Pattinson delivers an impressively subtle, yet brilliant performance, Hey U Guys UK

Robert Pattinson, meanwhile, continues on his quiet quest to prove that he’s an excellent character actor, We Got This Covered

[A] very special shout-out to Robert Pattinson, who went and became a fantastic character actor while nobody was looking, The Film Experience

Might as well start this off because there are definitely more to come with the world premiere at the New York Film Festival.  The review extracts will focus on Robert’s performance, but if he isn’t mentioned, then I will post extracts on the movie as a whole. Please note that some reviews may contain spoilers, but I will give a heads up when that happens.  This post will be updated as the movie is released around the world.

THE SWEET

New York Times (NYFF 2016)

Stunningly shot on 35-millimeter film … Mr. Gray both wrote and directed “The Lost City of Z,” and he has managed to pull off something exceedingly tricky here: a film that has the old-fashioned cinematic sweep (and sense of New World awe and discovery) of a picture like David Lean’s “Lawrence of Arabia” but without all the familiar colonialist stereotypes. Fawcett isn’t any great white savior; sometimes he barely seems to know what he’s doing or why. Nonetheless, he stumbles and paddles forward, even as he’s pulled back home by his family, notably his wife, Nina (Sienna Miller), a thoughtfully realized character who insists, if vainly, on her rightful place as his equal.

Lincoln Centre blurb (NYFF 2016)

The Lost City of Z represents a form of epic storytelling that has all but vanished from the landscape of modern cinema, and a rare level of artistry.

Indiewire (David Ehrlich) (NYFF 2016)

If not for the ineffably modern hollowness of Charlie Hunnam’s speaking voice, or the distinct rind of 21st century celebrity that still clings to co-star Robert Pattinson like the dying traces of yesterday’s cologne, someone could easily be fooled into thinking that The Lost City of Z was shot 40 years ago,” writes . “Uncommonly sumptuous, patient and textured for a movie with such little emotional heat or staying power, The Lost City of Z doesn’t feel like a work of mimicry or homage so much as it does an immaculately crafted throwback—this isn’t just what movies used to look like, it’s also how they used to crackle, move and hum…. The film is further removed from Gray’s own experience than anything that he’s made before, and yet something about it feels indivisibly personal.” (Grade B)

Screen Daily (Graham Fuller) (NYFF 2016)

The tale-within-the-tale that anchors Lost City, however, is about male love, namely the Platonic friendship between Fawcett and his fellow explorer Henry Costin (a bearded and bespectacled Robert Pattinson) and the conflicted father-son bond between Fawcett and his eldest son Jack (played as a 21-year-old by Tom Holland). Pattinson’s nuanced portrayal of the taciturn Costin indicates that his willingness to endure so much hardship in the rainforest stems from intense loyalty to his chief. (Overall did not like the film)

Variety (Owen Gleiberman) (NYFF 2016)

Traveling up the Amazon on a raft along with his aide-de-camp, Henry Costin (Robert Pattinson, amusingly unrecognizable in a beard and spectacles…), and a motley crew of assistants, including one South American slave, Willis (the superb Johann Myers),” … “The Lost City of Z” is a finely crafted, elegantly shot, sharply sincere movie that is more absorbing than powerful. It makes no major dramatic missteps, yet it could have used an added dimension — something to make the two-hour-and-20-minute running time feel like a transformative journey rather than an epic anecdotal crusade.

The Playlist (Rodrigo Perez (NYFF 2016)

“While none of the actors are in the weight class of Joaquin Phoenix or Marion Cotillard, all of them excel with the oft-wooden Charlie Hunnam delivering the most nuanced performance of his carer. Pattinson continues his streak of duteous supporting roles in auteurist pictures. … What characterizes Z perhaps more than any other element is Gray’s own compulsion and rigorous commitment to form. His dedicated, composed vision makes no apologies for its unhurried pace, its meditative tone and its relative lack of action.”

The Hollywood Reporter (Todd McCarthy) (NYFF 2016)

The Lost City of Z is a rare piece of contemporary classical cinema; its virtues of methodical storytelling, traditional style and obsessive theme are ones that would have been recognized and embraced anytime from the 1930s through the 1970s…. One welcome difference between The Lost City of Z and most films devoted to male adventure is that, here, the ‘downtime’ spent with wife [Sienna Miller] and family is alive and laced with potent push-and-pull. Gray clearly takes the conflict between domesticity and the call of the wild seriously.

Uproxx (Mike Ryan) (NYFF 2016)

Fawcett’s right-hand man for his first two expeditions (for the last one, he brings his now-teenage son, played by Tom Holland) is Henry Costin, played by a heavily bearded Robert Pattinson. This is my favorite Pattinson performance because I kept forgetting it was Robert Pattinson. In his first few post-Twilight performances there was a sense that he was trying to prove himself as an actor. And that’s understandable. But here, he’s fades away into his character so well that I kept having to remind myself that it was him. That’s a good thing. (Bearded Robert Pattinson’s appearance has more in common with early ‘70s John Lennon than he does the guy who was in Twilight. This is a good look for him.)

The Wrap (Dan Callahan) (NYFF 2016)

There is nothing at all negative or even ambivalent about Gray’s portrayal of Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam), his wife Nina (Sienna Miller), or other members of the expeditions like Henry Costin (Robert Pattinson) and Fawcett’s own son Jack (Tom Holland, “Captain America: Civil War”). Gray seems to find these people marvelous and admirable, and he shoots them attentively and adoringly so that we can get to love them just as much as he clearly does. … “The Lost City of Z” feels like a clear artistic advance for Gray, who proves himself here as one of our finest and most distinctive living filmmakers.

