Fawcett was a real explorer obsessed with finding "Z". The film accurately depicts his expeditions and disappearance, drawing heavily on his journals and David Grann's book, though internal motivations are interpreted.

Nina Fawcett was Percy's real wife. The film accurately portrays her support for his expeditions despite long absences and her independent spirit, reflecting known biographical details.

Costin was Fawcett's real companion on several early expeditions. His portrayal as capable and steadfast aligns with historical accounts.

Jack Fawcett did accompany his father on the ill-fated 1925 expedition and disappeared with him. His journey from resentment to participation is depicted.

Murray was a real member of an expedition who clashed significantly with Fawcett due to his poor health and perceived lack of fortitude, leading to the expedition's failure, as depicted.

Keltie was the real Secretary of the RGS during Fawcett's early expeditions and provided institutional backing.

Fawcett's career as a South American explorer began with boundary survey work for the RGS in 1906-07.

The film accurately portrays the extreme dangers Fawcett and his teams faced: illness, difficult terrain, challenging river travel, lack of supplies, and tense encounters with indigenous groups.

Fawcett did report finding evidence like pottery that convinced him of an advanced ancient civilization, though the significance is interpreted.

Fawcett became increasingly consumed by the idea of finding "Z," dedicating years and multiple expeditions to the search, straining personal and professional relationships.

Fawcett's long and frequent absences placed significant strain on his wife Nina and their children, a tension accurately reflected in the film.

Fawcett served with distinction as an artillery officer during WWI, including at the Somme, before returning to exploration.

The expedition involving Murray did end prematurely due to Murray's ill health and conflicts with Fawcett, causing significant problems.

Fawcett did undertake a final expedition in 1925, accompanied only by his son Jack and Jack's friend Raleigh Rimmell, aiming to find Z.

The trio disappeared without a trace in the Mato Grosso region of Brazil in 1925. Their ultimate fate remains unknown.

The film inaccurately portrays only Percy and Jack undertaking the final journey, completely omitting the third member, Raleigh Rimmell, who also disappeared.

The film's ending is entirely speculative. While visually evocative, it presents one imaginative possibility for the Fawcetts' fate, which remains a historical mystery.

Compared to many contemporaries, Fawcett expressed more respect for indigenous cultures in his writings, though still viewed through an Edwardian lens. The film reflects this nuanced attitude.

The Royal Geographical Society provided crucial support but also harbored skepticism regarding Fawcett's more speculative theories about "Z," reflecting the scientific establishment's stance.

Captures the atmosphere of early 20th-century British society, the class structure, and the environment of scientific institutions like the Royal Geographical Society.

Filmed partly in Colombia, the movie effectively portrays the dense, humid, and perilous environment of the Amazon basin where Fawcett explored.

Depictions are based on anthropological understanding and Fawcett's accounts but are necessarily generalized or stylized representations of diverse indigenous cultures encountered.

The brief scenes depicting trench warfare during WWI effectively convey the mud, chaos, and brutality of the Western Front.

Shows period-appropriate surveying tools (theodolite), supplies, modes of transport (steamship, canoe, foot), reflecting the logistical challenges and methods of exploration at the time.

Costumes accurately reflect clothing styles for British society, military uniforms (pre-WWI and WWI), practical explorer outfits, and representations of indigenous attire.

Successfully evokes the motivations of early 20th-century exploration: scientific curiosity, personal ambition, fame, hardship, and the allure of the unknown 'blank spots' on the map.

Effectively juxtaposes the settings of 'civilized' Edwardian England with the perceived 'primordial' and 'untamed' nature of the Amazon rainforest, highlighting cultural and environmental contrasts.