new.

If you like the director you will enjoy this and if not stay away it's not for you. He pull of all the trick for this and I feel it's his best work for a while.

Now the leads Milla is always on point and this no different love her work and good to see her back in the big screen. Now Dave was a surprise he is always good but in this I thought he was having a blast playing a kinda Clint Eastwood spaghetti copy from old. With cool lines and hard action.

The look of the film you will either love or hate I for one loved it cool visual and great set design.

Not everthing works some of the editing is odd and some idea left on the editing floor or never shot maybe budgeting issues i don't know.

But all in all if you like fantasy or post apocalyptic or even westerns go see this it's pretty darn good.

All I heard going into this movie were the words "werewold" and "witch" so I didn't really know what to expect.

What it turned out to be was a striking post-apocalyptic fantasy Western with gunslingers, double-dealing villainy and spectacular fight scenes and action sequences.

The story takes place in a ruined world where most of humanity lives in a single great city. The queen of this city approaches the cursed witch Gray Alys (Milla Jovovich) with a request - grant her the power of the werewolf. Because Gray Alys is unable to turn down any requests, she agrees and hires hunter Boyce (Dave Bautista) to take her into the titular Lost Lands to seek out the last remaining werewolf.

Complicating this quest is the fact that the Church which shares power in the city is determined to hang Gray Alys as a heretic, and the Patriarch of the Church sees an opportunity to take down the queen and sieze absolute power himself.

Needless to say, the church pursuit provides plenty of opportunity for Gray Alys and Boyce to blow away, gun down, and neck-snap an unfeasible amount of bad guys along the way.

It's a stunning film in parts, with a decent twist at the end. But the villains (especially the Church baddies) are so one-note and inept that I was genuinely surprised to find out that this is based on a George RR Martin story.

Still, all in all it's a fun ride for 100 minutes and it looks great on the big screen.

In the Lost Lands was honestly a big letdown for me. I went in curious-mainly because it's based on a George R. R. Martin story and stars Milla Jovovich and Dave Bautista-but it just didn't deliver at all.

The story felt all over the place. I never really understood what was at stake or why I should care about the characters. There were moments that tried to be deep or emotional, but nothing landed. The dialogue was especially weak-almost every scene felt like it was just dragging along with no real tension or impact.

Visually, I expected something more immersive, but the CGI looked cheap, and the world they tried to build felt flat and lifeless. Even the action scenes, which could've saved parts of it, were underwhelming.

By the end, I just felt frustrated. This had potential, but it ended up being a messy, forgettable fantasy film. If I had to rate it, I'd give it a 4 out of 10-mostly for the cast trying their best with a script that gave them nothing to work with.

I believe this is a 6-7 rated film if I haven't seen the ratings. I personally give it 8.

Something I really like about this film:

1. No sex content/ bad words, suitable for family watch.

2. Very good art style. A typical Paul Anderson film. As oil-painted style does not fit the space and star-filled settings in Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon series, it fits perfectlly right here.

3. A self-contained complete story, with no sequence(which is glad to see in 2025).

4. Mission-based plot with lots of location changes, quite fun to watch.

5. Enjoyable and well-suited OST.

I admit it's not flawless, but the low ratings here seems not justice to me.

I can't say that the movie was bad. The actors were OK, the visuals were OK, the action was OK, the story was ... kind of OK. Nothing was great, though. Milla is still stunning at 50, Dave is still fun, Arly Jover was good as the psychotic religious nut. If you want to see a movie made by the Resident Evil guy, with the Resident Evil gal and with Dave Bautista from Army of the Dead, but that doesn't feature zombies, this is the film for you.

Honestly, I think the problem was that this film could have been a lot better with a slightly tighter story. You have witches, werewolves, atomic monsters, post apocalyptic kingdoms ruthlessly ruled by an Overlord and a powerful Inquisition style Church and you have Milla and Dave. From all of the possible combinations of ideas with these elements, this is NOT the best. That's all I am saying.

Anyway, I watched it, I didn't hate it.

I was hoping this movie was going to be, at least entertaining.

The trailers give it so much promise, but that's where the good stuff ends.

It was all a bit... bitsy. Weak story, action was meh... it was a total disappointment. There doesn't seem to be any real chemistry between the characters never mind the actors.

The villians are all a bit lame, the acting half arsed and the direction poor. I normally like all kinds of movies... but I felt like I wasted my time If you want to be entertained. I would strongly suggest watching something else.

