Land of the Lost (PG-13, 2009)

common sense media says

Ferrell's reboot of '70s show is rife with gross-out laughs.


parents & educators say
  • 69% say sexual content is an issue
  • 69% say language is an issue

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this big-screen version of the cult-classic 1970s TV show has lots of vulgar language, as well as an extended sequence in which some of the main characters are clearly stoned on a natural narcotic/hallucinogenic substance. There's also a high degree of body-function humor: At one point, a character douses himself in dinosaur urine to mask his scent, an egg is removed from a huge pile of dinosaur feces, and a character is swallowed whole and later excreted by a dinosaur.

Positive messages: There's a hint of a lesson about standing by your friends and your beliefs, but it's mostly drowned out by slapstick and jokes. There's a high degree of body-function humor: Acharacter douses himself in dinosaur urine to mask his scent, an egg isremoved from a huge pile of dinosaur feces, a character is swallowedwhole and excreted by a dinosaur, etc. Discussion of enjoying show tunes being considered "a bit gay."
Positive role models: Ferrell's character is an arrogant airhead, but he's not to be taken very seriously. Holly stands up for him when no one believes his theories.
Violence: A man is torn to bits by hungry dinosaurs, and viewers see his severed limbs. Mostly comedic violence involving lizard-men or dinosaurs; some peril, but mostly limited to comedic rampages of destruction and mild scuffling. Some blood as part of a gag involving an exotic blood-sucking insect.
Sex: Some kissing; mild lascivious language (for example, a river guide says to a young woman "You may get wet" as a fairly obvious double-entendre). Scantily clad women, as well as underwear-clad men, but the latter is primarily for comedic effect. A touchy-feely hominid primitive puts his hand on the breast of a young woman; a slightly more evolved human emulates that behavior.
Language: Extensive (yet genial) profane and rude language, including (but not limited to) "goddammit," "boobs," "damn," "bitchslap," "gay," "ass-ton," "pissed," "oh my God," "bastard," "s--tty," "p---y," a barely vocalized non-sexual use of t"f--k," "dong," "asshole," "crapballs," "dick," "Jesus,"  "tap that ass," "son-of-a-bitch," and many more.
Consumerism: Extensive mention of brands and TV shows, including Amazon, Cialis, M&Ms, Arby's, Popeye's Chicken, Subway, Florsheim, iPod, Sandals resorts, A Chorus Line, Iron Chef, the Latin Grammys, The Today Show (including a cameo by host Matt Lauer), Mama's Family, and many more.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: A pipe is displayed but not smoked; characters drink beer and wine. Characters also appear high from the effects of the nectar of an exotic plant. A character says of a tropical jungle "I bet there's weed in there."

More on Land of the Lost

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about the phenomenon of '70s TV shows coming to the big screen. Does this represent the fact that these shows have wormed their way into the public consciousness because they were worthwhile -- or is it just about making money? 
  • Families can also talk about Will Ferrell -- what do all of his characters seem to have in common? What's behind his comedic appeal?

What's the story?

What's the story?
After his bizarre theories about time-travel and inter-dimensional wormholes earn him the scorn of the scientific community, Dr. Rick Marshall (Will Ferrell) is exiled to working as a tour guide at the La Brea tar pits. Holly Cantrell (Anna Friel), the one person who believes his theories, finds him, encourages him to build his dimension-spanning equipment, and then leads him to a souvenir stand in the desert run by Will (Danny McBride) that just happens to be at a weak spot between worlds. Soon, the three are transported to a strange primitive world full of dinosaurs, friendly primates, and scary lizard men.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

What saves LAND OF THE LOST from being annoying or overblown is the naked transparency of its low ambitions; this isn't a serious-minded reinvention of the series or an attempt to make a work of art out of '70s TV. Instead, it's a chance for Ferrell and McBride -- two talented comedic improvisers -- to do their thing in a world of dinosaurs and dangers, peril and parody.

