Published on March 29, 2026
Critique: In the Lost Lands
It pains me to write this review, and it brings sadness to reflect on the challenging times of a director who has given me so much joy and produced a film that is an unavoidable part of horror cinema history; of course, I am referring to the monumental “Event Horizon” (1997).
Most directors have at least one film in their filmography that was panned rejected . It’s a natural occurrence that even the greatest have experienced. The key question is whether they can rise and rebuild following such a fall.
Sadly, this does not seem to be the case for Paul W. Anderson. Unfortunately, his once bright aura appears to have dimmed, and his films languish in a downward trajectory that shows no signs of recovery. This is truly disappointing, considering his earlier triumphs compared to his current output.
In more straightforward terms, Paul Anderson seems to have entered a phase of decline—one that I hope he breaks free from—but all indications suggest he has yet to achieve this. Nevertheless, I remain hopeful that with his next film, he may rise again like a phoenix.
“In the Lost Lands” presents a script based on a story by G.R.R. Martin, starring Mila Jovovich and Dave Bautista, featuring many action sequences in a post-apocalyptic setting with elements of dark fantasy. However, this ostensibly winning formula harbors the seeds of the failure that this film ultimately became.
Set in a dystopian future, the film follows a queen from a decaying city who enlists a witch (Mila Jovovich) to gain the ability to transform into a wolf. The witch instructs her that to obtain this power, she must venture into desolate wastelands to kill a shape-shifter, prompting her to hire a wandering hunter (Dave Bautista) to guide her through lawless territories.
There is no doubt that in the mind of the British director, “In The Lost Lands” had everything needed to succeed at the box office. However, the reality is that G.R.R. Martin is not as widely popular as Stephen King when it comes to drawing people to theaters. Just recall the failure of “Nightflyers” (2018) on Netflix—a product from the creator of a wildly successful series that didn’t earn a second season.
One of the film’s major shortcomings is its action scenes; they are filled with tight shots that obscure much of the action, leaving little excitement or tension, along with continuity issues. While it’s true that “John Wick” (Stahelski, 2015) set a high bar in this regard, that does not justify surrendering the expectation that an action-centric film can deliver well-executed action sequences—of which there are none here.
In summary, “In the Lost Lands” is a poor film that does no favors for Paul W. Anderson. It exemplifies the difficult moment he is experiencing in his career, and one can only hope for favorable winds to come his way.
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