Slant Magazine (Ed Gonzalez) (NYFF 2016)

The Lost City of Z is a film of phantasmagoric form, as currents of emotional discord are ever lapping against the corners of its stolid and painterly surface.

We Got This Covered (Lauren Humphries-Brooks) (NYFF 2016)

Robert Pattinson, meanwhile, continues on his quiet quest to prove that he’s an excellent character actor, disappearing behind a beard and into his role with no sign of wanting to steal the spotlight.

The Guardian (Jordan Hoffman) (NYFF 2016)

“including a quite amusing Robert Pattinson as Fawcett’s explorer bro … Even with a relatively modest budget (there aren’t any sweeping vistas with hundreds of extras) his intimate portraits have a wider scope than most blockbusters.”

US Weekly (NYFF 2016)

Charlie Hunnam and Robert Pattinson Are Compelling … Army comrade Henry Costin (Robert Pattinson, excellent and virtually unrecognizable in a thick beard) is also aboard, along with a few guides. … When the movie opens next year, it will be a tough sell to the masses. Nonetheless, these three strapping British actors are a force to be reckoned with.

Roger Ebert (NYFF 2016)

He’s given a taciturn, bibulous subordinate named Costin (Robert Pattinson, almost unrecognizable in a bushy beard) … Gray is a longtime diehard for celluloid and the 35mm images of “The Lost City of Z” provide ample justification for that faith. The film’s visual allure indeed suggests an archaic but still potent magic. It could be called “The Lost City of Kodak.”

Den of Geek (NYFF 2016)

Hunnam and Pattinson are uniformly excellent at presenting, respectively, an elegant sense of English propriety and bemused hypocrisy while in the wild. … The Lost City of Z is a tremendous achievement for Gray, his cast … This picture is a trip into the past, both in terms of setting and in its determination to revisit a kind of grandiose storytelling that used to be the province of studios who now would never touch the stuff unless there could be some superpowers thrown in. Z is an unabashed throwback that revisits a lost form with a modern sensibility—discovering its great prize for the more adventurous of moviegoers. Rating:  4.5 stars

The Young Folks (Nathaniel Hood) (NYFF 2016

I asked Gray how he tried to differentiate The Lost City of Z from the jungle works of Herzog and Francis Ford Coppola. He replied that—in addition to actually including women in the cast and striving to depict the Native Peoples of the Amazon with dignity—he was interested first and foremost in exploring the humanity of his characters. And that is something that comes across beautifully: though the forces that drive Fawcett are universal and perhaps unknowable, Fawcett himself is not some grand metaphor for the human experience. We may see something transcendent in his story, but to discard the man for some supposed allegory would be to miss the point. (Score 7/10)

The Next Best Picture (NYFF 2016)

This cannot be said of Robert Pattinson who has quietly become one of the better actors working today. The more he continues to take on daring and exciting projects with directors who push him to his limits, the more the cinephile crowd continues to sing his praises and that is once again on display here as Fawcett’s trusted companion Henry Costin.  … An absolutely gorgeous film with a classical feel from writer/director James Gray.” (Score: 7/10)

The Film Stage (NYFF 2016)

Robert Pattinson, no doubt a draw when the film is released next spring, displays a selflessness in making tangible the nebbish nature of Corporal Henry Costin. Capable but not much of a hero per se, he’s best remembered for Gray-esque character details: a bushy beard and small glasses that have an effect of shrinking his face to a small patch of skin.

Brooklyn Mag (NYFF 2016)

But the trip, on which he is accompanied by a loyal lush of an aide-de-camp named Henry Costin (subtle scene-stealer Robert Pattinson), changes Fawcett irrevocably after he discovers evidence of a lost civilization and a golden city that he nicknames “Zed.

Pajiba (NYFF 2016)

But the MVP of The Lost City of Z is Robert Pattinson.  The teen dream who’s been steadily digging into odder indie fare to prove his drama chops plays one of Fawcett’s earliest allies, a drunk with a die-hard attitude who makes the best of the dry dialogue in this dirge of a drama. “The jungle is hell,” Pattinson growls from behind a thick rank beard that hides his pretty boy face, “But one kind of likes it.” Even when he’s given nothing to do but play background element or reaction cutaway, the Twilight star’s eyes sparkle with a mad energy that gives this stodgy film a desperately needed sense of spontaneity and danger. While Hunnam fails to incite excitement, Pattison surely and solidly scratches away at the sleepy sepia of this too-solemn biopic.

To his credit, this intriguing ingendude has been carving an interesting career post Twilight, bounding from David Cronenberg’s menacing Cosmopolis to his scathing Hollywood satireMaps to the Stars, to David Michôd’s gritty drama The Rover. It’s a tough thing to go from young hunk to respected actor. But Pattison’s not going the DiCaprio route by refusing his alluring smile to fans to prove he’s a serious leading man. He’s going the Jude Law route, diving into roles that are ugly or costumes and make-ups that make him unrecognizable. He’s rejecting the bland hero roles for weirder leads or the juicy supporting roles, and in doing so emerges as a stellar character actor who steals this movie one drunken belch and shady rejoinder at a time.

Little White Lies (NYFF 2016)

Accompanied by a ragtag outfit, including an aide-de-camp played by a wily, scraggly-bearded Robert Pattinson … The Lost City of Z may be his most overtly conventional work to date, but there is nothing common about the sheer scale of his ambition. Like his own restless hero, Gray is unafraid to wander deeper and deeper into the jungles of his own imagination, an undaunted explorer who can see the wonders that consume him and longs to show them so as to understand why.

