by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
At this point in time, Paul W.S. Anderson is most known for his video adaptations, like Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil, and Monster Hunter. He and his wife, Milla Jovovich committed years of their careers to the Resident Evil franchise, and it has really defined them. Anderson’s films are not necessarily known for their quality, but for their wild vision (which is usually undercut by a lack of budget). And Jovovich isn’t known for her acting chops, but he can sell the physicality and look great doing it. Now, with In the Lost Lands, Anderson is tackling an epic fantasy/action/horror/adventure story from the mind of George R.R. Martin.
This film is certainly ambitious with its visuals, and its world building is exciting, terrifying, and bold. But I had a complex reaction to the film’s actual visuals. There is an obvious reliance on CGI and artificial screens, which leaves the film feeling wholly artificial. A few elements of the film feel truly tangible and real, and the specific style, with piercing light elements, as well as a fiery atmosphere, makes for some cool visuals. The crazy creature designs are standouts, even if the execution left me wanting more, due to cheap-looking CGI. Anderson does deliver some crazy, thrilling, slow-motion , and the production design and costuming just round out the experience so well.
On the flip side, the writing is considerably lacking. The simplest setup of a sorceress and a drifter heading into a terrifying land works. But that is not what Anderson and screenwriter Constantin Werner stick to. There are too many loose threads. When Jovovich and her costar Dave Bautista are not on screen, this film struggles to stay engaging. Outside of the dangerous and brutal cult of religious zealots that pop up a few times, all the supporting characters are one-note and completely uninteresting. There is not much to Jovovich’s character, Gray Alys — Bautista’s Boyce is by far the most interesting character, with an unexpected connection to a female character that adds empathy and depth. Unfortunately, a bold decision to turn this central dynamic upside down comes across desperate and misguided. The film attempts something shocking, but it only ruins the best character goodwill in the film.
Thankfully, Bautista is quickly becoming an actor to look out for, as he continues to deliver charismatic and engaging performances in all types of film. The role of Boyce is certainly The Dark Tower and The Dollars Trilogy coded, as Bautista channels a steely Clint Eastwood vibe. But he also has an intimidating and terrifying presence. There is brutality to him in action, but it is balanced well with a lot of charisma. A few moments provide a depth of feeling thanks to how expressive and vocal Bautista can be in his performance. But unfortunately, outside of her physicality in the action sequences, Jovovich doesn’t stand out from an acting standpoint. She has the look of a sorceress down, but her performance doesn’t feature a lot of dimension.
Bonkers. Visually arresting. Bold. There are plenty of adjectives to describe the overall atmosphere of In the Lost Lands. But there are plenty of unfortunate ones to go along with them. Messy. Scattered. Inconsistent. At times ugly. Bautista does his best to anchor this film, but a better version of film would have focused on the simple, instead of the convoluted and disappointing narrative.
Rating: Didn’t Like It
In the Lost Lands is currently playing in theaters
You can read more from Shane Conto, and follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd