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Represented as children in the TV series, I also can’t understand the logic of turning the characters Will and Holly into adults. According to Ferrell, having them as grown-ups meant that it would be better for the comedy, as well as having a potential love story element. Plus, he didn’t want to be “saddled with two kids.” However, I feel that if the film left them as children (or teenagers) and had them played by two decent young actors, then an audience of kids would have someone on screen that they can identify with. Alternatively, having a Land of the Lost where Rick takes his whole class of school children (or even half of them) on a ‘field trip’ to another dimension has the potential for a lot of craziness. An all-adult cast means that you’ve alienated most of the kids. Also, dropping the whole emotional family element in the film leaves Rick, Will and Holly as an unusually random group of people who, before being rushed to another dimension, barely even know each other.

Reviews were not good. Many cited how the film was devoid of humour, which I have to agree with. From the outset it didn’t look funny to me at all. When watching it, a reference to Iron Chef and a final scene involving a game Matt Lauer (playing himself) raised a mild snigger, but apart from that I can’t say I actually laughed at anything.

Its main focus appears to be on delivering numerous set pieces; some trying to be funny, some trying to be thrilling, some trying to be both. The effects, sets and production design do look very good, and with the exception of Ferrell’s $20 million fee, this is most likely where the majority of that $100 million production budget went (at one point the film took up as many as five stages on the Universal lot). Unfortunately they’re all hanging on a story that just doesn’t seem to have any purpose.

In November 2011 at the Savannah Film Festival, President of Universal Ronald Meyer addressed a number of students and members of the public about his rise through Hollywood and some of Universal’s films. With the talk turning to disappointments, he cited Land of the Lost as “just crap,” saying, “there was no excuse for it. The best intentions all went wrong…Land of the Lost didn't deserve better.” Along with Cowboys & Aliens, he described both films as “a huge loss,” saying, “We misfired. We were wrong. We did it badly, and I think we’re all guilty of it. I have to take first responsibility because I'm part of it, but we all did a mediocre job and we paid the price for it.”

Writers Henchy and McNicholas probably thought that adding naughty jokes would make Land of the Lost so much better. Either everyone working on it thought the same thing, or someone was scared to tell the truth. The thing is it’s not funny at all. The trailers were promoting something that came across as too juvenile. The initial impression was a cheap Jurassic Park imitation that’s trying too hard to be funny and failing. Audiences rightfully stayed away. Hell, I actually felt a little embarrassed when my sister walked in on me watching it.

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