Award Circuit (NYFF 2016)

Holland and Pattinson are very good, though very much supporting players…This is an old fashioned movie in all the best ways. Cinephiles will feast on this offering. “The Lost City of Z” is luscious to look at and a full cinematic meal.

The Nerdist (NYFF 2016)

The most prominent fixture of the team is Robert Pattinson, who mines more than his share of charm out of less than his share of dialogue as Percy’s navigator Mr. Costin, a wry and somewhat cavalier foil to the self-serious soldier. (Score 4/5)

Film Book (NYFF 2016)

The cast of The Lost City of Z stood out in some great performances. ,,. Robert Pattinson had some funny moments playing his character in a role that showed the willingness he would go through for his colleague.

J B Spins (NYFF 2016)

Robert Pattinson … completely disappears into the role of flinty Henry Costin to an admirable and almost shocking extent.

Birth Death Movies (NYFF 2016)

Joining Hunnam is a cavalcade of great performances, from Robert Pattinson’s meticulous Henry Costin, an eccentric Corporal who becomes Fawcett’s ally over his decades spent returning to explore the Amazon … The Lost City of Z builds to a surreal apotheosis of all the elements that make cinema great.

The Film Experience (NYFF 2016)

… a very special shout-out to Robert Pattinson, who went and became a fantastic character actor while nobody was looking …

Unseen Films (Steve Kopian) (NYFF 2016)

I also need to say that the cast is incredible and everyone disappears into their roles with Charlie Hunnam, Sienna Miller and especially Robert Pattinson completely disappearing into their parts. Pattinson is so good that when he showed up at the New York Film Festival press conference several writers around me had no idea who he was in the film.

Collider (Chris Cabin) (NYFF 2016)

Gray’s adaptation of David Grann‘s beloved bestseller is a far quieter, more ruminative, and confidently intimate movie than all that would suggest. Quiet would not always be something you’d say as a compliment but in this case, it’s crucial. Hunnam does give Fawcett a booming soldier’s voice but it’s used with measure and his main partner in his explorations, Henry Costin (Robert Pattinson), barely raises his voice above a sarcastic mumble or groan. Rating:  A

International Cinephine Society (NYFF 2016)

Great direction of actors can often mean great casting and Gray amply proves that here with Hunnam, much like David Cronenberg did with Hunnam’s fellow cast member Robert Pattinson in Cosmopolis. Pattinson is also very good in a part that is perhaps shockingly a through and through character-actor part. One has to applaud the willingness of a young leading-man actor, often perceived as a heartthrob, to take on such a role. It is a real supporting role, with few lines and a part in which you might not ordinarily expect a big star. Hiding behind a huge bushy beard, Pattinson does such good understated work as a needy soldier and explorer, that many people might not recognize him.

Marshmallow And The Movies (NYFF 2016)

“Fawcett’s right-hand man Henry Costin (Robert Pattinson, playing his supporting role with the humility of a great character actor)” Rating:  B – 2.5 out of 4 stars

The Nation (NYFF 2016)

White men’s journeys into the exotic are of course questionable in today’s right-minded film festival; but by adding patches of dialogue that condemn ethnocentrism, imperialism, and male supremacy, Gray flies on unabashed.

THR (Berlinale 2017)

“Exquisitely shot (on celluloid) in Northern Ireland and the Colombian jungle, the film exceeds its limited means in every respect.” Full review

Flix (Greece – Berlinale 2017)

Robert Pattinson, bearded and curved, manages an interpretation with personality and intensity.”

The Guardian (UK – Berlinale 2017)

Gray sternly keeps things lower and slower, with a concerted evenness, as if wanting us to remain detached from Fawcett’s passions. It makes for a slightly opaque movie in some ways, yet one that remains coolly and cerebrally engaged.

FDB (Poland – Berlinale 2017)

Robert Pattinson in the role of Henry Costin appears as the voice of reason … The Lost City of Z shows that it is not easy to get to the group of movies stunning and outstanding. A good topic is not always turn into a fantastic success, but it can strength lies in the correctness of the story.

CineVue (Berlinale 2017)

… an almost unrecognisable Robert Pattinson … An ornately mounted story marked with tints of antiquarianism, The Lost City of Z is perhaps Gray’s most accomplished film to date.

Cineblog (Italy – Berlinale 2017)

There is classic and classic. James Gray makes a movie as if it revolved around fifty years ago, but goes where few others can as part of the contemporary scene, especially among the studios.

Telegraph UK (Berlinale 2017)

Transporting and profound, The Lost City of Z is an instant classic.  5 out of 5 stars

Hey U Guys UK (Berlinale 2017)

Pattinson delivers an impressively subtle, yet brilliant performance.

One Room With a View (Berlinale 2017)

The Lost City of Z champions the chase but is refreshingly unconcerned with transforming its hero into a martyr:  Rating: 4 out of 5

Ioncinema (Berlinale 2017)

Zed and Buried: Gray’s Period Adventure a Meticulous Throwback of Epic Filmmaking … Pattinson gives a no-frills turn as sidekick Henry Costin, his hirsute army buddy along for the ride.

The Hollywood News (Berlinale 2017)

Robert Pattinson … accepting a supporting role that is massively underplayed, though he plays it to absolute perfection, and to be honest, he’s probably never been better.

Ecran Noir (France – Berlinale 2017)

It is unclear why The Lost City of Z is not competing at the Berlinale . A lack of producer confidence? Or the desire of Dieter Kosslick, director of the Festival, not to crush the competition with this epic and magnificent work?

