Director: Brad Siberling
Starring: Will Ferrell, Anna Friel, Danny McBride
Year: 2009
Sometimes a fun idea just fails to find an audience, and that describes Land of the Lost if we’re being nice to it; if we’re being mean, it’s a certified shitshow. I watched the series when I was younger; it was cool, interesting, fantasy-driven, kinda scary in an enjoyable way, and did seem like it would make a good movie. Well, give them credit for trying, but give them hell for getting every single idea & choice wrong. Simply put, this film is horrific, and deserves all the blasting it’s ever gotten.
Dr. Rick Marshall believes that there are universes where past, present, and future collide, and that it’s possible to reach these universes, using a device that he is going to build. No one believes him, he’s laughed out of the scientific community, and years later he’s depressed, alone, and has given up. But fellow potential-explorer Holly Cantrell believes in him, and with her help he finally creates his machine, allowing the pair (and a random trashy guy named Will) to travel to this magical nexus point. But getting home again will be much harder, especially with dinosaurs & aliens to contend with.
Will Ferrell is a comedic legend, but his comedy doesn’t always work, especially when he’s left completely on his own. That’s the case here, as Land of the Lost relies solely on his being funny, without a hand from anyone else involved. The direction & writing are awful, the story is all over the place, and rarely makes any sense. Then there’s Friel, who is completely forgettable, and McBride, who just might qualify as the least amusing person on the planet. I hate him, he sucks, and he ruins Ferrell whenever he manages to be slightly humorous. This is a ride you do not want to be on, an unfunny, unfocused nightmare of the movie that embarrasses its source material and its entire crew.
My rating: ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