A few absolutely sure things to expect from a modern Paul W.S. Anderson film: shoddy visuals, choppy storytelling, and Milla Jovovich trying her absolute hardest to sell the material. Despite the obviousness of these features, I was still hoping to fall in love with In the Lost Lands, especially being hatched from the mind of Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin. Barring The Final Chapter, Anderson’s Resident Evil franchise has some truly epic action/horror moments. Unfortunately, this poorly made fantasy/action flick fails on every level. Despite presenting unique roles for Jovovich and co-star Dave Bautista, the characters are as hollow and generic as the story surrounding them. Perhaps most glaring of all, In the Lost Lands struggles to find any real identity, borrowing heavily from better movies without bringing anything fresh to the table.
Boyce (Bautista, Knock at the Cabin, Guardians of the Galaxy) starts out narrating our story, promising a tale of witches, quests, monsters, and evil. Boyce also vows that there are no happy endings. In a world consumed by a great war, all that remains of humanity takes refuge in a single city. Anything outside this city is dubbed the “Lost Lands.” The powerful witch, Gray Alys (Jovovich, Resident Evil franchise, Zoolander), has been sentenced to death by hanging, as an example for what happens when the church has been betrayed. To no one’s surprise, Gray Alys finds a way to escape early on. The queen comes to Gray Alys with a special request: go into the Lost Lands, murder a shapeshifter, and bring back its power. Gray Alys has a special rule for those who call on her: “I refuse no one.” The captain of the queen’s overwatch asks that Gray not fulfill the queen’s quest, so she must also comply. But yet, she begins her quest to head into the Lost Lands anyway.
Thus, gunslinger Boyce and Gray Alys join forces, with Boyce being a hunter guide through the mysterious Lost Lands. What follows is a series of stale, slow-motion PG-13 action sequences, especially egregious given their bloodless nature. The cinematography also does no favors, mostly looking washed out or overexposed. Attempts at a gritty Mad Max aesthetic fall flat, crafting visuals more akin to a SyFy Channel original movie rather than a proper big-budget fantasy. How does an epic (and potential franchise-starter) with a $120 million budget look this poor? The predictable story does not line up with the typically reliable pen of Martin. How does the concept of a post-apocalyptic world teeming with witches, werewolves, and monstrous creatures misfire so spectacularly? The boring, lifeless world makes last year’s underrated Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga look like a flawless masterpiece in comparison.
While the character is underwritten, Bautista still has the natural charisma to make Boyce somewhat interesting. His stoic gunslinger vibe could have worked with better writing. As for Jovovich, she does what she can with the material, bringing her usual badass energy. Unfortunately, even she cannot seem to save the weak script or lackluster direction. The lack of a compelling dynamic between these two central figures means that at its center, In the Lost Lands automatically fails. There is no real ending either, presumably because the creatives are planning an elaborate series with which to properly carry the narrative to its natural conclusion. Pocked with plot holes and green screen overkill, In the Lost Lands wastes two great actors in favor of an overdone fantasy plot destined to vanish at the box office.
Pull out a map to navigate your journey In the Lost Lands, meandering aimlessly in theaters everywhere on Friday, March 7th.
