Paul William Scott Anderson is a unique director. None of his films can be called even just "good" without some conventions, and the vast majority of his works are somewhere on the verge of minimally watchable quality. However, he never sits without a new film in production. Perhaps some of the producers and investors really like his Event Horizon, or maybe someone gets almost perverse pleasure from watching all the adaptations of Resident Evil.
In the Lost Lands is the director's new work, which is also an adaptation of one of the stories by the author of Game of Thrones George R. R. Martin. But the writer's greatness doesn't bother you, because the director didn't even think of changing his own "quality standards." However, for some reason, I don't want to scold the film again, and against the background of modern blockbusters, you can even see some charm in it.
| Name | In the Lost Lands |
| Genre | action, western, fantasy |
| Director | Paul William Scott Anderson |
| Cast | Milla Jovovich, Dave Bautista, Arlie Hover, Amara Okereke, Fraser James and others |
| Studios | Constantin Film, Spark Productions |
| Timing | 1 hour 41 minutes |
| Year | 2025 |
| Link | IMDb |
The witch Gray Alice (Mila Jovovich) does not refuse anyone their requests, it is enough just to pay. At the same time, she is guided by her own worldview and tries not to leave the disadvantaged without help, for which she is not very loved. Alice receives a new request from the queen herself, who wants to get the power of a werewolf. To do this, the witch must go to the dangerous Lost Lands. And her guide and help will be the mysterious hunter Boyce (Dave Bautista).
Usually in reviews I try to go over the main elements and features of each film, but In the Lost Lands requires a slightly different approach. More subjective and outdated, if I may say so. So let's get this straight: In the Lost Lands is a typical Paul Anderson film. This is not a compliment or even a reproach, but simply a fact. And if you've watched at least two parts of his Resident Evil, then you know perfectly well what to expect.
Strange, almost crazy editing. Pompous, but pointless action. Dialogues that seem to have been invented by a maximalist teenager who just discovered anime. Computer graphics, in which even a close-up of a part of a horse still looks terrible. And it's as if the film crew understands perfectly well that CGI is far from the strongest element of In the Lost Lands, but somehow still shoves scenes with artificial elements right under the audience's noses. In 2025, even a couple of people with an iPhone instead of a camera and basic skills in Premiere Pro are quite capable of doing better.
So if cinema for you is a set of technical and artistic elements, then it is better to pass by this story. However, films are something more than the sum of their individual parts. Halftones, nostalgia, a strange resonance with fictional events can affect the viewer even when watching the story at a conditional "3 out of 10" and give him a good mood and a pleasant time. "In the Lost Lands" is exactly such a case.
This is a very sincere movie, and sincerity is always able to win hearts. This was probably facilitated by the fact that Milla Jovovich is Paul Anderson's wife. So yes, he is not shy about presenting his beloved in the best light. The image of Gray Alice turned out to be quite interesting. Brutality and almost complete omnipotence in it are combined with interesting character traits and worldview. For this, we should thank Martin's original source, but Anderson managed not to spoil it and worthily recreate it on the big screen.
Dave Bautista as the hunter Boyce is also a pleasure to watch. A brutal man with a clear code of honor, capable of single-handedly destroying a large armed group, is not a new type in popular culture, but it still works. Boyce is reminiscent of classic Western characters - after all, much of the story of In the Lost Lands is based on this genre.
The mix of fantasy, post-apocalypse and western also makes us recall another famous work – Stephen King's The Dark Tower. As well as its 2017 film adaptation, which turned out to be an absolute misunderstanding and a terrible piece of film in all respects. So, In the Lost Lands as an adaptation of a written work works much better. Probably due to the fact that the original source was not a large cycle, but a relatively compact story, but still.
In the Lost Lands cannot be evaluated objectively, because then everything would be clear from the very first trailer and without unnecessary words. However, on a subjective level, the film is able to give a surprisingly wide range of emotions. At this point, you start to think: maybe the magic of Paul Anderson's directing lies precisely in this desire to see even frankly bad films to the end, and then praise them at least once? But one thing is for sure.
It's definitely better than most of Netflix's original films. And in a world where cinema is gradually turning to streaming content, "In the Lost Lands" still feels like art from people who genuinely care about the work of the crew and the direction of the film industry as a whole.