Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Land of the Lost



Land of the Lost falls in the same batch of "I should watch a bad movie to know what a good movie truly is" kind of thinking that I used for Dance Flick, will probably use for Year One, and continue to use as justification for when I'm bored at night and I happen to pass a few Megavideo or Supernovatube or OVguide links (because lets face it, I'd never pay for this). Like, Dance Flick, the main problem with Land of the Lost is just how damn simple and one-minded the story can be. I'd like to maintain that Will Ferrell can be a good actor (see Elf, Melinda and Melinda, and Stranger Than Fiction where Ferrell is still a goofball but at least he flexes some dramatic muscles), however, Ferrell will still not hesitate to pick something that will lead to him making a simple buck. In short, he sold out rather quickly, but who can blame him (have you seen those salaries?)? 

Ferrell's routine in this film tires rather quickly, he acts like the manliest of men but is frankly a little girl and the only proof you need is his constant girly shrieking as he runs away from dinosaurs and the other horrors that inhabit this lost land. The sissy-man routine actually tires out not after but during the first time we learn that Ferrell's Dr. Rick Marshall is a huge put-on. Take the scene where he gets bit by a giant mosquito and so he dumps urine on himself to help with the pain but he ends up burning his eyes and so he decides to... pour more urine over his face? Yes, a doctor that figured out how to travel to a lost world full of lizard people and cave men is one of the most stupid human beings that have graced a movie screen. Your response might be that "well this is a comedy film with science-fiction/fantasy elements so anything is possible..." well perhaps, if this was a satire. 

The reason why the illogical makes sense in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy is that the film as a whole is a complete parody. Here we have a serious character that is just too moronic for his own good. Danny McBride and Anna Friel also star but quickly into the adventure you realize that they only exist to fill the desired roles of sidekick and eye candy. Also, I'm not one to criticize harsh language, but when Will Ferrell says "fuck," does anyone not feel like the film is trying to be more mature than its childish premise? Anything seems to go in Land of the Lost, including the entertainment.

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