Tierras Perdidas

"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.

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" 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 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.

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.