It’s hard to review a movie when you walked out half way through it, but I’ll give it my best shot. What you need to know is Land of the Lost, by Brad Silberling, and starring actor Will Farrell, has lost its soul.

Synopsis
Paleontologist Dr. Rick Marshall (Will Farrell) is ostracized by the science community due to his unsubstantiated claim that he has discovered time travel. Three years later he is relegated to teaching high school students when he is visited by Holly Cantrell (Anna Friel) and encouraged to complete his work on the tachyon amplifier, a device used to open a portal in space and time. He successfully tests the mechanism and is thrust into the past, along with Holly and a guide played by Danny R. McBride. They are joined by a caveman named Cha-ka, who guides the trio through the treacherous terrain laden with a mean dinosaur and dorkie looking creatures, called Sleestak, in addition to helping them recover the tachyon in order to return home,

History Lesson
For those of you old enough to remember Captain Kangaroo, Poprocks, and Slinkies (it’s fun, it’s a wonderful toy), this movie will sound familiar. That’s because the original Land of the Lost hit the airwaves in 1974, as a children’s television series produced by Sid and Marty Krofft. It’s since become a cult classic available on DVD.

Yes, I’m old enough to remember the original episodes featuring scary Sleestak aliens, and less than stellar special effects. I cheered right along with the rest of my Lucky Charms buddies for the Marshall family to make it safely back to their own time.

The movie I tried to watch today wasn’t that show.

Danger Will Robinson
It would be easy to assume a movie with the same title, as the kid-friendly television show of the 70’s, would provide similar fare-unless you read the small print. Land of the Lost , the Movie is a comedy/parody of the television show equipped with potty language, sexual content, and adult situations. The PG-13 rating is there for a reason and actually might not be strong enough. Star Trek is PG-13, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is PG-13, in my opinion this is PG-13/R. Offensive issues in the movie include naughty words both anatomical and profane, drug abuse shown in a positive light, masturbation, scanty clothing (female as well as Will Farrell in tight men’s briefs-no one needs to see that), homosexual experimentation, and…well I walked out at that point and got my money back.

I think what bothered me the most is I feel like the victim of a bait and switch. The trailer really left no indication that this wasn’t a family movie. The title of the flick wasn’t altered like other parody movies for example Spaceballs or Farce of the Penguins. Even when Will Farrell made an appearance on the Today Show (in real life, not in the movie) for opening weekend promotions, he toted a lunch pail and spoke about the movie as an adventure show. So shame on you Universal Pictures and shame on you Will Farrell. I won’t be fooled again.

Mom Says
Don’t go! Seriously, I can’t recommend this movie for anyone. I think Paul says it best in Philippians chapter 4, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

The movie Land of the Lost isn’t one of those things.

Rating
Land of the Lost is rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, and for language including a drug reference.

Radio personality and author Lynne Thompson can be heard in the United States and Canada on Focus on the Family’s Weekend radio broadcast as “The Soccer Mom.” Her book, The Official Soccer Mom Devotional, is dedicated to encouraging women with a van load of God’s truth and a sport bottle filled with laughter. You can read Lynne's blog and learn more about her at her website: soccermombook.com.