Nerdly » ‘The Land That Time Forgot’ Review

29th Jan2025

‘The Land That Time Forgot’ Review

by Jim Morazzini

Stars: David Margetts, Jasmine Hope, Jack Pearson, Michael Paré, Lauren Koopowitz, Michelle Bauer, Bix Krieger, Nate Charles Karagiannis-Troisi | Written by Dan Telfer | Directed by Anthony Frith

Originally published in 1918, Edgar Rice Burroughs’ The Land That Time Forgot has inspired multiple adaptations, most notably Kevin Connor’s 1974 film. Now, the story returns to the screen courtesy of The Asylum, who previously tackled the tale in 2009. Can this new adaptation deliver a mix of nostalgia and modern sensibilities, while staying true to the spirit of the original novel?

The movie opens with a tense and chaotic sequence as the crew of a Russian submarine launches a surprise attack on an Australian naval vessel in the Bering Sea. The reasons behind the attack as well as the Aussie’s presence so far from home remain unclear, but the ship is destroyed.

Among the survivors are Lt. Tim Olson (David Margetts; Inside, The Summer Before Forever), Bradley (Jasmine Hope; Falling for Daisy, Flunk), and Tyler (Jack Pearson; Time Pirates, Fast and Fierce: Death Race). They manage to seize control of the Russian sub, only to face an even greater threat: a massive sea creature that attacks their vessel, pushing it ashore on an uncharted island.

Meanwhile, back in the Pentagon, Admiral Jackman (Michael Paré; The Virgin Suicides, Sentinel) grows increasingly concerned. The Russian sub has vanished from the radar, but the stakes are personal for him. Among the unaccounted personnel is Lee Larue (Lauren Koopowitz; Boys in the Trees, Kangaroo Island), his niece, whose disappearance coincides with her mother Margaret’s (Michelle Bauer; Demonwarp, Monster Mash) declining health in hospice care.

Jackman, along with his aide Hallie Pearce (Bix Krieger; V/H/S/Beyond, Sin City Murders), dives into a subplot involving gravitational anomalies, time dilation, and the search for Lee, elements that attempt to inject a scientific explanation into the fantastical events unfolding but end up sounding like nonsensical techno-babble.

Writer Dan Telfer (The Onion’s Extremely Accurate History of the Internet, Nerd Poker: Of Beasts and Blood) and director Anthony Frith (The Worst Alien in the World, Lessons from a Middle-Class Artist) update Burroughs’ original premise while remaining reasonably faithful to its core. The most significant departure is the explanation of Caspak, the island setting. In this iteration, Caspak exists not as an uncharted continent, a notion difficult to accept in the age of modern technology, but as part of an alternate timeline. This creative twist allows for some intriguing narrative possibilities, even if it isn’t fully explored.

Once the survivors arrive on Caspak, the plot transitions into a familiar dinosaur-survival narrative. Fans of Burroughs will appreciate nods to the novel, including the inclusion of a German sailor, Von Schoen (Nate Charles Karagiannis-Troisi; Slashening: The Final Beginning), whose name is reminiscent of Von Schoenvorts, the original story’s submarine commander. However, most of the film focuses on the characters dodging velociraptors and avoiding the jaws of a rampaging T-Rex.

The Pentagon subplot, while offering a humanizing touch to the narrative, feels largely unnecessary. It seems to exist primarily to justify the inclusion of Michael Paré and Michelle Bauer, both recognizable names amidst a cast of mostly lesser-known Australian actors. While Paré delivers his usual dependable performance, his limited screen time does little to elevate the film. Bauer, similarly, has only a couple of scenes, confined to her bed as the ailing Margaret.

The Land That Time Forgot is dedicated to the late Glenn Campbell, not the country singer but the effects artist who worked on films such as Lifeforce, Spaceballs, and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension before becoming The Asylum’s long-time effects supervisor. Fittingly, while still being uneven, the effects, which include a fight between a T-Rex and a pack of raptors, are better than usual. On the other hand, there are the usual gaffes, including a scene where CGI fire is added to the Molotov Cocktails Tyler is holding. They really couldn’t just light them like in most other movies?

Despite its flaws, The Land That Time Forgot delivers what it promises, mindless dinosaur action that feels like a throwback to the films of an earlier time. While it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the 1974 adaptation, missing the presence of its star Doug McClure, it surpasses many of The Asylum’s other creature features.

For those seeking a nostalgic throwback to Burroughs’ pulp adventures or simply craving a fun, dinosaur-filled escapade, The Land That Time Forgot scratches the itch. It may not revolutionize the genre, but it offers an enjoyable ride through a prehistoric world. No word on whether or not they plan to adapt its sequel, The People That Time Forgot, but based on this, I’d certainly watch it if they did.