Oh there was 1 good bit to be fair.... think it's called "The End"

4/10 STARS - In the Lost Lands is based on a George R R Martin short story of the same name from 1982. Milla Jovovich stars as Gray Alys, a witch who has to grant the wish of everyone who comes to her, even though granting those wishes has unintended consequences for those who ask. She is sent by the queen to the Lost Lands to obtain the power of turning into a werewolf. Before embarking on her journey, Alys enlists the aid of a mysterious hunter named Boyce, played by Dave Bautista. Unfortunately, Milla Jovovich doesn't have the best track record for starring in quality films and In the Lost Lands is no exception. There were some things I did like about this movie: the cinematography felt like something that came from the pages of a graphic novel, similar in some ways to a film like Sin City. And the framework of the story itself is actually pretty solid. The issues are largely in the execution of the story, which probably would have been much better served as a limited series type of production for a streaming platform. Given the vastness of the world, the various characters involved, as well as the political and religious issues at play in the background, a film of an hour and 41 minutes doesn't give it enough space to make it feel fully fleshed out and satisfying, reducing most of the characters to almost clownish figures -- hollow shells of what could have been more interesting depictions. And with a rather hefty budget of more than 55 million, this film will have an uphill battle just to break even.

I knew it wasn't going to be great, so my expectations were set fairly low, however I normally like the genre and I like the cast so thought I'd give it a go anyway. How could they get it so wrong. George Martin should take his name off it, I know it's based on a short story but he shouldn't have bothered, Bautista is not a frontrunner for Oscar material but this script makes him more wooden than usual, and Milla can't save it either im sorry to say. The world in which it is set is depicted well and CGI is Ok but ultimately this is a mess from start to finish. Poor characters, poor script, poor direction and it really should have been a lower tier netflix/amazon release at best.

Bro, i got, what i've just expected. Paid 2$ for my homie Batista and Jovovich family. Twilight run, no one other in theatre, 2010 visial effects, Dave tries to act, Mila just tries something, no sure it is working but fine. Some views/frames or shots, usualy distant or basic look fine, 2 last transitions ok(with moon and days). Fights consists of cuts, somewhat dissapponting. Some effects of rocks look bad. I like the colour gamma, sepia type. The whole film makes impression like it should be released like 15 years ago or be like b tier entertainment in sense, that it should be like a game, maybe with some VR. If you expect any seriousness or anything that doesn't contain bull****, that you are wrong way. You know the film starts with absurd type ****, when someone just goes to Jovovich and asks her something, AND RIGHT AFTER THAT the other guy asks to CANCEL THAT WISH and witch agrees because( i know, here expect me to write "because f"** you" and not like you wrong) SHE ALWAYS AGREES. My god that was good! At least it was better than first version of Rebel Moon(but honestly it hard to find anything worse)

This is a post apocyliptic type story along the lines I'd Mad Max meets resident evil.

Milla Jovovich and Dave Bautista work together to help Milla, who is a witch, retrieve powers from a werewolf.

There's a bunch of workers forced into a religious cult mining pits who also want to be freed. And of course we have some cult leader baddies who want to stop everything and Milla's power.

They go on a journey together into the lost lands and come across some challenges along the way.

Both characters play their parts fairly well, it could easily have been a future entry for resident evil.

Easy to watch, nothing outstanding but good enough way to pass the time.

In the Lost Lands had all the right ingredients to be an exciting fantasy adventure-strong leads in Dave Bautista and Milla Jovovich, a promising world, and some genuinely fun twists along the way. Unfortunately, it never fully comes together in a satisfying way.

Bautista, as always, brings a commanding presence, and Jovovich delivers her signature action-hero energy. There are moments that hint at a deeper, richer world, and a few surprises that add some excitement. But the pacing drags, making it hard to stay fully engaged, and the story doesn't develop in a way that feels particularly compelling. It's not that it's bad, just that it never reaches the heights it seems to be aiming for.

That said, if you're a fan of the actors (which I am), there's still enjoyment to be found here. It's the kind of film that has its moments but ultimately doesn't leave a lasting impact.

Would I recommend it? Maybe-for die-hard fans of Bautista and Jovovich or those who just want a bit of fantasy escapism. But for anyone looking for a truly gripping story, this one might get lost in the shuffle.

I'll get to the movie but first what's up with extreme hate for it?

There is so much hate here for this flick. It's clear it's not advertised as a Oscar level 9 star movie, it's not claiming to be something jaw dropping, and should be received adequately. But why all the hate for this movie? Let's see... First off I think portion of the extremely low ratings are same people that 20 years ago loved the resident evil movie, ( many mention it in their reviews even) but now it's not that this movie is souch worse, probably even better tbh, but these reviewers are just old and their imagination and interests don't work the same way.