Best Movie (Italy – Berlinale 2017)

Here, inside these filled with images of attention, often obscured the edge as in a fit of age, as in a story told by candlelight, drowns. Gray’s formal awareness is impressive: tiny camera movements (such as a brief overview Swish) jump in a second naturally months and continents; flashbacks impressionists are the memories raining everywhere; and actors whisper, turning the epic adventure in a confidence. So everything – every trip and every return – and finally the film, become an act of love.

Micropsia Otroscines (Argentina – Berlinale 2017)

Epica and classic story centered on a British explorer looking for a mysterious and unassailable city in the Amazon at the beginning of the 20th century, the new film by the director of “The Immigrant” bets on narrative classicism. And he does it with mastery.

The Up Coming (UK – Berlinale 2017)

Robert Pattinson delivers a stoic but charming performance as Fawcett’s sidekick, Mr Costin.

Out Now (Swiss German)

These passages extend the runtime to 140 minutes – 140 minutes, during which you at least like to watch the actresses and actors, because they know their stuff. If you like adventure movies, will be also here guaranteed not disappointed.  4.5 out of 6 stars

Red Carpet TV News (Berlinale 2017)

Finally Robert Pattinson delivers an understated and virtually unrecognisable performance as Fawcett’s sharp shooting travel companion. Hidden beneath a rugged full beard and jungle dirt Pattinson manages to fully shed increasingly distant memories of his pretty Twilight adolescence.  The young British star has systematically built a credible dramatic reputation beyond the hysterical screaming of young adult fiction fans. While light in dialogue his performance exudes convincing wilderness weary qualities.

Hollywood Glee (Berlinale 2017)

Gray’s Lost City of Z is a grand tale, well told with strong, compelling acting. … A solid period piece with excellent costuming provided by Sonia Grande. Highly recommended film.

Chaos Reigns (France)

Average of 4 stars – very good.  Movie of the month

Where to Watch (Berlinale 2017)

… thoughtfully languid, adds an individual kind of poetry to the adventure-film canon.

Grazia (Berlinale 2017)

Robert Pattinson, who plays his second, and Sienna Miller, Are as fantastic as they are unrecognizable … (overall did not like the film – see review below)

El Periodico (Spain – Berlinale 2017)

Robert Pattinson hidden behind a gigantic beard … It’s a long movie, and it will test the patience of many viewers, but it guarantees beautiful finds to anyone who dares to explore the leafy and wild imagination of its director.

Fotogramas (Spain – Berlinale 2017)

The allegorical dryness of Herzog is displaced by the poetic vision of a chimera, which, in the most beautiful last third of the film, is manifested in the reconciliation between a father and a son, a subject dear to the filmography of Gray.

Mondocine (France)

It is a brilliant performance by a convincing cast, led by a great Charlie Hunnam, surrounded by Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland and Sienna Miller.

Student Film Reviews (Ireland)

Gray’s The Lost City of Z is a grand tale, well told with strong, compelling acting.

Ecran Large (France)

… an epic, intimate adventure and initiatory quest flirting with the boundaries of fantasy. The creation of the Lost City of Z is one of the most singular voices of the Seventh Art. 4.5 stars.

Senscritique (France)

Note also the more discreet presence of a bearded Robert Pattinson who pursues his career in an interesting way and who finds here a solid second astonishing role.

Cinemadroid (France)

Robert Pattinson composes his adventurer character with few dialogues

Fucking Cinephines (France)

… dominated by a cast that is totally dedicated to his cause (Hunnam and Pattinson are perfect) and images that say more than all the words of the world

L’Info Tout Court (France)

The Lost City of Z is a film of great delicacy. Even if the construction of the narrative is likely to annoy more than one, it is an admirable feature film, as rare in the cinematic landscape as its filmmaker.

Retro-HD (France)

Robert Pattinson, unrecognizable … Verdict:  Exceptional!

The Skinny (UK)

[Gray] largely succeeds in managing the same coupling of lush, lyrically expressive imagery with rich emotional resonance. 4 stars

The Movie Waffler (UK)

It’s a banquet of a movie, a visual feast that also provides plenty of food for thought. If Gray’s reach has exceeded his grasp here, it’s a compliment to both his ambition and his talent.  4.5 stars

Tuppence Magazine (UK)

First impression from trailer “The most recent trailer below does well to sell the potential of The Lost City Of Z, and on paper it sounds like it should be pretty gripping with a good cast and wild adventure storyline.”

Homatcu (France)

Robert Pattinson is also excellent and makes us forgotten “Twilight”. He has a great career ahead of him too.  … This is one of the very good films of this year.

Unification (France)

Whether it is the hero, played by Charlie Hunnam, his acolyte played by a totally unrecognizable Robert Pattinson, or the characters gravitating around them, all contribute to making the film credible and immersive.

