It was the campy sci-fi freak show that originated from the brilliant team of Sid and Marty Krofft. Now, Land of the Lost gets its day in the sun as the latest TV-to-Hollywood summer release.

Will Ferrell plays Dr. Rick Marshall. He’s a musical-loving hack of a scientist with some pretty – dare I say – “progressive” views on time travel. He and his beautiful research assistant, Holly (Anna Friel), set off on a quest to prove some of his outlandish theories, equipped with a device that will not only facilitate time travel, but also plays a mean show tune.

While off in the desert exploring, Holly and the good doc stumble upon a convenience store run by a loveable redneck named Will (played by Danny McBride). Something goes horribly awry, and the three are sucked into a vortex, or the Land of the Lost, if you will. Within minutes of setting foot in this strange hybrid of space and time, they rescue a fugly monkey boy named Chaka (Jorma Taccone) and run into all kinds of crazy creatures, including a dinosaur and a slew of wizard people.

However, what they don’t know is that some of the things that they encounter are not what they seem. Their time spent in this never-never land will be one of unusual sights, outrageous creatures and tests of strength and courage.

Going into this film, I wasn’t what you’d call, “enthusiastic.” After all, “Land of the Lost” (the TV show) wasn’t exactly known for its high production value and great story lines. I thought that this was going to be the most egregious letdown in history. Boy, was I wrong.

Prepare to laugh your ass off in this one. Ferrell is a great straight man and McBride’s hillbilly posturing is still funny as ever. Friel is perfectly cast as a sexy but brainy scientist in the making. She’s intelligent but still fills out a pair of Daisy Dukes quite nicely. Even famed journalist, Matt Lauer, kills with his surprisingly humorous cameo.

But what impressed me the most was how stylish LOTL is. It’s shot incredibly well without losing an ounce of its campy legacy. Writers Dennis McNicholas and Chris Henchy (Brooke Shields’ husband) created a good family film out of pop culture thin air. Just be warned: It does get a bit childish at times, so don’t go expecting any great social commentaries on life, or you’ll be seriously disappointed.