Director Brad Silberling, working from a script by two ex-Saturday Night Live writers, knows this, so he goes easy on spectacle and heavy on slapstick. Land of the Lost is hardly the most original comedy -- Ferrell's playing another of his arrogant airheads, McBride another of his roughneck buffoons -- and yet something about the sci-fi setting makes what could have been tired moments fresh, as if a familiar restaurant redecorated while still serving old favorite recipes. A broad, foolish comedy, Land of the Lost has more than a few laughs, even if it is somehow both expensive and disposable.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Universal Pictures
Director: Brad Silberling
Cast: Anna Friel, Danny McBride, Will Ferrell
Genre: Action/Adventure
Run time: 99 minutes
Theatrical release: June 5, 2009
DVD release: October 12, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: crude and sexual content, and for language including a drug reference
Watch our review

This review was written by James Rocchi
 
 

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What parents & educators say

13
Based on 42 parent & educator reviews:
  • 69% say sexual content is an issue
  • 69% say language is an issue
  • 52% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking

Most useful reviews by all members

gold3
kid, 11 years old
 
some rude things
Good comedy but some bad things

 
3 stars? Did you watch this movie?
We left before it ended. I was wishing I had checked this website before we went to see it, but your review doesn't do it justice. Lots of vulgar language? It was ALL vulgar. Inappropriate sexual behavior through the whole movie. The fact that this movie was made is a sad statement on the condition of society. Come on, commonsensemedia, don't water down your reviews. Tell it like it is! We trust you!

mrsfrank
educator and parent
 
There was some sort of error on the earlier post. For the record, I would not recommend this movie for anyone under the age of 14. I am not a fan of inappropriate comedies for a variety of reasons, and would definitely not recommend this movie to younger viewers.

Spongebob Fan
kid, 13 years old
 
Sort of Boring. Lost My Interest During the Film.
It's a man's comedy. It's not very funny, just sexual humor and jokes that don't really make sense. Language and sex, violence, consumerism, bad role models, mixed messages, and drug and alcohol use and we could be seeing this film again. It isn't good.

extra04918
parent of 7 and 14 year old
 
Not appropriate for 13 year olds, and bad to boot!
I found it extremely offensive. I brought my daughter and 3 of her friends, and was angry during the movie, and apologetic to their parents afterward! Words like b*tch, a**, d*ck and p*ssy (sometimes used "straight", and sometimes as a double-entendre) were not what I considered appropriate. Also, the female character was dressed in a provocative manner for no theatrical reason, and was grouped for humor, and the subject of crude humor on a number of occasions. There were visual sexual jokes as well, and while much of this went over the kids' heads, I was very surprised that, ratings-wise, this was considered acceptable for 13 year olds. Lastly, this was just a terrible movie -- bad dialog, jokes, plot, acting, etc.

magz1027
kid, 11 years old
 
Good for kids 13+
It is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen! It has a lot of bad language, but it's so funny! There's a little sexual activity because there is some kissing and when they go to the fireworks store, there are inappropriate coffee mugs and lighters.

Chinagirl123
teen, 13 years old
 
Perfectly good Show Ruined by this Stupid Movie
My mom luved the show when she was younger and i saw a few episodes when they were on. But this movie Was NOTHING like the show.and very INNAPROPRIAT the things people say and just it was a great show RUINED by this movie. it was Made into a comedy with many sex jokes. It was so STUPID i turned it off.

uhya
teen, 13 years old
 
this movie is hilarious but has a lot of language.