Au Cafe De Loisirs (France)

At his side in the role of Henry Costin, we find a Robert Pattinson unrecognizable under his beard.  He formed with his comrade a surprising and harmonious duet. Rating:  9/10

Critikat (France)

James Gray himself reached the summit of an exciting filmography, and perhaps the matrix of his work to come.  5 stars

Elle (France)

Simply grandiose!  5 stars

Le Figaro (France)

The film by James Gray masterfully explores these themes. An intimate epic where beauty, honor and fidelity are at the forefront. 5 stars

Libertation (France)

The filmmaker’s new film, based on the voyages of explorer Percy Fawcett, is not a classic adventure story, but rather a generous odyssey, where childish dreams, confronted with reality, drift towards an unexpected apotheosis. A splendor. 5 stars

Paris Match (France)

Everything is also about staging and we must salute here the work of the chief operator Darius Khondji who restores his letters of nobility to the 35 mm – yes, 35 mm, nowadays, in the Amazonian jungle … Each sequence is d ‘ A formal beauty to be damned, each plan a master table that James Gray takes care to never let go of. … Great filmmaker, great film. 5 stars

Bande A Part (France)

After ten years of aborted attempts, James Gray finally managed to realize his most ambitious film, turning as major as unexpected in a work of an ever more impressive maturity after only six films. 5 stars

Telerama (France)

Robert Pattinson, for the first time, discovers his erotic magnetism in favor of humble humanity.

20 Minutes (France)

In order to obtain an optimal rendering, James Gray insisted to turn his film in 35 mm. The result is breathtaking when Fawcett and his men stray into the vegetation or wipe out attacks from natives seeming to spring up out of nowhere. One almost has the impression to feel the crushing moisture and to breathe the burning air of these hostile countries so much the filmmaker filmed as close as possible his actors, flirting with abstraction during scenes of flight in the jungle.

La Croix (France)

Without playing the demiurge, James Gray delivers a film that will fit on the retina of the viewer for a long time.

Culture Box (France)

An epic breath carries the film in its evocation of the risky expeditions carried out by the explorer, in his conviction in the existence of a lost city, in the sacrifice of his family to achieve his objection.

LCI (France)

Video with BTS scenes.  “The Lost City of Z” with notably Robert Pattinson revives this explorer depicted in enigmatic figure who will die mysteriously during his 8th expedition.

Le Point (France)

James Gray succeeds an epic film, at the intersection of Lawrence of Arabia and Apocalypse Now.

The New Observer (France)

It is a great cinema, carried by ample lyricism, a tragic poetry.

Empire Online (UK)

Solid and stately, a ’70s-feeling jungle adventure film that’s more of a thought-provoker than an excitement-inducer. But there’s nothing wrong with that.

On Rembobine (France)

Pattinson shows what kind of wood he is made of, by incarnating difficult characters, in demanding works, always with the same ambition, often resulting, as it is the case here, on memorable performances. 5 stars

La Nouvelle Republique (France)

Robert Pattinson, who incarnates his second, is perfect of sobriety. 

UK Film Review

Enhanced by well-developed characters, Gray brings out a quiver of excellent performances, in particular Robert Pattinson as one of Fawcett’s companions. His curmudgeonly attitude towards ineptitude is brilliantly funny, as is his physical presence during the film’s more strenuous scenes. One particular great line delivered by Pattinson involves a threat to shoot someone up the arse, which is beautiful.

Loose Lips (UK)

… his supporting star Robert Pattinson doing a much better job as sidekick and travel companion Henry Costin. 3 stars

Games Radar (UK) | Total Film

… Pattinson (bringing wry comedic timing and the voice of sanity to proceedings) …

Radio Times (UK)

Robert Pattinson adds colour as his right-hand man, Henry Costin, bearded and bespectacled, always looking as though he’s trying to shake off a hangover – far from the teen idol who set pulses racing in the Twilight movies.

Flickering Myth (UK)

The performances are uniformly strong … The oft-maligned Robert Pattinson is almost unrecognisable underneath a scruffy beard as Percy’s right hand man.

The Upcoming (UK)

Pattinson puts in a good performance as the initially drunken then admirably reliable Henry Costin; yet his screen time never seems to provide sufficient legroom for his character to become more than a backdrop to explore Fawcett’s own failures and triumphs. … 4/5 stars

Flickreel (UK)

Initially the casting of Hunnam as a English explorer seemed misjudged, but it’s a role he encapsulates to perfection, in a career best turn for the actor. He’s matched at every turn by the ever-impressive Pattinson… 4/5 stars

Den of Geek (UK)

The most striking regular among Fawcett’s group is Costin, played by a brilliantly understated Robert Pattinson. With his thick beard, round glasses and ever-present hip flask, he’s an immediately likeable supporting character, and Pattinson puts in a generously restrained performance – indeed, it’s something of a surprise that Pattinson didn’t lobby for the leading role. 4/5 stars

Screenjabber (UK)

The film was quite simply brilliant, tantalizing, tense and emotional throughout – I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.

The perfect accompaniment to his brashness, is Robert Pattinson’s character Henry Costin. Unrecognizable in a thick beard, Pattinson plays it calm, quiet and quirky as his companion on multiple quests. 8/10

Figment Reviews (UK)

Robert Pattinson is also pretty good. He’s an actor it’s easy to mock due to his role in the Twilight series…he has more or less shedded that teen vampire nonsense and gives an almost unrecognizable turn here. 8/10

Irish Times (UK)

Having recruited assorted adventurers and mercenaries (including a drunken corporal gamely essayed by Robert Pattinson)

Irish Independent (UK)

James Gray’s long but very entertaining film reminds us of the derring-do that once drove Britons to overrun the globe.

Independent (UK)

Robert Pattinson is effective, too, in a supporting role as Henry Costin, Fawcett’s loyal follower. He gets to deliver one of the best lines in the movie. “Jungle is hell… but one kind of likes it.”

Time Out (UK)

A Bolivian mapmaking job presents an opportunity for advancement and, with his bushy bearded aide Henry (Robert Pattinson, mining an unusual steadiness …The grandeur of this movie is off the charts. For a certain kind of old-school film fan, someone who believes in shapely, classical proportions and an epic yarn told over time, it will be the revelation of the year. 5 stars

Filmoria (UK)

…  Robert Pattinson, who often steals the show as Fawcett’s loyal companion and fellow explorer, Henry Costin. This eloquent and reserved screen turn from the young actor is alive with potency and finite power, often erupting in moments of real beauty and occasionally, wry humour.

