WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Lost City, now playing in theaters
In The Lost City, the primary threat to Loretta (Sandra Bullock) and Alan (Channing Tatum) is Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe). The wealthy son of a mogul whose ego has been bruised by his father handing control of the company over to his younger brother, Fairfax’s commitment to find priceless artifacts stems from his attempts to overshadow his family members. In many ways, he’s a quiet modernization of a classic villainous archetype for this kind of film. In particular, Radcliffe’s Fairfax shares a fashion sense and overall character type with Paul Freeman’s Belloq from the Indiana Jones films.
Fairfax actually shares a lot in common with Dr. René Belloq (played by Paul Freeman) from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. The film, cited by the Nee Brothers (who directed The Lost City) as an inspiration on their film introduced Belloq as a dark foil for Indiana Jones. Like Jones, Belloq is a gifted explorer and archeologist. Traveling the world, Belloq might not have the same physical strengths and advantages that the broad-chested Indiana Jones might utilize, but his silver tongue, deep wealth of knowledge and lack of morals allow him to keep up with his rival. While Jones has nothing but contempt for Belloq, the villain affixes a veneer of friendly charm to their “rivalry” — only rarely hinting at his genuinely ruthless and unpredictable side.
In many ways, Fairfax is descended from the same “gentleman villain” archetype codified by Belloq. Both are wealthy and consistently clean compared to their more down-to-earth and dirty heroes. Both men also utilize white suits to highlight their disconnect from the actual work being done at their command and utilize large tent cities to ignore the rougher elements around them. Plus, both are quick to utilize the abilities of others to their advantage, largely staying out of combat.
They are also striking dark reflections of their respective film’s leads. Belloq is Indiana Jones without any moral scruples, while Fairfax seeks the kind of legendary status that the emotionally exhausted Loretta and the simple but good-hearted Alan don’t really care about. Both are also representations of centuries worth of white “explorers” who unabashedly ruin different parts of the globe as part of their mission.
They also are obsessed with lost treasure; although, Fairfax is more driven by his ego and desire for fame as opposed to Belloq — who offers Indiana Jones a surprisingly unique motivation during their confrontation over the Ark of Covenant, hinting that his drive for knowledge has consumed him to a dangerous degree. Belloq was ultimately an important character in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark but isn’t the most dangerous villain — nor is he the ultimate threat of the film. Instead, his hubris — along with the Nazi commanders around him — unleash something far greater that destroys them. Belloq is a villain, but almost a reluctant one at times — showcasing real regret over leaving Marion Ravenwood to die.
Fairfax, on the other hand, has no mystical elements or Nazi allies to take over the central villainous role. Instead, Fairfax highlights how ruthless someone in that kind of cultured but desperate position would actually react to the various problems that occur over the course of the film — giving into petty rages that end with him actively leaving Alan and Loretta to die. Fairfax and Belloq are an intriguing and entertaining showcase in contrasting directions, effectively starting from similar places as characters. While Belloq makes for a more dedicated foil, Fairfax’s comical pathetic nature and eventual dark side make him a more consistently threatening foe for The Lost City, highlighting how that kind of character is perceived in modern film rather than decades prior.
To see how Radcliffe’s Fairfax compares to Belloq, check out The Lost City, now playing in theaters
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