Tammy J. Farris
parent of 15 , and 17 , 17 year old
 
Do not take your young children to this movie!!!
This is not for the kids!! If I could give it a half a star I would have. It is awful to start with but many of the scenes had me uncomfortable. There was talk about two male characters french kissing on a dare. The furry creature is constantly grabbing the female characters breast, ok maybe once, but they seem to think this was funny for it to happen over and over. They use bad language like p***y, and others, at the end it shows a group of scantily clad women showing a little too much bottom and breast. Please do not take your children to this movie. I was somewhat offended by the constant degrading of women, i.e: breast constantly grabbed, talk hinting about women getting wet", showing a bit much bottom and breast at the end. Although not full out revealing, more showing than they should have for how this movie was promoted. Shame on them..They made every child out there think this was a great kids movie!! Really sad!!

dudeyo
kid, 13 years old
 
Not okay for tweens but for older kids
have not seen it but some people say it should have been rated R

imapackrat
parent of and 12 , 14 , 17 year old
 
I was really looking foreward to watching this movie (although Will Farrell isn't my cup of tea) but I left the theater wondering how they got by with a PG rating. Even my children were embarrassed. The whole movie is one profane word or act after another. I can't believe it was marketed to children with the F word and G D, and the CONSTANT sexual actions. It promotes homosexuality, interspecies sex, self gratification, drug use, and on and on. This was the worst movie I think I've ever seen in my 40 years. My kids are 15, 13 and 11 and it was inappropriate for all of them. I would say it was inappropriate for anyone under 18.

Grisabella
parent of 11 and 14 year old
 
Stinks worse than dino dung! Not a kid's movie.
After reading the commonsense.org review I took my 12 year old to this movie and couldn't believe how many offensive moments you guys left out of the review! For example, once the guys get high on narcotic cactus juice they wake up in a 69 position lingered on by the camera long enough for everyone to get the joke ten times over...and still no one's laughing. The gross out humor you mention is delivered sledgehammer style so that even my twelve year old boy hated it. Truly tedious. I love Will Farrell, but this movie was definately marketed to kids and is NOT a kids movie. Other items you do not stress enough in the review is the unending foul language, sexual references and topless girls in the ending.

nvscmom
parent of 13 and 15 year old
 
The sexual innuendos are outrageous. Drug use is ridiculous. Very disappointed it was advertised so heavily on nickelodeon. Totally inappropriate for tweens and younger.

KoolFamilyFos
parent of 9 and 16 year old
 
Tacky - nothing like the original
Tacky humor that was not funny - Will Ferrell keeps doing the same tacky humor and in the first few movies it might have been somewhat funny - but it is now worn out. Also I watched this tv show as a kid and this movie is completely different - not even the same characters. Holly was the daughter in the tv show - the movie has her as Marshall's love interest.

rayman239
teen, 14 years old
 
Dumb, Absent-Minded, poorly-written comedy.
I was dissapointed after seeing this Will Ferrell comedy, Buddy let me down. I'll forgive him when/if ELF 2 ever comes out. Sexual references throughout, along with references to drugs and alcohol. Swearing throughout, strong for a PG-13 comedy. Appropriate for Teens, but in my opinion, would be a waste of their time.

eagles4ever
teen, 15 years old
 
Will Ferrell with another Comedy.
A really funny movie with Will Ferrell. Just a another funny comedy movie I have seen. There is a lot of inappropiate language used but no one drops the F bomb.

bananalover
teen, 16 years old
 
funny
this movie is awesome

 
Kinda stupid but enjoyable.
This film is loaded with swears but is actually pretty fun and funny. There is lots of innuendo and swearing. Parents be warned, NOT FOR KIDS!

smarge
parent of 10 and 11 year old
 
Crude movie with no value; inappropriate for anyone under 17 & too boring/stupid/crude for anyone older.
This is NOT the children's Land of the Lost you might think it would be, based on the old kids' tv program. It has corny potty-humor, many crude sexual references, repeated groping of the female lead's breasts and disrespectful sexual comments (male lead suggests that the woman will "get wet" at one point), 3 main characters go on some sort of drug trip with several homosexual references that occur during that "trip". It has a very thin plot and no redeeming value at all. I was mortified that I took my 8 year old son and am glad a friend told me about this website for future reference BEFORE we go to a movie!

kranda2000
kid, 11 years old
 
laugh out loud funny, but not for kids under 14
a great movie, but a bit too much sexual content for kids under 15. there is also bad language used countless times. pretty gross, too.

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