Mark Kermode / Kermode & Mayo (UK)

Robert Pattinson, on the other hand, is actually much more interesting, plays the person who goes along for the first explorations … his character is fascinating …

State (Ireland)

He is surrounded by impressive support, not least the locations so lovingly captured and bathed in brilliant light by Darius Khondji.

Eastern Daily Press (UK)

Despite sounding like the next Tarzan spin-off, this tale of real-life Amazon explorer Percy Fawcett is a striking success that tells a true story with very British restraint.

The New Statesmen (UK)

The picture was shot by Darius Khondji on 35mm, even though that added over half a million dollars to the budget and meant the footage had to be flown thousands of miles from the Colombian rainforest locations to be processed. It was worth it. The dense colours are soaked deep into the grain of the filmstock. They tell a story not available in pixels.

NME (UK)

But although Hunnam’s performance is a composed one, it lacks potency and feels wooden. Better in supporting roles are Sienna Miller as the doting wife back in Blighty and Robert Pattinson as our hero’s eccentric, bearded assistant.

The Guardian (UK)

Robert Pattinson may be in a supporting role and almost entirely covered in beard, but he is considerably more interesting to watch. You ultimately find yourself wishing that his character, rather than the dashing but dull Fawcett, was the focus of the film.

Live for Film (UK)

His chemistry with fellow explorer Henry Costin (Robert Pattinson) feels legitimate, in no small part thanks to Pattinson’s equally impressive effort- yet another role that is helping him shake off the stigma of his performance as a sparkly vampire in Twilight (2008).

Tripwire (UK)

The Lost City Of Z is a lush, intelligent film with some likeable performances which feels like a proper cinematic experience.

Mark Searby (Showbizsofa UK)

Splendid brothers in arms performance from Robert Pattinson and Charlie Hunnam as Costin and Fawcett … very slow and captivating film.

The Melting Faces (UK)

The Lost City of Z is one of 2017’s best films so far. It’s a beautiful piece of work with great depth and subtext, impeccably performed and wonderfully written.

HCM Movie Reviews (UK)

Pattinson is consistently delivering great work whether it be leading man or supporting – many scenes were stolen here by Robert.

MPH Movies (UK)

Classical in its execution and absorbing throughout, James Gray might just have created a cinematic masterpiece.

Cineroom (UK)

Pattinson and Miller impressed me in their outings here. Pattinson is consistently delivering great work whether it be leading man or supporting – many scenes were stolen here by Robert.

Jamie Graham (Editor Total Film)

Finally caught Lost City of Z. Glorious. Flummoxed by mixed reviews. Only complaint was I wanted another 2hrs of it. Big fat 5 stars from me

The Red Right Hand (UK)

Notable Characters: … Robert Pattinson and Angus Macfadyen are great to watch. Pattinson is a massively underrated actor – as many who get pigeonholed following major franchise releases tend to be – and his role as Fawcett’s aide-de-camp evolves nicely from apathetic drunkard to genuine friend, all the while retaining his introverted mannerisms”

Alex Welch (Screen Rant)

#TheLostCityofZ is one of those movies where you really only need to see the first minute before realizing how great it’s going to be.

Filmosaure (France)

The Lost City of Z is a cornerstone in the work of James Gray, as it allows to put into perspective his previous works and give an additional degree to his work. … a film that will haunt us for a long time.

MovieKnights2016 (UK)

Robert Pattinson puts a great performance in as a side character.

Movie Hangover (UK)

By far the strongest performance, and I’m shocked to be saying this, is Robert Pattinson as Percy’s fellow explorer Henry Costin. Masked behind a truly magnificent beard, he gives a quiet internal performance, filled with loyalty to Percy and a dry wit that eases the somewhat heavy themes involved.

Demon Media (UK)

Pattinson shines, and I couldn’t help but think that the film would be better off for dedicating more time to his character.

Inside Robbie (UK)

I found myself wanting more Robert Pattinson, because he appeared to have an actual character and moulded into the role far more Hunnam did.  There is a quietness to him, which allow there to be a mystery with his character and this in turn makes him incredibly watchable.

The Hoya (US)

James Gray’s “The Lost City of Z” does beautifully in its attempt to create philosophical and emotional dialogue, while maintaining the film’s historical action genre.

Culture Fly (UK)

Robert Pattinson is a delight as the sturdy best friend, Henry Costin

The Movie Sense

Robert Pattinson has given good performance too.

Spoiler Alert Reviews (UK)

It’s a great film, superbly crafted and put together with strong performances that certainly puts Fawcett back on the map.

The Fan Carpet (UK)

Hunnam is captivating in the role, Miller puts in an impressive performance and Pattinson is quite unrecognisable as Fawcett’s bearded companion. 4 out of 5 stars

Elaine McIntyre

… trusty sidekick Mr Costin at this side (this last a nicely understated performance from a bushy bearded Robert Pattinson doing that Brad Pitt trademarked ‘hey I ain’t no hearthrob’ thang)”

The Times of Malta

Pattison [sic] offers solid support as Costin, Hunnam’s second, friend, and confidante; oftentimes he was the only one who truly believed in Fawcett’s venture while at the same time being the voice of reason.

