Tongues
are firmly in cheeks in this amiable adventure-comedy which sees game
performances and quality cameos deliver the laughs
In
this otherwise entertaining adventure-comedy in the tradition of romancing the
Stone, there are some great lines, game performances, mediocre CGI, and a
worryingly unfunny credits sting. Sandra Bullock stars as Loretta, the creator
of a novel franchise about a Lara Croft-style heroine who, with her lover Dash,
discovers thrilling mysteries in far-flung places. But Loretta has to deal with
the fact that her books are best-sellers thanks to Alan (Channing Tatum), the
hunky male model who always appears on the front covers "playing"
Dash – and now this temperamental, over-moisturised gym bunny gets to appear on
stage with Loretta on her book tours, preening and pouting like Magic Mike for
the adoring fans. But when an evil bearded British billionaire (Daniel
Radcliffe) kidnaps Loretta and takes her to a mysterious island because he is
convinced she can tell him about ancient treasure there, silly Alan has to
toughen up and be the swashbuckling hero he dreams of being, by rescuing her.
There
are some amusing touches and quality cameos, including one from Brad Pitt as
the (genuine) tough guy that they initially hire to find Loretta. Bullock duly
has a stunned piece of dialogue with him: “Why are you so handsome?” “My dad
was a weatherman.” There is also Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Loretta’s manager
Beth, who has her own adventure getting to the island to ensure her client is
safe.
This
is all amiable enough, with the all-important dimension of laughs: Tatum and
Bullock showing that they are smart enough to know how silly it is, and that
they know that we know that they know. There is also a very bizarre scene,
apparently inspired by The African Queen, in which Bullock has to pluck
blood-sucking slugs from Tatum’s rock-hard buttocks and is then reduced to
gibbering inarticulacy at the sight of his penis. I don’t remember Katharine
Hepburn doing this with Humphrey Bogart.
The Lost City is released on 15 April in
cinemas.
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