KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Is “The Promise” fulfilling? Is “Lost City of Z” misplaced? FOX 4’s Russ Simmons and Shawn Edwards share their thoughts in this week’s Popcorn Bag movie reviews!
1) THE PROMISE (PG-13)
Open Road Films
RUSS
“The Promise” is the second historical drama to open in the last few weeks that’s set in Turkey during the run up to WWI. It serves as a rebuttal to “The Ottoman Lieutenant,” which gave the Turkish point of view, minimizing the cost of the conflict to the Armenian people. “The Promise” supports the view of an Armenian genocide.
SHAWN
“The Promise” falls in the category of well-meaning story but really no reason to see. It’s gorgeously shot, the acting is above par and it documents an important historical story. However, as a movie it just doesn’t create any excitement.
RUSS
Oscar Isaac plays an Armenian medical student in a love triangle with an Armenian nanny, played by Charlotte Le Bon, and an American journalist, played by Christian Bale. Beautifully acted and produced, this respectable historical epic is far better than “The Ottoman Lieutenant,” but still never quite catches fire, romantically or politically.
SHAWN
That’s because the filmmakers constantly interrupt the action to force the love triangle plot that doesn’t work.
RUSS: 3 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 2 Popcorn Bags
2) THE LOST CITY OF Z (PG-13)
Amazon/Bleeker Street
RUSS
“The Lost City of Z” is based on the true story of a British explorer who may have been the inspiration for Indiana Jones. Charlie Hunnam plays Percy Fawcett, the man who risked life and limb to repeatedly explore the Amazon rainforest in the early 1900s in order to prove his theory that an advanced civilization once thrived there.
SHAWN
The wow factor is huge. Gorgeous yet scary. Intimidating yet inviting. Like the best of films “The Lost City of Z” amazingly transports you to the unknown. It’s fun being transported to new worlds and this film does that very well.
RUSS
A slowly paced epic that clocks in at two hours and twenty minutes, “The Lost City of Z” focuses on intellect and mystery instead of thrills and adventure.
SHAWN
It’s a little long but just short of being a masterpiece. There is much to love about “The Lost City of Z” which is one of the best movies of the year so far.
RUSS: 3 Popcorn Bags
SHAWN: 4 Popcorn Bags
ALSO OPENING THIS WEEK: Also opening this week, “Free Fire” is a violent throwback action flick set in the 1970s. “Unforgettable” is a drama about a wacko ex-wife who goes after her ex-husband’s fiancee. Disney returns with another nature documentary about wildlife in the Far East. It’s called “Born in China.” “Phoenix Forgotten” is a sci-fi flick involving UFOs in 1997. “Their Finest” is a WWII drama about the production of British war movies. “Cezanne et Moi” involves the impressionist Paul Cezanne and his pal Emile Zola. “David Lynch, The Art Life” is a behind the scenes documentary about the cult classic, “Eraserhead.”
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