'Land of the Lost' review

TV update is still boring, senseless and something no one should be proud of

By Matt Pais

Posted June 4, 2009

Metromix

No routine expedition here: Dr. Rick Marshall (Will Ferrell), his fetching admirer Holly (Anna Friel) and dimwitted sidekick Will (Danny McBride) stumble into an alternate dimension full of dinosaurs and slow-moving lizard-people called Sleestaks. Can the gang return home from their far-out voyage without throwing the space-time continuum into disarray?

The buzz: Um, it's pretty creepy that Holly was Rick's daughter, not his love interest, on the outdated '70s TV series of the same name. The more pressing issue with this adaptation from director Brad Silberling ("Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events") is how to turn a cheesy, occasionally trippy and really low-budget kids' show into a big, special effects-laden summer blockbuster—especially when TV's "Lost" seems to have the stranded-in-a-strange-place market cornered.

The verdict: Ferrell-izing "Land of the Lost" was not the way to go, as Rick transforms from a levelheaded source of paternal guidance to the same old buffoon that the actor has driven, ice-skated and bounced into staleness. There's a cheap laugh here and there, but most of the comedy—which doesn't capitalize on its source material's silliness—calls for crude sexual humor like Rick and Will watching Sleestaks have sex or Will daring Rick to French kiss caveman Chaka (Jorma Taccone) during a narcotic plant-induced freakout. Ferrell's funny appearance on "Man vs. Wild" had real adventure; "Land of the Lost" just has shtick.

Did you know? At one point Rick and his crew sing "I Hope I Get It" from "A Chorus Line" to calm baby pterodactyls back to sleep. Doesn't sound like something that would work on humans, but, hey, only one way to find out.

Video: Watch Matt's comedy showdown between 'Land of the Lost' and 'The Hangover'