Lost City Raiders

Lost City Raiders

Year: 2008

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: English

Director: Jean de Segonzac

AdventureThrillerActionScience Fiction

In 2048, climate change has submerged most of the planet’s land. A father and his two sons work as salvage operators, retrieving artifacts from flooded ruins. When the New Vatican commissions them with a critical mission, their quest to recover the past turns into a battle to protect humanity’s future.

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Timeline & Setting – Lost City Raiders (2008)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Lost City Raiders (2008). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

2048

The story unfolds in a near-future 2048, after climate catastrophe has submerged much of the world. Civilizations cling to elevated enclaves and portable habitats as sea levels rise and reshape geography. The plot revolves around a race to reclaim ancient power to part the waters and restore some balance to a planet overwhelmed by flood.

Location

New Vatican, Mediterranean Sea

New Vatican is the central flooded metropolis where religious and raider factions contend for control of the rising seas. The city sits atop surviving land while surrounding oceans threaten with every tide, forcing people to live in elevated districts and submarine corridors. It functions as the launch point for the Kubiac expedition to retrieve the scepter and attempt to save humanity.

🌊 Flooded world 🏛️ Religious stronghold 🚢 Maritime frontier

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:23

Main Characters – Lost City Raiders (2008)

Meet the key characters of Lost City Raiders (2008), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

John Kubiac (James Brolin)

A grizzled patriarch and leader of the expedition, John is pragmatic and protective of his sons. He bears the weight of past losses and struggles to balance duty with personal cost. His resolve anchors the team as they push forward into dangerous, uncharted waters.

🧭 Leader 🛡️ Protector 🗺️ Strategist

Jack Kubiac (Ian Somerhalder)

The bold and impulsive eldest son, Jack is an adept explorer who thrives on risk. He keeps the crew moving and fights to safeguard family and teammates. His history with Giovanna Becker adds emotional complexity to the mission.

🧭 Explorer 💥 Impulsive ❤️ Troubled past

Thomas Kubiac (Jamie Thomas King)

The younger Kubiac brother, tech-savvy and level-headed, he acts as the team's engineer and navigator. He helps adapt to the submarine’s challenges and keeps morale steady under pressure. His practical mind complements his family-driven loyalty.

🛠️ Technician 🧭 Navigator ⚡ Resourceful

Nicholas Filiminov (Ben Cross)

A ruthless land dealer who uses the crisis for personal gain, Filiminov is calculating and manipulative. He pushes for control over sunken territories by enlisting ex-lover Giovanna Becker and leveraging others’ ambitions. His schemes threaten the team’s mission and humanity’s future.

💰 Greed 🗡️ Manipulator 🧠 Strategist

Brother Fontana (Peter Butler)

A determined and pragmatic religious figure, Fontana backs the mission with moral certainty. He provides strategic support to the team and questions the merit of risky actions in pursuit of salvation. His presence grounds the crew in faith-driven resolve.

✝️ Faith 🧭 Guidance 🤝 Ally

Father Giacopetti (Jeremy Crutchley)

An insane priest convinced the Rising is divine punishment, Giacopetti adds volatility and a cautionary voice to the expedition. His fanatic interpretations clash with practical plans, creating tension and moral debate within the group. His presence probes the line between zeal and danger.

🕊️ Faith 🌀 Madness ⚠️ Instability

Cardinal Battaglia (Michael Mendl)

A commanding religious leader who seeks to use the scepter to avert catastrophe, Battaglia embodies authority in crisis. He pressures the team to achieve results that align with his vision of salvation, sometimes clashing with pragmatic strategy. His scheming merges religious duty with political ambition.

👑 Authority 🎯 Objective 🗝️ Power

Giovanna Becker (Bettina Zimmermann)

Jack’s ex and a liaison to Filiminov, Giovanna operates in a murky space between allegiance and betrayal. She is motivated by personal connections and practical outcomes, navigating shifting loyalties as the search for the scepter intensifies. Her choices impact the balance of trust within the crew.

💔 Ex-lover 🧭 Conflicted 🤝 Ally

Cara (Elodie Frenck)

A waitress turned ship mechanic, Cara proves to be resourceful and hands-on, keeping the vessel functional under pressure. She earns the crew’s respect through steady actions and dependable problem-solving. Her practical skills make her a cornerstone of the mission’s success.

🛠️ Mechanic 🧭 Resourceful 🤝 Loyal

Benny der Wirt (Sean Higgs)

A cautious, street-smart operator who provides logistical support to the crew. He keeps morale up with dry humor and helps navigate the human terrain of shifting loyalties. His role, while not always frontline, is crucial to sustaining the team's efforts.

🧭 Navigator 🍽️ Hospitality 💬 Informant

Segler (Robin Smith)

A seasoned sailor and navigator whose experience guides the Kubiac team through treacherous routes under water. Segler brings steadiness and a practical outlook to danger-filled missions. His presence emphasizes the importance of seamanship in this flooded world.

🧭 Veteran ⚓ Sailor 🛰️ Scout

Renault (Tamsin MacCarthy)

A map analyst who studies the chambers and routes to reach the ancient scepter. Renault is a calm, methodical thinker whose strategic planning helps the team anticipate threats and opportunities. Her expertise is essential to decoding the map’s cryptic clues.

🗺️ Cartographer 🧠 Analyst 🧭 Strategist

Alexi (Dan Hirst)

A loyal member of Filiminov’s circle, Alexi operates as a capable fighter and enforcer when needed. He embodies the tension between loyalty to a powerful patron and the risk of destabilizing missions. His presence adds a dangerous edge to confrontations.

💥 Henchman 🗡️ Enforcer 🤝 Loyal

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:23

Major Themes – Lost City Raiders (2008)

Explore the central themes of Lost City Raiders (2008), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🌊 Environmental Crisis

The film centers on a world where climate change has flooded the majority of the planet, forcing humanity to adapt or perish. Survival depends on raiding sunken cities and leveraging ancient technologies. The escalating water threat drives every decision, highlighting how ecosystems and societies collapse under environmental stress.

💰 Greed

Powerful actors seek control of submerged land and resources, using the flood to manipulate markets and expand influence. Nicholas Filiminov exploits the crisis to create floating communities where he can buy sunken real estate at ruinous bargains. The pursuit of wealth clashes with humanity's broader goal of salvation.

🙏 Faith

Religious figures play a central role, with Cardinal Battaglia and Father Giacopetti embodying different responses to catastrophe. The Rising is interpreted as divine punishment by some, while others seek pragmatic solutions through technology. The tension between faith and science shapes choices and loyalties throughout the mission.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:23

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Lost City Raiders Summary

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Lost City Raiders Timeline

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