“Land of the Lost” — A Variety Review
Studio: Universal, Relativity Media, Sid & Marty Krofft/Mosaic Production. Movie based on the TV series by Sid & Marty Krofft.
Director: Brad Silberling
Producers: Jimmy Miller, Sid Krofft, Marty Krofft
Executive Producers: Daniel Lupi, Julie Wixson Darmody, Adam McKay, Brad Silberling & Ryan Kavanaugh.
Co-Producers: John Swallow, Josh Church.
Screenwriters: Chris Henchy & Dennis McNicholas
Actors: Will Ferrell, Anna Friel, Danny McBride, Jorma Taccone, John Boylan & Matt Lauer
Hinting at the perils in synergy, “Land of the Lost” conspicuously feels as though someone at Universal was already planning the theme-park ride spinoff before taking a painfully wrong turn with the movie. Modernizing a 1970s children’s TV show known for its cheap special effects offered certain possibilities, but the filmmakers have traded in any kid-friendly elements for bathroom humor of dinosaur-sized proportions. The result is a movie with an exceedingly narrow target aud that should test Will Ferrell’s appeal among boys maybe ages 12-14 — about the only demo likely able to endure this laborious mess.
Despite paying lip service to an affinity for the campy source material, writers Chris Henchy and Dennis McNicholas have essentially kept the title of Sid and Marty Krofft’s original series — about a father and his two kids who descend into a primeval world, complete with lizard people, furry, monkey-like creatures and one stiff-looking T-Rex — and mostly abandoned everything else.
In essence, only the names remain unchanged, with Ferrell as Dr. Rick Marshall, a “quantum paleontologist” who, after a disastrous appearance plugging his book with Lauer, winds up teaching science to elementary school kids. All that quickly changes, however, when attractive Cambridge doctoral student Holly (“Pushing Daisies’” Anna Friel, deserving better) walks in, prodding Marshall to revisit his research.
Read the full Brian Lowry review at Variety.com.
Copyright: 2009
As soon as I saw Will Ferrell had been cast in the lead, I knew this movie would be a turkey. Ferrell has yet to find a movie he couldn’t ruin.
My nightmare movie: Will Ferrell and Tom Cruise in a buddy pic.
And with Will Ferrell’s involvement, I can simply avoid the film. No reviews needed.
@D.C.: I have to differ on that - Stranger than Fiction turned out to be an excellent movie IN-SPITE of his involvement. (of course, it took 4 friends telling me that it was a good movie and a small bribe to get me to put it on the Netflix queue).
Well, at least now Mike Mennenga will be happy that it’s 13-yr-old boys driving stupid movie demographics, and not 13-yr-old girls
As for Stranger than Fiction, I was dragged to it against my initial reservations. It was a good movie, but I felt the ending was a cop out… that ruined any chance of a rewatch for me.
That said, anything will Will Ferrell in it that’s “supposed” to be a “slapstick comedy” will never ever get my money plunked down to watch it. The only things I’ve seen him be funny in are the cowbell skit, and that funnyordie.com videos with Pearl.
YES! I been saying! It’s not us girls!
Darcy
Okay, I admit I never saw “Stranger than Fiction”. I’ve been avoiding anything with Ferrell in it since I made the mistake of watching “Elf”.
Ferrell is a third rate comedian who should have become a direct-to-video actor years ago.
I think I’ll save this movie for a rental, a few friends, a few glasses of wine, and some talking while the movie plays in the background. As for Stranger Than Fiction, it was a great movie but I have to say I was rather disappointed with the ending as others have previously expressed. You should still check it out though.
HA! I say it’s the parents of said kids that cause these problems. Yes, I’m looking right at you Tim Low!
Talk about funding the crap in Hollywood!
who me??? I wouldn’t go to a will ferrell movie if you paid me Brown. And I’ll have you know the last movie we all went to was Star Trek.
So there ya hippie! Now get off my lawn!
Tim