The Lost City of Z is a 2016 American epic biographical adventure drama film written and directed by James Gray, based on the 2009 book of the same name by David Grann.

[4] It portrays British explorer Percy Fawcett, who was sent to Brazil and made several attempts to find a supposed ancient lost city in the Amazon.

[11][12] In 1905, Percy Fawcett is a young British major who participates in a stag hunt on an Irish baronial estate for the visiting Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s benefit.

A year later, Fawcett meets officials of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) in London, where he is informed that the governments of Bolivia and Brazil are nearly at war over the location of their mutual boundary.

Fawcett leads the survey party, meeting Corporal Henry Costin, who is familiar with the Amazon rainforest, aboard the ship to Brazil.

At a large rubber plantation in the jungle owned by Portuguese nobleman Baron de Gondoris, they meet Lance Corporal Arthur Manley, who tells them the British government advises against further exploration.

Fawcett dismisses this as insane ravings, but he soon discovers highly advanced broken pottery and some small stone statues in the jungle, convincing him of the story’s veracity.

He also meets renowned biologist James Murray, who agrees to back his Amazon expedition to find that lost city.

Fawcett shows Sir John Scott Keltie a compass, telling him that he will send it back to him once he finds the lost city.

The Fawcetts are attacked by natives and run off, only to be stopped by a second tribe, who say that the Englishmen's spirits aren’t wholly of their own world.

[20] On September 4, 2013, Benedict Cumberbatch came on board to portray Fawcett,[21] along with Robert Pattinson, who joined the cast in the role of Costin.

[22][23] In February 2015, Cumberbatch dropped out also due to scheduling conflicts, and was replaced by Charlie Hunnam, while Sienna Miller was cast as Nina Fawcett.

[28] Hunnam and Miller filmed scenes at Ballintoy, County Antrim, on August 31,[29][30] and further shooting took place at Craigavon House, East Belfast on September 2.

It is unclear if the move was due to a commercial decision, or a result of usual censorship by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television.

The site's critics consensus reads, "The Lost City of Z's stately pace and visual grandeur hearken back to classic exploration epics, and Charlie Hunnam turns in a masterful performance as its complex protagonist.

"[51] At Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 based on 44 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

"[53] Dan Callahan in his review for TheWrap said that "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.

"[54] Owen Gleiberman, writing for Variety, called the film "a finely crafted, elegantly shot, sharply sincere movie that is more absorbing than powerful.

He then notes the complementary elements of The Lost City of Z being "exotic adventure, and the psychological terror that brushes Gray's metaphorical heart of darkness.

However he does note that The Lost City of Z may "test your patience" because of the scenes being prolonged to enhance the main character, Percy Fawcett.

He concludes in his review that though the movie falls short on important scenes, "The lost City of Z an unbalanced but fascinating watch.

"[62] Manohla Dargis, a writer from The New York Times, writes that Charlie Hunnam was "mesmerizing" upon his main role of British explorer, Percy Fawcett.

She believes Mr. Gray has "Effortlessly expands his reach as he moves across time and continents and in the process turns the past into a singular life."

[65] David Sims, a staff writer at The Atlantic, writes that "The Lost City of Z is a miraculous movie at once moving, intimidating, and gorgeous to behold.