‘In the Lost Lands’ Review: Can’t Show Its True Magical Powers

“…Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson”. When seeing this, you can expect an entertaining, enthralling, video-game-like and extremely divisive movie featuring Anderson’s (Evil: The Final Chapter, Event Horizon) lifelong muse and wife, Milla Jovovich (The Fifth Element, Resident Evil). His latest film, In the Lost Lands, is no different, as it has a lot of style, action, and a world-ending story. However, will this feature be a truly epic genre film, or will it be nothing more than just another B-movie?

It might take thirty minutes or so to find out the answer to that question, but what immediately becomes clear, though, is that Dave Bautista (The Killer’s Game, My Spy) is pitch-perfectly cast. With a lot of charisma, grit and power, his Boyce announces that the viewer can expect a lot of death and destruction. If you’ve read the short story by George R. R. Martin, on which this work is based, then you know better than the average viewer what else awaits you for the next 101 minutes.

The filmmaker takes you to an unknown post-apocalyptic metropole that the last survivors inhabit after the world’s collapse. The Overload rules this major city surrounded by the dangerous ‘Lost Lands’, but even though he’s nearing death, his queen (Amara Okereke) is everything but the sad grieving wife. Instead, she carries on with a lover to plan his destruction. To do so, she calls upon the power of the witch, Gray Alys (Jovovich), who refuses no one and agrees to grant the queen’s wish by stealing the powers of a shapeshifter, allowing her to turn into a wolf.

This wish feels out of place because you never fully find out why the queen wants to become a creature of the night. Is it because it would give her the power to kill her husband without being noticed, to rule over the country after his demise or to keep her enemies at bay? This question certainly isn’t the only unanswered one because, throughout the film, more subplots, characters, and their motives are being introduced without many finding their true purpose. This certainly leaves you with more questions than answers.

Another reason why the queen’s intentions should have become clearer is because it would have given Okereke (Red Rose, The Choral) the chance to shine even more and brighter than her sparkling, extravagant clothes, and most importantly, also because her wish is the main driving force behind this feature. It’s why Alys sets off, with the help of hunter Boyce (Bautista), to the hellish ‘Lost Lands’ to reach a werewolf den. Throughout their mystical adventure through the darkness, desolation and dangerous lands, they not only have to face the limits but also major enemies.

Yes, you certainly get the promised massive amount of destruction and deaths, all surrounded by mystical worlds, darkness…and highly artificial-looking CGI. While there’s nothing wrong with an over-usage of green screen technology – especially if you want to create a fantasy world –the visuals look over-digitalised. Cinematographer Glen MacPherson (Monster Hunter, 16 Blocks) wanted to go for a Mad Max vibe – even more so because of the steampunk The Church and their eye-catching mode of transportation – but In The Lost Lands certainly can’t reach the same level as George Miller’s work. Because of the CGI’s fakeness, the action doesn’t become as immersive and transportive as it could and should have been.

Those over-the-top action-heavy scenes are both the feature’s downfall and strength. Every action scene you can think of is present. From two warriors jumping towards each other in slow motion during the ultimate battle to the traditional transformation scene and multiple explosions knocking people down to killings you see coming miles away, it’s all there.

The fact that writers Anderson and Constantin Werner (The Pagan Queen, Dead Leaves) resort to the well-known and multiple-used action to flesh out Martin’s story feels like an odd choice because, during certain scenes, it becomes clear that they can fully develop gripping action-packed moments that works. Scenes such as the gasoline-fuelled fiery one involving hideous mythical creatures and the one during which our heroes hang in a by a threat (or better said, zipline) certain breath new, entertaining and creative life into this work.

During those more inspiring moments, we also see Jovovich and Bautista excel. The former truly is up to the task as she rocks that wild haircut, the bad-ass fighting skills and the mysterious vibe hanging about her character. During the more touching scenes – which mostly happen towards the end – she shows that she can add the necessary emotions to a movie that mainly consists of action, adventure and witchcraft. While Bautista’s physicality certainly couldn’t have been further away from Jovovich’s, his performance is equally empowering, emotional and on-point. Sometimes, there are certainly some hints to his Drax (and Guardians in the Galaxy in general), especially when he combines his combat skills with humour at the same time.

While Jovovich and Bautista do try to make this film work with engaging acting—they even break the fourth wall—the lacklustre CGI and the many subplots prevent this feature from showing its true magical power.

In The Lost Lands is out now in US cinemas courtesy of Vertical Entertainment, while it hits UK cinemas on the 14th of March courtesy of Studiocanal