Land of the Lost

Many reviews for this will have you thinking this film is terrible, i'm baffled as to why this is the case. The fact of the matter is that this film is fun and well made.

To get some negatives out of the way first, its definitely got a few obnoxious crude jokes. It also could have been a bit funnier at times. But overall it definitely put me in a good mood, especially because I'm a huge Will Ferrell and Danny McBride fan. I love how Wll Ferrell can deliver such ridiculous lines of dialogue with a straight face.

Despite being a major Hollywood film, I felt like this film had heart to it and didn't really feel hollow. I know I had already touched on this before but I just don't think all the hate on this movie is justified. It's coherent from beginning to end, all the lines are delivered well and it's very goofy. Not to mention the cgi isn't half bad as well.

Overall it's definitely a fun movie with a few small flaws. Ignore all the hate and go into this with an open mind, not expecting it to be quite like the old TV show, and you'll probably enjoy yourself.

Following the discovery of ancient artifacts and crystals harnessing a unique energy, paleontologist Dr. Rick Marshall (Will Ferrell) and his newly appointed assistant Holly (Anna Friel) travel to the remote desert where they were discovered. Teaming up with Will (Danny McBride), who runs a roadside attraction on the land where the crystal was found, the trio gets sucked into another dimension. There, they are met by an array of items from years past; dinosaurs, slow-moving lizard men called Sleestaks, and their new friend Chaka (Jorma Taccone). Now they are in a race against time to get back home or end up lost forever.

In an adaptation of a popular television series, the writing team tries to put a modern twist on it. The world-building and production design are one of the high points of the film. Creating a baron landscape with touches of the past, present, and future, the design keeps the eye wandering. Although Chaka and the Sleestaks designs are from the original series, the make-up department did a phenomenal job of recreating the iconic characters.

This film has a lot of slapstick comedy elements. With Ferrel and McBride being great at comedic timing and improvising depending on the situation, the majority of what ends up on screen probably isn't in the script. Anna Friel plays the assistant turned love interest with leadership and a sense of urgency the other characters lack. Even the CGI T-Rex, Grumpy, becomes a great addition to the team.

This film was made when a lot of advancements in computer-generated production were happening and in areas it shows. While some areas appear seamless, others have you wanting that same look. It is most evident in green screen moments, which, unfortunately, there are a lot of them. Also, as likable as Chaka is, there are times when his character is a bit much and could be toned down.

The biggest downfall of this film is the source material. Since the series depicts and is geared towards families, many may go into this film with the same idea. However, this is not a family film. This film plays well as a slapstick comedy with high-end effects. While not being the blockbuster it was intended to be, Land of the Lost is a fantastic action adventure that should be enjoyed for what it is.

This film actually became a lot more fun when you get the DVD and hear the commentary. The film makers explain that they were getting ideas from old Hollywood films like Beneath The Planet Of The Apes (1969) and Mysterious Island (1961).

When they started making comments like that I was suddenly a lot more happy with Land Of The Lost (2009) and I understood where they were coming from with the movie.

Granted, some of the comedy scenes in the film are a bit over-the-top, but the retro look and retro costumes make this a fun ride for adults...I don't know about little kids?

If Hollywood does a remake of Land Of The Giants (1968-70), I hope they take it seriously.

Syd and Marty Kroft cash in one of their most popular franchises and almost strike gold. From the Saturday Morning age of the 70s comes the story of Marshall, Will and Holly on a routine expedition ...... well you know the rest. The classic story of a scientist from today trapped in a world of yesterday, teaming with cave men and dinosaurs. Now, with all upgrades (reboots, re-imaginings, remakes, whatever suits you), this one needed to be loyal to the original, but appealing to today's audience and those types of movie-goers who need everything to look absolutely real. Throw in some excellent comedy led by Will Ferrell, remove the family oriented group and jack up the special effects. There is also a hint of pop-culture and a strong urge to use more adult-oriented comedy, which is fine, as long as you don't over-do-it.

The new Marshall is in the invented and totally made up career known as Quantum-Paleontology, Holly is a student from Cambridge, who has followed Marshall's career and Will is a redneck loser who runs a tourist-trap cave. The first half of this movie was great. The comedic timing of Will Ferrell and the dialogue made me split my sides. The creative way that the group got to the Land of the Lost, paying homage to the classic theme song, introducing the characters that actually made the original TV show (Cha-Ka, Grumpy and the scary Sleestak), are introduced and handled quite well.

I think the reason I enjoyed the comedy and the way they handled the story, is the fact, that when you watch the original show, the acting is so atrocious, that you already think it is a comedy, so why not stay in that line, but update it to 2009. The movie moves along quite well, but due to a small string of ridiculous scenes, it begins to run out of gas as we approach the ending. I was worried that the film might go in a direction that many types of films like this do, but I was thrilled to see it all worked out. It was an enjoyable outing until the last fifteen minutes. There actually is logic to the story and the scenes, but the line is crossed too far sometimes, with too much silliness. It then kills an excellent grade and drops it to this.

7.5 (C+ MyGrade) = 7 IMDB

I could tell from the trailers that if you were not a committed Will Ferrell fan, or stoned out of your mind, that this movie would probably be trashed by the experts. You either find his absurd comedy funny or find it a senseless insult to your intelligence. For me, there were a couple times when I really laughed out loud (and I was sober as a judge), most of the time I simply had a smile on my face as I watched the master make a complete fool of himself - which is what Will Ferrell does. I read some of these in-depth critiques in utter amazement. I mean, really, what were you expecting to see? It is a very light hearted spoof of one of the most ridiculous TV series in history. Generally, I thought it was funny, we've been repeating some of the funnier, albeit, totally ridiculous scenes all day. I do strongly caution parents with children. When Will Ferrell says PG-13 he isn't kidding. Sexual innuendo and drug references are going to be quite uncomfortable for the prudish crowd.