IN THE LOST LANDS (2025)

Genre: Action/Fantasy
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Dave Bautista, Arly Jover, Amara Okereke, Fraser James
Runtime: 1 hr 41 mins
Rating: NC16 (Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 6 March 2025

Synopsis: Based on a short story by bestselling author George R.R. Martin (“Game of Thrones”), IN THE LOST LANDS is a post-apocalyptic action western like no other, a breathtaking thrill ride through a visually hellish landscape as only Paul W.S. Anderson of RESIDENT EVIL and MONSTER HUNTER fame could dream it up. Follow the superstar pairing of Milla Jovovich (RESIDENT EVIL,THE THREE MUSKETEERS) and Dave Bautista (GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, DUNE, SPECTRE) as witch Gray Alys and gunslinger Boyce as they fight, shoot and claw their way through the Lost Lands in search of an elusive and mighty beast, the Werewolf.

Movie Review:

Maybe the name, George R.R. Martin sells since he is none other than the creator of HBO’s Game of Thrones. Paul W.S. Anderson who is known for adapting well-known videogames to the screen including of course, the Resident Evil franchise, Mortal Kombat and Monster Hunter changes gear and turns to adapting one of Martin’s 1980’s short stories, In the Lost Lands.

It sounds exciting enough on paper. Witches, werewolves, shapeshifter, a post-apocalyptic world that sounds like an alternative Mad Max. I mean what could go wrong in a fantasy action movie that consists of all the above. Apparently a lot especially in the hands of Anderson.

Expectedly, his muse and also wife, Milla Jovovich plays the leading role of a witch named Gray Alys. She has the power to bewitch humans and creatures alike and is as generous as the average genie in granting anyone who has a wish. Meanwhile, the Queen (Amara Okereke) of the apocalyptic world approached Gray Alys to make her into a shapeshifter. But Gray Alys needs an expert to guide her into Skull River to retrieve some werewolf skin because you still need magical ingredients. The expert comes in the form of a badass bounty hunter, Boyce (Dave Bautista). And as they embark on their quest, a group of evil religious followers are also persistent in chasing after Gray Alys.

If you are expecting at this point some explicit nudity, gratuitous violence and complex storylines and intriguing characters, we apologise in advance you are going to be very, very disappointed with In the Lost Lands. It’s mind-blogging that how Anderson can mess up a story that has so many interesting elements for him to meddle with.

The storyline is boring, an absolute chore to sit through. There is a bedridden King who the Queen despises and the secret lover she is pining for is well, Boyce. Then the Queen’s bodyguard is also in love with her. It has all the pulpy even cliched plotting like a lightweight Game of Thrones yet there is little dramatic consequences and the narrative devoid of any real feelings. Making things worse is the wooden performances of Jovovich and Bautista who seems to deliver their lines from a teleprompter.

Leaving audiences with sore eyes is the deliberate, copious amount of bleak, dark CGI and backgrounds. Overall, it looks cheaper than the first Resident Evil back in 2002. The action is blurry again masked by dark CGI and Anderson’s trademark slow-mo and zoom-in sequences are dated and lazy. For a fantasy that talks about some sinister creatures and magic, there is only a single scene that features some intimating skeletal monsters. Not forgetting a poorly rendered, 90’s video game style werewolf. An airborne cable car fight and a zany locomotive didn’t help much as well.

In the Lost Lands is so bad that it shouldn’t even be shown on the big screen. Ironically it’s not even adapted from a video game. Honestly it’s as bad as an old Uwe Boll trainwreck that you thought the notorious German filmmaker is making a comeback.

Movie Rating:

(Once again another Paul W.S. Anderson’s soulless production)

Review by Linus Tee