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George RR Martin’s impressive work is not limited to medieval fantasy. Indeed, he began his career by writing several works focused on science fiction (including the 1980 science fiction horror novel “Nightflyers”) and even later branched out into horror. His short story “In the Lost Lands” is an equally intriguing blend of fantasy and western that features a mystical witch named Gray Alys as the equivalent of a catastrophic force of nature. And even though Alys isn’t Melisandre from “A Song of Ice and Fire,” she still finds a way to doom people with her wish-granting abilities, even if her disturbing lack of empathy adds a horrific element to this already difficult story. But as brilliant as Martin’s source material is, it’s frustratingly misinterpreted by the shallow and lackluster 2025 film adaptation of the same name.
Paul W. S. Anderson “In the Lost Lands” became a box office failure when it was released theatrically in March 2025. The film’s critical response was equally abysmal, as most critics felt it had few redeeming qualities. Anderson had already enjoyed financial success with his film adaptation “Mortal Kombat” in 1995 and especially his “Resident Evil” filmsbut the “Event Horizon” director has failed to replicate the successful formula that once worked in his favor. Additionally, the problems plaguing “In the Lost Lands” extend to its foundations, as the film is mostly a superficial retelling of Martin’s story that plays more like a standard CGI-heavy genre hodgepodge.
And like Martin’s source material, Milla Jovovich and Dave Bautista feel wasted as protagonists here, although the latter injects some urgency into the otherwise lifeless proceedings. So, if you’re a Bautista completist or want to relax with a silly fantasy western film featuring some decent action, “In the Lost Lands” may be worth a second chance.
In the Lost Lands is a dud overall, but there are some enjoyable moments
Anderson’s film is set in a post-apocalyptic world where Alys (Jovovitch) is declared a heretic by the all-powerful Church and sentenced to be hanged to death – a fate she avoids thanks to her powers as a witch. While fleeing the Church, she crosses paths with Melange (Amara Okereke), a woman who asks Alys to help her acquire shapeshifting abilities so that she can finally unite with the love of her life. This, in turn, leads Alys to meet Boyce (Bautista), a gunslinger who was also hired to track down a shapeshifter for Melange. Along the way, however, their quest is repeatedly thwarted by people who want Alys dead.
Plot-wise, Anderson’s film and Martin’s original story are quite similar. The main difference is that Martin’s work features competent world-building and well-written characters. Alys and Boyce are also complex individuals as Martin envisions, but Anderson’s adaptation turns them into flat caricatures with flimsy motivations. His decision to make the film using Unreal Engine technology is equally confusing, as the film’s video game aesthetic makes it blander than it should be. The result is a film that isn’t visually engaging, which is a shame, considering Martin’s evocative writing when describing the desolate beauty of the wastelands Alys and Boyce traverse.
The main thing “In the Lost Lands” has to offer is ridiculous, over-the-top action, which showcases Anderson’s talent for creating stylized set pieces that require a lot of suspension of disbelief. If it’s something you enjoy, it may be enough to make this undeniably absurd adventure worth undertaking.
“In the Lost Lands” can currently be streamed on Hulu and Lionsgate Play.
