The Lost City of Z

Sons of Anarchy star Charlie Hunnam leads a sedate trek through the Amazon jungle, severely clipping his accent to play the real-life British explorer Percy Fawcett who, in the early 1900s, sought evidence of an ancient civilisation. The quest bristles with intrigue and frustration as he flits back and forth between England, where he is ridiculed, and South America, where his cold obsession eventually wears on his right-hand man Henry Costin. Robert Pattinson plays that role with a ruffled, hairy charm that outshines the star while Sienna Miller brings much-needed heart as Fawcett's long-suffering yet supportive wife. Writer/director James Gray (We Own the Night) delivers a subdued film overall, even down to its washed-out visuals, trading instead on a morbid fascination with how far Fawcett is willing to go to prove his theory. There is an increasing sense of impending disaster, too, whether it's negotiating with cannibals or the hostility of Mother Nature and that pulls you along on a journey that winds its way around to a satisfying end.