Red Carpet Crash (DIFF 2017 – US)

We aren’t likely to watch a more beautiful or expertly photographed film this year… a terrific Robert Pattinson.

Film Ireland Magazine (UK)

Robert Pattinson, whose character could stand in for a John Lennon lookalike, was underused in the film, mainly to ensure that this film is primarily Percy Fawcett’s.

Daily Express (UK)

Pattinson gives a convincing performance but his presence adds nothing.

Screen Crush (US)

… (which includes a nearly unrecognizable Robert Pattinson beneath a bushy beard)… The Lost City of Z; its unhurried pacing, complex themes, and magnificent visuals that must be seen on a big screen make it feel like an artifact from an era of big-budget filmmaking that has been rendered essentially extinct by the franchisification of Hollywood.

Mic (US)

Such ambiguity might cheapen lesser films, but Gray’s able to make The Lost City of Z’s improvised ending some parts poetic, sad, haunting and ethereal — much like Fawcett’s enduring legacy for adventure.

Film Journal (US)

(Robert Pattinson, looking and acting slightly consumptive as usual)  … the movie’s early scenes cast an immediate spell that holds throughout. (Note:  Not sure what they mean by “as usual” – he hardly looked consumptive in Bel Ami)

The New Yorker (US)

Pattinson cuts an unlikely figure, yet you follow his every move, and, from the instant at which he laughs at a snake on the forest floor, you wonder what compels him. Unlike Hunnam, he hints at mysteries held in reserve …

Flavorwire (US)

… but Robert Pattinson is terrific as his right-hand man …

BBC | Culture (UK)

Gray’s ending is more ambiguous and the film’s stunning final shot is beautifully imagined. … Gray’s own imaginative journey into Fawcett’s character shapes this quietly eloquent film. (Didn’t like Robert’s performance)

Contact Music (US)

Patterson [sic] and Macfadyen add some texture as loyal and obnoxious colleagues, respectively.

Why So Blu (US)

The film works as a character study, with some nice supporting roles to help fill out the surroundings, which are quite wonderful to behold. When not being impressed by the stunning cinematography by Darius Khondji, enjoy the other performances in the film, such as Robert Pattinson’s Henry Costin …

The Smithsonian (US)

Also remarkable in the film is the movie star, Robert Pattinson, as Fawcett’s aide-de-camp, Henry Costin, who—with a huge bushy beard and tiny Victorian-age spectacles—is indistinguishable from the teen-heartthrob he played in the “Twilight” series of films beginning a decade ago. As a character in Gray’s film, Pattinson is stalwart and steady.

Rolling Stone (US)

… (a terrific Robert Pattinson), an assistant who sticks with Fawcett even on the battlefields of World War I. Pattinson gives Costin a quirky edge that rubs just right against Hunnam’s outer stiffness.

Time (US)

Robert Pattinson is wonderful as Henry Costin, Fawcett’s solemn, bearded, no-nonsense aide-de-camp. We barely see his eyes—they’re half hidden by small John Lennon-style glasses—but his bearing alone tells us what he’s thinking every minute.

FanboyNation (US)

The supporting cast is also excellent, with Robert Pattinson and Tom Holland each delivering solid performances.

Screen Rant (US)

[T]he most memorable side player in the film is easily Robert Pattinson (and his impressive beard) as Percy’s loyal and capable, if somewhat offbeat, fellow explorer, Henry Costin. (Note: Sandy Schaefer‏ @feynmanguy from Screenrant tweeted:  Robert Pattinson’s beard deserves its own spinoff. #TheLostCityofZ)

Rogert Ebert (Matt Zoller Seitz – US)

[A] terrific character turn by Robert Pattinson …

Miami News Times (US)

“an unrecognizably grizzled and charming Robert Pattinson”

Slash Film (US)

This is a remarkable film, filled with sumptuous visuals, an almost Kubrickian fastidiousness, and a solid central figure. It’s a balancing act between the arthouse and the epic, an enormous achievement.

… including his sturdy and witty sidekick Henry Costin (Robert Pattinson, delightful)

The New Yorker | Richard Brody (US)

With its bluff, romantic resuscitation of the cinema’s classic adventure-tale genre and tone, it’s perhaps Gray’s most radical attempt at abstraction and displacement.

Jo Blo (US)

The supporting cast is uniformly solid, with Pattinson doing great work as the bearded, slovenly Costin, Percy’s trusted companion. Anyone still doubting that Pattinson can indeed be a fine actor should look no further than here.

The Mercury News (US)

Henry Costin (an excellent, heavily bearded Robert Pattinson)

Flickfilosopher (US)

Often, Robert Pattinson (The Childhood of a Leader, Life) as Fawcett’s aide-de-camp Henry Costin creates a much stronger presence just sitting quietly in the background.

Rogers Movie Nation (US)

The real revelation here is Pattinson, donning a bushy beard to play a crusty second banana, at long last liberated from the demands of a “Twilight” matinee idol. He growls and swallows his lines, wears loyalty in his eyes (Costin follows Fawcett into WWI) and gets across military competence in way you’d never have guessed when his face was covered in vampire glitter.

Paste Magazine (US)

Henry Costin (a generously bearded and faintly eccentric Robert Pattinson)

Filmdrunk (US)

Pattinson fares best as an actor, mainly because he’s the only one who doesn’t deliver all his lines with the feigned conviction of a high school mock trial student.

Popmatters (US)

Pattinson continues to wash the Twilight stink from his resume with another solid supporting role, even if his scraggly beard and tattered hat make him look like Torgo from Manos: The Hands of Fate.

The Atlantic (US)

Costin (easily Pattinson’s best screen performance to date).

