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Nomad
Directed by: Sergei Bodrov and Ivan Passer
Starring: Kuno Becker
Genre:
Foreign
Run Time: 112
min.
Release Date:
March 2007
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Certainly NOMAD has
some of the best horse riding scenes, swordplay, and scrumptious
landscape cinematography you’ll likely see, but this isn’t what makes a
film good. It helps but the story has to shine through on top of these
things. And that’s where Nomad wanders.
The story is stilted, giving it a sense that it was thrown together
simply to make a “cool” movie that “looks” great. Not to mention that
many of the main characters are not from the region in which this story
takes place (and it’s blatantly obvious with names like Lee and
Hernandez). If movie makers want to engross us in a culture like the
Jugars and the Kazaks, they damn well better use actors/actresses that
look the part.
Warring tribes, a prophecy, brotherly love and respect, a love interest
that separates our “heroes”, are all touched on but with so little
impact and screen time that most viewers will brush them aside in favor
of the next battle sequence, the next action horse scene, or the
breathtaking beauty of the landscape.
It is worth mentioning that there were some significant changes made to
Nomad during its filming, specifically the director and
cinematographer. Ivan Passer (director) was replaced by Sergei Bodrov,
and Ueli Steiger (cinematographer) was replaced by Dan Laustsen. In one
respect, Laustsen seems to have the better eye since his visions of the
lands made the final cut that we see here. Definitely a good thing.
However, the changing over to Bodrov as director may not have been the
wisest choice. From what I’m seeing here, the focus is on the battles
and not the people, which I sense comes from Bodrov’s eyes and not
Passer’s. A true travesty.
The most shameful aspect is that this could’ve been a really fantastic
film, with both character and action focuses. Unfortunately, the
higher-ups apparently decided that action was what was needed and took
the cheap (intellectually speaking) way out.
Even though I can’t give this film a positive rating, it is worth
watching simply for the amazing cinematography work. But that’s all.
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Image from Nomad
DVD cost: $14.99
Purchase:
Barnes and Noble
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
After acquiring this
movie, the Weinsteins invested more money in the film, demanding
more battle scenes and development of the central love story, and
delaying its international release until late 2006.
Movie Quote: "Give
me your son."
Other Actors/Actresses
from Nomad
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