Land Of Bad is an old-fashioned action thriller about military operations. In this film, the US special forces initiate an armed rescue operation on a South Asian island in the Sulu Sea.

It is a typical fictional tale about covert and overt military warfare being fought on one of the remote (islands) places located near the military base (Philippines) of the United States by its military personnel against a familiar Islamist terrorist enemy. However, in 2024, in the real-world scenario, lots of questions are being raised about such types of military operations being carried out, especially in the Global South arena.

‘Land Of Bad’ Retells A Predictable Action Film About United States Military Operations In South Asia

Trailer: Land Of Bad (2024) Movie

Spoiler Free Review: Land Of Bad (2024) Movie

The synopsis/summary/storyline/plotline

In the South Philippines, a secret operation conducted by Special Forces turns into an intense 48-hour battle for survival. When a highly skilled extraction team is unexpectedly attacked in enemy territory, rookie officer AF Sergeant JJ Kinney (Liam Hemsworth) is faced with overwhelming odds but remains steadfast in his determination to ensure no one is left behind.

With an imminent air strike looming, Kinney’s only chance lies in the guidance of Air Force drone pilot AF Captain Eddie Grimm ‘Reaper’ (Russell Crowe), as they navigate through treacherous terrain where every action could be their last. Throughout an intense 48-hour battle, this drone operator provides crucial assistance, becoming their beacon of hope.

A predictable storyline & quite a few goof-ups

In the past, especially during the Cold War era, we have seen, many Hollywood action movies with a similar storyline. We hope that you all remember the ‘Rambo’ movie franchise. However, in the present times, the geo-political scenarios are fast evolving. Therefore, not many movie-goers (living in the Global South) are likely to appreciate its predictable villains and usual plotline. Is its story out of tune with the present-day reality?

It is worth noting, that the lead action star AF Sergeant JJ Kinney (Liam Hemsworth) is not a solo hero like ‘Rambo’. He is actively assisted by (new-age) drone pilot AF Captain Eddie Grimm ‘Reaper’ (Russell Crowe) in this secretive military operation. As per its storyline, the action scenes in this film are primarily set in South Asia and the United States. However, it seems that most of the film shootings have taken place in Australia. Besides, there are quite a few goof-ups related to the depiction of the US armed forces personnel and other factual errors in this action film.

A bunch of Aussie actors – Russell Crowe, Liam Hemsworth & more

AF Capt. Eddie Grimm 'Reaper': Ya think about it, a wedding is probably the greatest social ritual humanity has. You know? The most important day of your life. You might as well get it right. You're only gonna do it once.

Staff Sgt. Nia Branson: Reaper, you've been married four times.

AF Capt. Eddie Grimm 'Reaper': Yeah, that's just me though. I'm a romantic.

To be honest we picked up this film, primarily for Russell Crowe. He portrays the US Air Force Captain (drone operator) in the film; incidentally, he appears far too old to be a Captain. We liked Crowe’s screen presence and acting performance. His humour and fatherly attitude won our hearts. Then, the other reason is that Liam Hemsworth plays the leading action hero. Not so long ago, we watched him in the Extraction movies and liked his performance in that. In this film too, he is playing a similar kind of rescuing role. Liam was convincing while portraying a tough soldier, once again.

So, we came here for two Aussies (Russell Crowe & Liam Hemsworth), and we met a couple of more people from Downunder, viz., Daniel MacPherson and Luke Hemsworth. Interestingly, Milo Ventimiglia stands out as the sole American actor in the main cast, despite the film, director, studio, and majority of characters having American roots. As an ensemble cast, they have done a fairly decent job of keeping us entertained.

The conclusion

While watching the adrenaline-fighting scenes, we decided to overlook certain mistakes and instead enjoy this thrilling action film. Mind you, this kind of action-packed thriller movie goes well with a healthy dose of popcorn. The action sequences involving Liam and his teammates have kept us hooked. But the real star of the film was Crowe; as he added his charm and raw emotions. All in all, the “Land of Bad” is a good time-pass action flick.

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The Poster, Featured & Other Images of the Land Of Bad (2024) Movie are credited to The Avenue Film.