Filmthreat (US)

Robert Pattinson is actually marvelous as Henry Costin. He turns in a truly standout performance as Fawcett’s aide de camp and fellow hearty adventurer. I didn’t recognize him at first under the beard and glasses, but there’s the man himself, acting his ass off with intense humor and presence and not a sparkle to be found anywhere. Mr. Pattinson, actor: welcome

Kaplan vs Kaplan (US)

Costin, played by a bearded, bespectacled and virtually unrecognizable Robert Pattinson. He, too, turns in a controlled but effective performance.

Reason (US)

Henry Costin (a bearded Robert Pattinson, surprisingly effective)

Los Angeles Times (US)

Costin, whom the thickly bearded Pattinson plays with wry, witty understatement.

Killer Movie Reviews (US)

Pattinson is equally good at Costin. Behind owlish glasses and a beard, there is a refined sense of irony that watches one of those ci-mention snakes curl around Fawcett’s feet and languidly comments that he might be too English for the jungle.

Reeling Reviews (US)

The film’s leads are well played by Hunnam, Miller and Pattinson and gather sympathy and give strength to their characters.

Punch Drunk Critics (US)

His best moments are with Pattinson, not surprising since they spend the bulk of the movie sharing the screen together. This is another strong understated supporting role for Pattinson as he continues to run away from his early-career fame.

Boston Herald (US)

Henry Costin (Robert Pattinson, amused behind a bush-sized beard) … “The Lost City of Z” is not perfect. But I can’t wait to see it, again.

The Silver Screen Nerd (US – Video Review)

“its just such a different performance by [Robert] that I was really impressed by”

Seven Days (US)

From the performances to the costumes to the painterly interiors, everything in Lost City has a believable texture.

Cinemalogue (US)

this worthy portrait of a fascinating figure drifts off the mainstream path. The result is appealing to both the eyes and the brain

It’s Just Movies (US)

Good supporting performances by Robert Pattinson …

Screen It (US)

Yes, folks, even Robert Pattinson — that sparkly, dreamy bloodsucker from the “Twilight” movies

FreeBeacon (US)

Pattinson is the real revelation here, all squinty-eyed, world-weary calm.

Tulsa World (US)

The National (UAE)

Robert Pattinson also pops up as a fellow explorer, another career choice seemingly designed to distance the actor far from his Twilight saga origins.  All in all, there is much to admire in this throwback to the best of epic Hollywood filmmaking in the 1970s.

News Observer (US)

Pattinson does fine character work as Mr. Costin

Larsen on Film (US)

One thing is certain: few epic adventures have been filmed as lustrously as The Lost City of Z.

Splice Today (US)

Robert Pattinson shows some chops as Fawcett’s original sidekicks; it’s one of those performances where an actor is so hidden under a prominent beard that the beard all but subsumes his character.

The Brisbane Times (Australia)

Costin injects some easy-going and much needed humour into the action

Rolling Stone Australia

Pattinson gives Costin a quirky edge that rubs just right against Hunnam’s outer stiffness.

Switch (Australia)

…  it’s the beguiling image that slowly comes to accompany those sounds that truly establishes the film and settles you into Gray’s confident hands.  (4 stars)

 

 

THE SOUR

Screen  Anarchy (NYFF 2016)

The Lost City of Z … as a sumptuous and elegant epic it might be, doesn’t quite justify all the effort put in by everyone involved.

c7nema (Portugal - Berlinale 2017)

So we came to the sad conclusion that it is undoubtedly the filmmaker’s worst film yet.

Grazia (Berlinale 2017)

In short, there is here as the distant and semi-blurred image of a film that did not happen as James Gray would have liked and whose subject, precisely, is the failure of a life to begin again

Eye for Film (UK)

Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of Henry Costin, Fawcett’s principal companion on his first two expeditions, is decent enough, but looks a bit lacklustre in comparison to Hunnam and Miller.

PaperBlog (Luxembourg FF)

Disappointing, because laborious and disembodied.

Comic Crusaders (USA)

Robert Pattinson is less annoying than usual. … You have to take a leap here, there is a lot to enjoy, and the characters are more than paper thin cut outs.  It’s just that the structure of the film is presented in such a way that you don’t fall in love with them.

Evening Standard (UK)

Snoozesome journey into the jungle.  3 stars

The Art Desk (UK)

The Lost City of Z doesn’t quite unearth a transporting truth about Percy Fawcett.

Saga (UK)

The Lost City of Z may be good-looking and, for its first half at least, somewhat intriguing – but it falls far short of being a classic.

The Solute (US)

This is a terrible movie. It has so many pieces, and they’re all failing in such boring and expected ways. The Lost City of Z embraces its “classic” adventure movie atmosphere, and all of the shortcomings that entails.

The Sunday Times (UK)

The Lost City of Z is a finely drawn period piece that suffers from its less than heroic central character. 3 stars

The Ooh Tray (US)

Lost City of Z is an evocative and well-made period piece, then, albeit one that misses the breadth and depth of the David Lean epics it sometimes recalls but never matches.

Sfist (US)

Ultimately, The Lost City of Z is the type of movie they don’t make any more….because they kind of shouldn’t.

Reel Views (US)

Although The Lost City of Zheld my interest, it felt like a missed opportunity. Like too many biographical movies, this one tries to do too much.

 

 

LOST IN TRANSLATION

• ITALY
  • Cineblog
• SPAIN
  • elantepenultimomohicano Rating: 78/100
  • El Mundo
• SWITZERLAND (CH-D)
  • Film Bulletin