‘Lost City of Z’ Is Subtly Powerful

In this subtly thoughtful and powerful movie, an English explorer, Col. Percival Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam) sets out to search for a mysterious city in the Amazon rainforest. As with many period pieces, it’s a bit dull in the pacing, even though it’s based on the no doubt adventuresome disappearance of said explorer in the 1920s. But even if it’s a tad slow, it’s the kind that unfolds and rewards better in hindsight. With a Spielberg-like wonderment at the awes and horrors of the Amazon and an unusually wise script, the movie tackles themes of colonialism, the European underestimation of the Native Americans, and the journey of life itself.