Film review: Land of the Lost

Published on Thursday 30 July 2009 19:12

LAND OF THE LOST (12a) * DIRECTED BY: BRAD SILBERLING STARRING: WILL FERRELL, ANNA FRIEL, DANNY MCBRIDE

IN A summer of terrible blockbusters, Land of the Lost's ability to distinguish itself as the worst of the bunch (so far) is almost commendable, given that its awfulness appears to have been achieved so effortlessly.

It's based on a cheesy 1970s children's TV show and stars Will Ferrell as Rick Marshall, a disgraced scientist who discovers his theories about time travel are true when he's zapped into a parallel universe full of dinosaurs, primates and space aliens. In the show, Marshall was stuck there with his kids, but the film ditches them in favour of a potential love interest and a coarse sidekick. They take the form of Anna Friel – the first order of business for her is to cut her trousers into hotpants – and Danny McBride, who ladles on sexual references that will likely make any child-accompanying parents squirm.