LAND OF BAD Review: Liam Hemsworth And Russell Crowe Exude Courage Under Fire In William Eubank’s Newest Thriller
Land Of Bad opens in theaters on February 16 from The Avenue.
I like surprises. Good ones.
2020’s Underwater was the first I’d heard of director William Eubank, and it’s a film that remains on my growing watchlist until life starts lifeing a little less for me. In the meantime, the man is still directing. Land Of Bad is his latest effort, and it certainly got me thinking about today’s cadre of names among action genre faves, and the possibility that fans might just have another name to invest themselves in.
Far from a false hope, Eubank’s new survival thriller doesn’t disappoint. An opening text crawl followed by a shot of Palawan Air Base at dusk sets the stage for a moody start to the story of J.J. Kinney – call sign Playboy (Liam Hemsworth), a rookie Air Force Sergeant and JTAC soldier chucked into the shit with a squad of tacked-up Tier-1 Delta roughnecks led by Master Sergeant John “Sugar” Sweet (Milo Ventimiglia).
Among the company are Sergeant Abell (Luke Hemsworth) and Sergeant Bishop (Ricky Whittle) as they fly over the Sulu Sea and parachute their way into one of the most volatile and wartorn areas of Southeast Asia. Joining them from a far and in direct connection to Playboy’s ear is Eddie Grim – call sign Reaper (Russell Crowe), a grisled Air Force Captain and drone pilot accompanied by Air Force Sergeant and co-pilot Nia Branson (Chika Ikogwe). The mission, to resuce a key CIA asset being held in captivity in a heavily guarded fortress, home to an ex-KGB arms dealer who just happens to be minutes away from an in-person deal with one of the region’s most deadliest terrorists, Saeed Hashimi (Robert Rabiah).
Land Of Bad takes time to brew, evenly braced with whipsmart, ice-breaking character introductions to pass the time before the plot begins to thicken. From jump, and in at least one smaller of two major thematic dichotomies, the movie makes the clashing personalities painfully clear between Playboy and most of the team, specifically with Bishop whose seasoned demeanor and experience lends an ample platform of debate between the technological advancements of combat versus the core, most brutal aspects of what war really boils down to. Bishop even has two sleeves of tattoo ink to bookend his case before the team continues their jungle trek.
It isn’t long before the movie gets its action gears rolling and the plot begins to slowly thicken for our protagonist in Playboy. When it does, heads literally start rolling as the bullets fly and bombs go off before the mission can be truly successful. Before he knows it, and unable to determine if his team is alive or not, Playboy is left to his own devices and forced to survive the harrowing jungle with armed extremists in hot pursuit, ducking and covering almost without a moment’s rest.
At this point, the only one who can help keep an eye on the situation is Reaper, dutiful to the task at hand aside from the woes of mitigating the chaotic goings-on at the base. With a single phone in the mess hall to answer varying matters of urgency, Reaper is the only one mindful of its importance, initially, with his wife in labor while he’s on op, and the base’s dismissive Colonel Packett (Daniel MacPherson) mostly treating the base like a frat house, with most of the officers focused on anything from the day’s basketball game to who wants in on a Starbucks run.
Therein lies the crucial segue to an incredible story of survival, pitting Playboy against all odds. What ensues is a tale that proves to be as violent and transformative as it foreshadows following Bishop’s monologue in the first half. The transformation best solidifies invariably as the story builds with Crowe taking the mantle as the only no-bullshit voice of reason in the room with some clout to flex despite his seniors’ dissent to his demeanor and longstanding reputation for speaking up against authority; To note, this is also a characteristic admirable to Branson in their shared camaraderie and almost father/daughter-like chemistry.
Equally meeting halfway with the film’s thematic messaging is the action, with thrilling sequences by Mark Rayner and Jimmy Christiansen. The multiple battles in Land Of Bad take rippling effect between close-ups of the characters in action, rippling explosions, and sweeping camera aerials that immerse you right into the smoke and flames of war. Complimentary to this along with the pivotal character development for lead actor Hemsworth’s role is the engaging cinematography Eubanks employs in the film’s few hand-to-hand fights. Co-star Ventimiglia is especially stand-out in this aspect as an actor who clearly knows his way around gun battles and fisticuffs. When he applies himself, he’s a thrill to watch.
The film’s second-half, most notably the last half-hour, is nothing short of a full-throttle race against time that will keep you on the edge of your seat, leveling up the action and need for resolve that puts both Hemsworth and Crowe at the wheel, or in this case, the cockpit. The result is a heavy, incumbent and poetic climactic finish with a powerful message that drives meaning and poignance into the screenplay Eubank and co-scribe David Frigerio put together for Land Of Bad, making this underdog miltary action thriller one to salute as the credits roll.
Native New Yorker. Been writing for a long time now, and I enjoy what I do. Be nice to me!