Romance novelist Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock) gets kidnapped by billionaire Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe). She is taken to an island where her archaeological skills are needed to find a treasure hidden in a lost tomb. Sage's cover model Alan (Channing Tatum), mercenary Jack (Brad Pitt), and Sage's publisher Beth (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) try to come to Loretta's aid. This riff on "Romancing the Stone" and a few other Hollywood projects about writers shouldn't work this well. The screenplay credit is messy, but Bullock uses her impeccable comic timing to deliver. Tatum brings more to the "dumb guy" role than was required, Pitt should have had more fun with his pretty boy/mercenary role, and Radcliffe doesn't get lost in the shuffle. Harrison, as Sage's social media ambassador, steals her scenes from the name performers. Randolph is good, but like Pitt, I wanted more from her character. The Nee brothers' direction is heavy on technology. The color correction and lighting are harsh, and some of the special effects aren't convincing. The pacing has more fits and starts than my first used car, so when a running gag or set-piece lands, it's more successful than it should have been. Alan has a great scene with Loretta after she refers to her romance fiction as shlock, and he sets her straight about disrespecting the audience who loves her stories. I wish a few hundred Hollywood types, some of whom are in this film, would watch that scene, and then watch the scene again. Content Warning: Physical violence, gun violence, gore, profanity, nudity, some sexual references, adult situations, alcohol and tobacco use.

So this is Romancing the Stone, only it's Romancing the Stone where Wilder shows everyone all the time to make a statement that is really the same statement that every other movie has been making nonstop for the past 6 or so years, flopping as a result about, and then blaming the people who didn't go see it after they were told it wasn't made for them and thus realized it was going to be just like all the others. And it was. We have seen this so many times it spawned a cliche about going broke. The characters have no chemistry because they aren't supposed to be real people, they are supposed to be checked boxes interacting with other checked boxes.... yawn... like every other movie and TV show made in the past few years. The plot is boring because people have seen the movie it is blatantly ripping off of, and because of that, they have seen the plot work in a far better movie that doesn't put political statements above entertainment. In the end, it's another movie made to be another lecture about what you are supposed to think.

**The Lost City is a good time full of laughter but feels like a typical rom-com adventure that hits all the tropes.** The Lost City is a goofy adventure with shades of romantic comedy, much like Romancing The Stone back in 1984 but with the absurdity and the laughs cranked up to 10. The movie basically revolves around Channing Tatum’s hilarious reaction to every peril and danger. Sandra Bullock charms as always, and Daniel Radcliffe’s kooky villain entertains but the best part of the film is Brad Pitt’s over-the-top hero. His character is a gut-busting foil to Tatum’s attempts to impress Sandra Bullock. The Lost City has plenty of funny moments and laughs but feels overly familiar like I have seen it all in other movies. I enjoyed The Lost City and recommend it, but I wish it did more to feel unique than rely on Tatum’s wacky antics and Pitt’s uproarious cameo.