Flash Movie Review: The Lost City of Z
PEOPLE were lined up since 4 am. The line snaked around the museum’s front lawn. Some individuals had camping gear with them, which led me to believe they had been there since the day before. Everyone in line was upbeat and excited about the new exhibit that had opened at the history museum. From ancient Egypt the advertisements for this show stated the artifacts were nothing like anything on display before; they were in pristine condition, only discovered recently from a king’s tomb. The local newspapers showed photos of the long lines which is why we decided to get to the museum so early; at least we thought it was an early time, but there were a lot of people who thought the same thing. We finally entered the exhibit at 11 am and our agonizing wait quickly faded from our minds because the artifacts were all glowing in their temperature controlled glass cases. The craftsmanship was incredible, with such fine details; you would have thought they were recent copies loaned from the souvenir shop. THOUGH that exhibit was a long time ago, I still can see many of those objects clearly in my mind. It is fascinating to me how a society from centuries ago can create such incredible objects. Some people may consider ancient civilizations primitive; but I feel one has to take into consideration what was available at the time. These days we have 3D printers making things for us, but back then what did they have, a chisel and hammer? There have been times where I noticed an underlying prejudice of a person or group solely based on their ethnicity from someone who believes they are enlightened. They do not overtly show it but you can see or hear it in the way they communicate; there is a disdain or dismissive quality to their tone. If I am not making much sense then please watch this lush film based on a true story to see what I mean. DISCOVERING what he believed to be proof of an unknown ancient society deep in the Amazon Percy Fawcett, played by Charlie Hunnam (Pacific Rim, Sons of Anarchy-TV), set out to convince the naysayers back home in England. This film festival winner also starred a nearly unrecognizable Robert Pattinson (Water for Elephants, The Twilight Saga franchise) as Henry Costin, Sienna Miller (Burnt, Foxcatcher) as Nina Fawcett and Tom Holland (Locke, The Impossible) as Jack Fawcett. Set in the 1920s this movie had richness similar to director Werner Herzog’s (Fitzcarraldo; Aguirre, the Wrath of God) movies. The story unfolded in a quiet deliberate pace, almost to the point of boredom early on; however, the more the actors moved deeper into the story the more interesting it became. I thought Charlie and Robert stood out in their roles. On one level I sat in my seat in a bewildered state trying to understand how Percy could undertake such a challenging task. It felt like I was being propelled back in time; the directing and cinematography lent itself to this feeling. Another aspect I admired was the sense of respect presented in the script; something that I feel is lacking in these present times. This was like watching one of those old fashioned flicks, letting the setting contribute to the narrative. Though I felt this picture could have used a touch more editing, I walked away with a new respect for the men and women who sacrificed to bring to light the accomplishments of mankind.
3 stars
Posted on May 4, 2017, in Drama and tagged 3 stars, action, adventure, amazon, based on a true story, biography, charlie hunnam, drama, edward ashley, film festival winner, robert pattinson, sienna miller, tom holland. Bookmark the permalink. 14 Comments.
Based on the trailer, it seems the movie mostly takes place in various degrees of darkness.
It does have a grayish hue but as i watched the trailer I don’t remember it being that dark.
Not that dark.
I was wondering if I missed your review of the new King Arthur movie.
No you have not; the movie is coming out here this upcoming weekend. I am curious to see this one because by the trailers it does not look like a typical film from that era.
Thank you for stopping by.
Saw The Circle tonight. Tom Hanks a given.
Thank you for telling me.
Good one mate. : )
Thank you Asif.
It really didn’t seem that dark to me ‘lividemerald”.
I was wishing at one point that he would take his wife with him. What an amazing woman though, always waiting and supporting him, but jealous at the same time. Such were the times. The end was sad, yet inspiring. Man is a curious creature, always venturing out, exploring and challenging one self. Granted, we can only speculate on some of it, but still…
To be honest, I left wanting to know more. What happened next?
Hmmmmmm
I recognized Robert right off though I questioned myself because he seemed so hairy and old. I don’t usually wait for credits but did this time to verify. All I can say is “wow”
I don’t know what happened next since this was my first exposure to this true story. I think there is a book that might go into more details.
I agree with you about his wife; what an incredibly strong person. As always thank you for the comments.
Over the centuries, the white man’s quest for lost cities in South America has brought suffering and destruction to its indigenous peoples. Their fight, against loggers and miners, to hold onto their lands continues to this day.
I can only imagine Rosaliene. If I am not mistaken I have heard the Amazon forest is shrinking due to man’s destructive ways.
Thank you for your comments.
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