Despite being ridiculed by the scientific establishment, which views indigenous populations as savages, British explorer Percy Fawcett journeys into the Amazon, where he discovers evidence of a previously unknown, advanced civilization that may have once inhabited the region.
"The Lost City of Z" is flush with the sort of breathtaking stuff that even the most amazing CGI can't provide. Cinematographer Darius Khondji is the obvious hero, but a lot of the credit goes to the cast.
Hunnam expertly conveys Fawcett's bravery, spirit and sometimes reckless nature. At times we sense even he knows he might never find absolute proof of the City of Z - but he'll die trying if he must.
The never-ending jungle proves perfectly suited to the filmmaker's lush, operatic aesthetic, as does the film's central theme of escaping one's background, through whatever means necessary.
Miller's riveting, heartfelt portrayal etches a delicate picture underneath the colorful, wild portrait of Fawcett - of the losses suffered at home in service of greater ambitions and fantastical dreams.