Other portion might be people that dislike the fact that church in the storyline is evil ( not that that's never been a reality, church never burned witches alive, have they? Lol of course they have, but y'all don't wanna admit it.. without getting into this delicate topic, I do think many people might have honestly disliked that part of the movie.

Next what bugs is that I'm sure may poor reviews are same people that rate 10stars for super hero movies.. well at least this movie has an original story and ideas, not another cliche comics story.

Ok so for the movie itself : it's a bit cheesy, the story is a bit jumpy, but it does have original ideas, got entertainment and great visuals.. Is it Mila y'all hated so much? Anyway, the movie if watched with the expectations of a 2 h entertainment is great. . I rated it 7(although I think it's a 6) just to make up some of unjustified hate. It's amazing that people watch this trailer but then complain this isn't a Oscar performance film..lol wtf?

Wonder if ist a hurd effect (shrug)

Set in a distopian future where a monarchy and the church dominate and oppress the masses, kind of like the dark ages, a witch (Jovovich) after escaping a hanging is asked by the queen (Okereke) to kill a werewolf and bring her his skin so she can become a shape shifter herself to go into the lost lands. The witch seeks out a guide (Bautista) to get her across the lost lands to get to where the werewolf hangs out. So they set off on their adventure while being followed by the church out for her blood. Sounds cool enough for a dark fantasy adventure film right? Oh God. Paul W S Anderson and his wife Yovovich need to stop with the same old tired crap. I thought I was watching a film from 2002. It's 2025 for crying out loud. The whole film is shot in green screen and the CGI is early 2000s. They spent 50 million on this apparently. Did the budget go on Mila's hideous wig? The plot is basic, the special effects look good in some parts and rubbish in most, Bautista is phoning it in, the bad guys are cardboard cartoon cut outs, zero personality. Yovovich does her usual muttering bad ass thing. The two leads have no chemistry at all. They also seem to ride on CGI horses, we only see close ups of their faces and far away shots of them on horses which is weird and cheap looking. It totally takes you out of what little there is to keep your interest and makes you laugh at it most of the time. I also think this is one of R. R. Martin's properties. Good God, he should have never have sold the rights to these clowns, Anderson and the producers. There are hints of a sequel at the end as usual these days but don't hold your breath.

In the Lost Lands may superficially resemble a Resident Evil film, but it's nothing like Resident Evil. It's a dark, brooding, gothic western/dark fantasy film. Courtesy of returning editor Niven Howie (no more Doobie White) the pacing is both very brisk yet every scene feels like it has enough room to breathe, room to brood. The atmosphere is immaculate. The film's violence, when it erupts, is incredibly brutal.

As an adaptation, I feel the marketing did a huge disservice because practically everything important from George R. R. Martin's short story is present, just fleshed out and placed into a framework where the film tries to make the central premise plausible. It's no wonder George liked the movie.

The film's supporting cast feel a lot more fleshed out than many PWSA films despite the lean 101 minute runtime. Supporting characters feeling undercooked has always been a problem for him, and here it feels like he avoids that issue. Dave and Milla both give excellent performances, Arly Jover is magnetically hateable as the film-original antagonist Ash, and the rest of the cast put in strong, memorable performances.

The visual design isn't really going for naturalism. I can see it being controversial, but I think the film absolutely achieves what it set out to do. A combination of incredibly well designed practical sets and bleak digital environments combine to produce extremely striking imagery. It's easily the most striking images of any PWSA film since Event Horizon. The word "heavy metal" gets thrown around a lot, but that describes this film.

The film's primary weakness is the execution of the ending, particularly the last few section. It tries to have its cake and eat it, too regarding the source material, and it gives off the impression of a film that had its ending reshot or otherwise adjusted in response to test screenings. However, the rest of the film is so strong that the slightly wobbly ending isn't enough to derail it.

In a lot of ways, the film reminds me of The Keep, a film PWSA is quite obviously fixated on. Incredibly bold imagery, a compelling electronic score by ex-Tangerine Dream member Paul Haslinger, and a weirdly abrupt and jarring ending.

I don't know how the wider audience is going to view this film, but I really liked it, and I think it will become a cult classic. There's nothing else like it. Some will compare it to Resident Evil, or Mad Max, but it's not really like either of them in its actual execution and tone.