Land of the Lost (2009)
RIGHT PLACE. WRONG TIME.
Official Synopsis
Disgraced paleontologist Dr. Rick Marshall (Will Ferrell) is sucked into a space-time vortex alongside his research assistant Holly (Anna Friel) and survivalist Will (Danny McBride). The trio finds themselves in an alternate dimension populated by dinosaurs and slow-moving lizard-men known as Sleestaks. With no weapons and questionable smarts, they must rely on a primate ally named Chaka to survive long enough to find their way home.
Official Trailer
Easter Eggs & Tributes
- "Not a Routine Expedition": During the raft sequence, Marshall exclaims this as a nod to the original 1974 theme song lyrics.
- Original Cast Cameos: Kathy Coleman and Wesley Eure (the original Holly and Will) filmed cameos for the movie, though their scenes were unfortunately cut from the final theatrical version.
- Costume Homage: Holly’s outfit early in the film is a direct match to the costume worn by Kathy Coleman in the 1970s series.
- Sleestak Design: The film recreates the iconic "lizard-man" look using modern effects while maintaining the "man-in-suit" aesthetic of the original.
Fun Facts
- The Road to Seven: The desert road used in the film is the same location featured in the climax of the 1995 thriller Seven.
- Refused Cameo: Ron Harper (Jack Marshall from Season 3) was invited for a cameo but declined, famously stating he "had a problem with dinosaur-urine jokes".
- Basketball Sleestaks: To achieve their height, many Sleestaks in the original show were played by tall basketball players, including NBA legend Bill Laimbeer.
Expanded Cast & Crew
The Cast
- Will Ferrell: Dr. Rick Marshall
- Danny McBride: Will Stanton
- Anna Friel: Holly Cantrell
- Jorma Taccone: Cha-Ka
- John Boylan: Enik
The Crew
- Director: Brad Silberling
- Writers: Chris Henchy & Dennis McNicholas
- Music: Michael Giacchino
- Cinematography: Dion Beebe
Production Information
Production began on March 4, 2008, with much of the filming taking place on location in the Mojave Desert (Dumont Dunes), La Brea Tar Pits, and Trona, California. Only one week of filming used traditional green screen soundstages. The film's ambitious $100 million budget included high-end creature work by Crash McCreery and a full 88-piece orchestra for the score by Michael Giacchino.
My Review
Looking back from 2026, the 2009 big-screen reimagining of Land of the Lost remains a fascinating anomaly. Two major questions still surround the production. First, why did the powers that be decide a niche 1970s Krofft children’s program needed a blockbuster-sized revival? Second, why did producers commit to a total parody, pairing a peak-era Will Ferrell with a rising Danny McBride and Anna Friel? On paper, this combination seems like a financial disaster in the making, yet the context of the era explains the gamble.
In 2009, Will Ferrell’s box-office draw was formidable, and the theatrical landscape still had a massive appetite for R-rated-style comedies, even within a PG-13 rating. When you factor in the lucrative DVD market of the time, the metrics for success actually seemed to line up. Unfortunately, critics gave the film a cold reception, and the core audience failed to respond to the absurdist material as anticipated. As for the film itself, Land of the Lost is a surprisingly decent time. It offers clever callbacks to the original Saturday morning series, and the special effects are legitimately impressive. While there are plenty of laughs, the script is perhaps a bit too ambitious for its own good, cluttering the narrative with sci-fi complexity. Furthermore, the production design occasionally suffers from an over-reliance on green-screen CGI. The film might have benefited from more of the low-budget, practical "set charm" that made the original show so endearing.
There is something admirable about the sheer ambition of the project. In today’s cinematic landscape, a film like this would likely never be greenlit. The IP is considered ancient, and big-budget, high-concept comedies have largely vanished from theaters in favor of streaming. Looking back, I respect the "big swing" this movie took. While I wouldn't go so far as to call it a masterpiece, it remains a piece of harmless fun and a relic of a period when creative ambition occasionally overcame common financial sense.
The Final Verdict
✔ The High Points
- Ferrell & McBride Chemistry: Their shared comedic timing and improvised riffs provide the film's strongest laughs.
- Nostalgic Creature Design: Successfully honors the 1970s aesthetic with a mix of high-budget CGI and campy practical Sleestaks.
- Visual Ambition: Features surprisingly impressive production design and colorful, "breathtaking" landscapes.
- The Matt Lauer Beef: The recurring rivalry with the real-life Matt Lauer provides a hilariously bizarre meta-narrative.
✘ The Low Points
- Identity Crisis: Struggles to find a balance between a raunchy adult parody and its family-friendly TV roots.
- CGI Fatigue: Over-reliance on computerized effects can sometimes feel "soulless" compared to practical sets.
- Erratic Pacing: The story can feel like a disjointed series of random vignettes rather than a cohesive adventure.
- Sparse Humor: While some scenes hit hard, the joke-to-laugh ratio is occasionally thin for such a large budget.
From the Archive: Jan 31, 2009
Ain't It Cool News has released the first image of the character of Chaka in the new Will Ferrell film Land of the Lost.
I think the movie could be an enjoyable mix of nostalgia, trademark Will Ferrell humor with great action and impressive special effects.
For whatever reason, this image of Chaka makes me giddy with anticipation. The idea of actually remaking this silly show from my youth busts me up to no end.
Also in case you haven't seen it yet, here's the teaser poster for the film.
Yes, that is indeed Danny McBride in the film as Will. Anna Friel plays Holly.
Classic.
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