After surviving their expedition to King Solomon's Mines, Allan Quatermain [Richard Chamberlain] and Jesse Huston [Sharon Stone] have settled into life in colonial Africa. They are betrothed, and Jesse plans to travel to America for the wedding, but Allan’s restlessness hints at a bigger call. When a man chased by two masked figures stumbles into their world, delirious and dying, he names Allan’s long-lost brother and whispers of a city made of gold. The lure of the legendary Lost City of Gold pulls Allan toward one more perilous journey, while Jesse wrestles with the idea of leaving him to his quest but soon understands how deeply the mission matters to him.
To mount the expedition, Allan is joined by Umslopogaas [James Earl Jones], a fearless veteran and longtime ally, who lends his formidable presence and battle prowess. They are backed by Swarma [Robert Donner], a spiritual guide with his own agenda, and five loyal Askari warriors, assembling a crew that will push through harsh deserts and treacherous terrain. Their path leads them to the Walls of Japora, where danger intensifies: two Askari fall to a boobytrap as Swarma triggers a hidden trap, and another clash with savage Eshowe warriors costs more lives. The party barely survives a subterranean river as Umslopogaas wields his enormous axe to deflect arrows and keep the group moving toward their uncertain prize.
At last they arrive in the Lost City, a place where inhabitants—both black and white—live in peace under a dual leadership. There, Allan unexpectedly encounters his brother Robeson Quatermain [Martin Rabbett], who appears healthy and at ease within the city’s complex society. The city’s two queens—Nyleptha [Aileen Marson], noble and beloved, and Sorais [Cassandra Peterson], powerful and hungry for control—rally against a hidden force that truly governs the metropolis. The true mastermind is High Priest Agon [Henry Silva], whose influence threatens to plunge the city into tyranny. The revelation of Agon’s machinations triggers a mounting tension as Allan’s alliance with the city’s people begins to tilt the balance against him.
As Agon and Sorais mobilize an army to reclaim the city, Allan discovers a startling resource: the population can fashion weapons from the abundant gold mined within their walls. The prospect of arming themselves with gold intensifies the conflict and raises the stakes of Liberation versus domination. A climactic battle unfolds atop the temple, set against a raging lightning storm. In a dramatic act, Allan channels the storm’s power through Umslopogaas' axe, guiding molten gold to melt and pour over the attacking horde, transforming their enemies into towering gold statues. The city’s struggle reaches a surreal crescendo as the power of gold reshapes the battlefield and the balance of power.
In a moment of unmasking, Swarma [Robert Donner] is revealed to be a chief antagonist and, thirsty for water, is sent into the fountain by Umslopogaas as the crowd erupts in laughter. The city’s mood shifts from fear to relief as order begins to reassert itself. With the immediate danger dissolved, Allan and Jesse share a quiet, victorious kiss, celebrating a hard-won peace and a love that remains steadfast in the face of immense danger. The expedition concludes with a sense of hopeful continuation for Allan’s restless spirit, now tempered by the bonds formed in the Lost City and the promise of a future anchored in shared purpose.
