In the new war film “Land of Bad,” there’s a stark portrayal of two heroes amidst a chaotic hostage extraction mission. Liam Hemsworth embodies Air Force Sergeant J.J. “Playboy” Kinney, delivering a convincing portrayal grounded in strong action sequences. I thought Hemsworth did quite well in this movie as a less than seasoned operator, and I’ve never been a fan of any film that he’s ever done. Captain Eddie “Reaper” Grimm (played by Russell Crowe) serves as Kinney’s sole consistent support. As a US Air Force drone pilot stationed in Las Vegas, Reaper monitors Kinney’s movements through his drone’s cameras and communicates with him via headset. Over time, Reaper forms a bond with the young JTAC, endeavoring to maintain his composure amidst the chaos.
Liam Hemsworth impresses as Kinney, effectively portraying the character’s fear and vulnerability throughout the film. While he struggles somewhat with Kinney’s transition into a battle-hardened warrior, this is partly overshadowed by the strong performances of Milo Ventimiglia, Ricky Whittle, and Luke Hemsworth. Milo Ventimiglia was intense in the fight scenes, and played his character as a capable operator. Yes, I can see him in the comic book role of Batman’s former sidekick Nightwing; he’s rumored to have wanted that movie role if it came up.
As Kinney and Grimm navigate through enemy territory in pursuit of a high-value CIA asset. Grimm’s neurotic persona, coupled with excessive screen time, detracts from the narrative’s momentum and Kinney’s journey. Russell Crowe is excellent as the character Grimm, but the socially awkward drone operator never grew on me. I found the character Grimm to be simply annoying. I realized while watching this movie, how much I missed Crowe playing action heroes.
Director William Eubank’s technical finesse shines through in the film’s action sequences, despite attempts to develop characters beyond their archetypal roles. However, the film’s ambitious plot diversions and political references in the final act detract from its overall impact.
Land of Bad reminded me of the 2001 movie Behind Enemy Lines featuring Owen Wilson and Gene Hackman in lead roles. The film follows the journey of Lieutenant Chris Burnett, an American naval flight officer who gets shot down over Bosnia during the Bosnian War and stumbles upon evidence of genocide. Also, another movie comes to mind; the 1988 war drama Bat*21. The film dramatizes the rescue of a U.S. air navigator stranded behind enemy lines. Gene Hackman and Danny Glover star in this gripping tale of survival and rescue. Both movies, had a similar concept; a man on the ground and another who is his link to being rescued. If you liked Land of Bad, see the other good options.
The jungle sequences offer a compelling blend of soldier banter, close calls, and tension-building moments. The action scenes in this movie are quite good. While occasionally exhilarating yet somewhat flawed and overly lengthy, this intense military action flick manages to scrape by on the sheer brilliance of Russell Crowe’s captivating performance.
It’s a good, but not a great movie.
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