The Lost City is a 2022 action-adventure romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock as reclusive romance novelist Loretta Sage. She gets kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire (Daniel Radcliffe) who believes clues to a real lost treasure lie in her latest book; her handsome cover model (Channing Tatum) and a Navy SEAL friend (Brad Pitt) mount a rescue in the jungle. The story is a light, formulaic homage to Romancing the Stone with grief, romance, and broad comedy at its core. Occasional comedic lines using modern slang like “mansplain,” “feminist,” “gender studies,” and a passing “colonial fashion” reference appear as parody of bad romance-novel writing rather than serious themes; these remain background gags with no dominant identity-driven or activist messaging.
Why 28%? See the score breakdownBreakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Lost City.
Woke representation / casting
Supporting Black actress in a modern professional role fits the story world without mismatch or visible signaling; main cast aligns with premise; no audience-visible diversity quotas or identity swaps.
18%
Woke political dialogue
Comedic use of “mansplain,” “feminist,” “gender studies,” and one light “colonial fashion” gag, all framed as parody of exaggerated romance-novel tropes rather than serious messaging; noticeable to some viewers but shallow and non-preachy.
28%
Identity-driven story themes
Core story focuses on personal grief, adventure rescue, and romance with traditional dynamics; minor gender-role flip (female author, male model) handled for comedy without activist arcs or representation emphasis.
12%
Western institutional / cultural critique
Single comedic colonialism reference in dialogue; no broader modern activist framing of patriarchy, systemic issues, toxic masculinity, or institutional critique.
8%
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant.
0%
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Isolated online user complaints about buzzword dialogue and perceived “identity politics,” often noting parody intent; no major media coverage, boycotts, or sustained right-leaning criticism of woke messaging.
22%
Creator track record context
Key creatives have track records in mainstream comedy and adventure with no activist, DEI, or identity-politics patterns; Bullock shows mild liberal leanings but nothing centered on social-justice or representation-first work.
12%
Production
