BLU-RAY REVIEW — “The Lost City of Z”

The Lost City of Z was released earlier this year after much critical acclaim in the awards circuit last year, but unfortunately has been swept under the rug in the midst of the Summer movie season and anticipation for films coming out later in the year; it still, however, remains to be one of my favorite films of 2017 thus far and was one of my most anticipated upcoming blu-ray releases. Since this was such an excellent and immersive theater experience (one of the very few films this year that I would say HAD to be seen on the big screen), I was eager to see how well it looked on the transfer to blu-ray and if the experience would remain the same for me. I’m happy to say that the transfer is one that doesn’t lose a single touch of impact within the insanely gorgeous visuals made by director James Gray or the immaculate technicalities and subtle yet effective touches that make this one of the most satisfying gems for film fans this year.

In case you’re unaware of the plot of this film – we follow British explorer Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam) as he explores the Amazon in the 1920s, in search of a mysterious and unknown advanced civilization. While the scientific establishment mocked and ridiculed him for his contributions and urge to explore and discover more of this supposed civilization, his family and other eager explorers stood by his side, he continued to prove himself to be one of the most revolutionary and fearless explorers of his era. There’s already a review on this site, so I won’t spend too much time reviewing the film itself, but on rewatch – I can only stress again how unconventional of an exploration film it is and how inspiring it is to see a figure such as Percy be so ambitious and full of ambition. It makes the journey all the more enticing and beautiful.

As I previously stated, the biggest reason I love this film so much is due to the direction by James Gray. He’s such a lively and old-timey filmmaker that has an eye for spectacle that is so unique that it sets him apart from most other working filmmakers today. The Lost City of Z is his most well shot and beautifully produced film to date, and watching it on blu-ray exhibits the beauty that the film has to offer in a nearly perfect way. The picture quality is stunningly gorgeous, but once of the biggest surprises was how great of a job this does at transferring the effect of sound design that was so perfect in the theater and making it just as effective on a home viewing. I don’t know how many people will also appreciate that, but it was one of my favorite parts of this rewatch.

Technical Information: 

• Layers: Dual Layer
• Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 2:39:1
• Language: English (with subtitles)
• Sound: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
• Runtime: 140 minutes

Special Features: 

• Commentary Track by director James Gray
• Featurette – “Adventure in the Jungle”
• Featurette – “From Novel to Screen”
• Featurette – “Expedition Journal”

Final Consensus: 

I’m not always a huge nerd when it comes to blu-ray transfers, but I’m happy to say that this one made me nerd out a great deal. The detail put into this film is so captivating as a fan who constantly wants to see films continually made like this, and the blu-ray completely reminds me of why I loved it so much in the first place. From the picture quality, to the excellent use of sound, to the extensive commentary track from James Gray – this is an excellently packaged blu-ray to one of my favorite films of the year.

Film – 4.5/5

Blu-Ray Transfer – 4.5/5

The Lost City of Z is available to own on Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack, Blu-Ray, DVD, Digital HD, and VOD now.