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Watch Unknown: The Lost Pyramid with a subscription on Netflix.

Rohan Naahar

The Indian Express

Enlightening and entertaining, Netflix's new documentary is a must-watch for history nerds, and a great alternative to the disappointing Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Jul 7, 2023

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Chris Joyce

Movies and Munchies (YouTube)

The excitement and energy of the archeologists is infectious which then makes for a fascinating and informative watch. If you’re into history or just enjoy the thrill of a good treasure hunt, give this one a try.

Jul 5, 2023

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Joel Keller

Decider

Unknown: The Lost Pyramid takes what could be a dry topic and makes it full of interesting moments.

Jul 3, 2023

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Amanda Guarragi

Ready Steady Cut

The race against time to see who will find the better discovery first is what makes this worth the watch, and it is exactly what sets it apart from other Egyptian docu-series.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jul 3, 2023

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Benjamin C

This guy wants to be remembered. We will remember him! Remembered for wanting to be right. Remembered for being a horrible scientist. Remembered for all the wrong facts he's put out since the 60s. Remembered for never telling the real story. I'm watching this hack and remembering

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/13/24

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Darnell B

Anything with that corrupt lying thief Zahi Hawass I will not watch!!!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

08/31/23

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dominique l

A pity that the discoveries are the background of this movie. It really is all about the ego of Zahi Hawass, flattering himself. I stopped after 30 minutes.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/12/23

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Andrew P

Really great camera work. You're right down in the tombs with the archaeologists. Subtitles is a must though if you're an English speaker.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/25/23

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ALX

Very good documentary where we follow legendary modern egyptologist Zahi Hawass in the excavation of ancient Egyptian sites. Good job Netflix (for once you positively surprised us).

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/21/23

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Brent M

Uncovering lost antiquities is one of those topics that fascinates most of us, especially when they're documented as the discoveries are made. This is one of the goals behind the Netflix "Unknown" documentary film series in its chronicles of such events around the world. In the series' latest installment, filmmaker Max Salomon follows the efforts of Egyptologist Zahi Hawass and his colleagues as they seek to find the lost pyramid of Pharoah Huni, a little-known monarch of Egypt's Old Kingdom, in the necropolis of Saqqara. The structure, believed to be located in an area of the ancient city that hasn't been excavated (and thus suspected of not having been looted by grave robbers), fills the archaeological team with tremendous enthusiasm as to what they'll find. It's also an undertaking largely being conducted by native Egyptian investigators, a departure from previous excavations, which have been almost exclusively conducted by Westerners, a venture that's hoped will put these researchers on the map in their own right. And, with a scant nine-month digging window open to them, they need to work quickly before desert weather conditions make their efforts impossible until the following year. The film reveals some truly remarkable discoveries, too, some of the most significant finds in the history of Egyptology. However, despite the significance of these revelations, the picture also lays it on a little thick when it comes to what Hawass and company have found. The degree of self-aggrandizing self-congratulation truly becomes tiresome and repetitive, so much so that the unbridled boasting overshadows the most valuable aspects of the film. What's more, even though some genuinely remarkable artifact discoveries emerge from the excavators' work, digging on what's believed to be Huni's pyramid itself is left at a preliminary stage when the nine months come to an end, suggesting that continued efforts are needed during a subsequent digging season. This means that the chronicling of this venture, though laudable, could nevertheless be premature. In light of this, perhaps it might have been better to wait until the excavation is complete before releasing this offering, as waiting for later may have provided viewers with a fuller, more impressive, more definitive finished product. In short, this documentary feels more like a work in progress than a conclusive record, one that I would have rather watched when complete than in the preliminary stage in which it has been left.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/19/23

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Max Salomon

Director

Zahi Hawass

Self

Mostafa Waziri

Self

Leslie Greif

Executive Producer

Peter Isacksen

Executive Producer

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Synopsis

In the desert sands of Saqqara, the latest hotspot of Egyptian archaeology, two of the world’s most famous Egyptologists seek to unearth ancient treasures. The legendary Dr. Zahi Hawass hunts for the long-lost pyramid of a forgotten Egyptian king while his protégé and rival, Dr. Mostafa Waziri, searches for an un-looted tomb in an ancient necropolis. Both teams race against the clock to see who will make the bigger discovery and make their mark in history.

Director: Max Salomon
Producer: Leslie Greif, Peter Isacksen
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Documentary, History
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 3, 2023
Runtime: 1h 23m

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