The Lost City
A reclusive romance novelist on a book tour with her cover model gets swept up in a kidnapping attempt that lands them both in a cutthroat jungle adventure.
Despite a respectable budget of $74.0M, The Lost City became a box office success, earning $192.9M worldwide—a 161% return.
3 wins & 10 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
The Lost City (2022) showcases precise narrative architecture, characteristic of Aaron Nee's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 10-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 52 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.0, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Loretta Sage is a successful romance novelist still grieving her husband's death, stuck in a creative rut while her cover model Alan enjoys fame. She's isolated, cynical, and has lost her passion for adventure.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when Loretta is kidnapped by billionaire Abigail Fairfax, who believes she knows the location of a real lost city treasure based on her research for her novels. Her safe, controlled world is violently shattered.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The Collapse moment at 85 minutes (76% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The tomb begins collapsing after they retrieve the crown. Alan is separated from Loretta in the chaos, and she believes he may be dead. Her worst fear—losing someone else she cares about to adventure—seems realized., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 90 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. Loretta and Alan work together to defeat Fairfax and escape the collapsing island. They combine their strengths—her knowledge and his determination—as equals. The finale celebrates their authentic partnership and mutual bravery., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Lost City's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 10 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping The Lost City against these established plot points, we can identify how Aaron Nee utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Lost City within the action genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional action films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Loretta Sage is a successful romance novelist still grieving her husband's death, stuck in a creative rut while her cover model Alan enjoys fame. She's isolated, cynical, and has lost her passion for adventure.
Theme
Beth, Loretta's publicist, tells her she needs to "get back out there" and stop living through her fictional characters. The theme: real adventure and connection require vulnerability and risk.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to Loretta's world: her successful but formulaic romance novels, the dynamic with cover model Alan, her grief over her late archaeologist husband, and her reluctance to engage with fans or embrace adventure.
Disruption
Loretta is kidnapped by billionaire Abigail Fairfax, who believes she knows the location of a real lost city treasure based on her research for her novels. Her safe, controlled world is violently shattered.
Resistance
Loretta is held captive on a remote island and pressured to decipher clues. Meanwhile, Alan witnesses the kidnapping and debates whether he can actually rescue her, recruiting Jack Trainer, a mysterious operative.
Act II
ConfrontationPremise
Loretta and Alan navigate jungle obstacles, evade Fairfax's men, and follow clues to the lost city. Comic set pieces include leech removal, river escapes, and Alan proving surprisingly resourceful despite being "just a cover model."
Opposition
Fairfax recaptures them and forces Loretta to solve the final puzzle inside the tomb. Loretta's intellectual abilities are exploited against her will. Alan's attempts to be heroic seem increasingly futile. Their connection deepens but danger escalates.
Collapse
The tomb begins collapsing after they retrieve the crown. Alan is separated from Loretta in the chaos, and she believes he may be dead. Her worst fear—losing someone else she cares about to adventure—seems realized.
Crisis
Loretta faces her darkest moment, processing the potential loss of Alan and confronting whether she can be brave without him. She must decide if she'll retreat back to safety or embrace risk and authentic living.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Loretta and Alan work together to defeat Fairfax and escape the collapsing island. They combine their strengths—her knowledge and his determination—as equals. The finale celebrates their authentic partnership and mutual bravery.