‘Land Of Bad’ Review- Not Bad, But Not Amazing

This film streamed in 2024.

Land Of Bad is a military thriller directed by William Eubank, who co-wrote the script with David Frigerio. The original title was “JTAC.” I am glad they changed it.

AF Sgt. JJ Kinney (Liam Hemsworth) is attached to a Delta Force unit with Master Sgt. John ‘Sugar’ Sweet (Milo Ventimiglia), Sergeant Bishop (Ricky Whittle), and Sgt. Abell (Luke Hemsworth). They are supported by drone pilot Captain Eddie Grimm ‘Reaper’ (Russell Crowe) and Staff Sgt. Nia Branson (Chika Ikogwe) is on their mission to rescue a CIA Agent. The mission goes sideways when a terrorist group arrives to take over the operation. Finding himself on his own, Kinney has to make it to a dangerous rescue point as Reaper and Branson help him avoid the enemy.

Now, the movie does not offer anything new to its genre. The “military rescue” subgenre of war films has been exhausted, with some better than others. I cannot honestly say that this one provided something special to the viewer or evolved it in any way.

That being said, I did not think the movie was bad. It provided a straightforward plot about a soldier who is lost and alone in a wilderness he is unfamiliar struggling to get back home. It definitely kept you on the edge of your seat, and personally, I thought it did a great job of building the tension. I was definitely hooked and did not check my phone once if that matters.

There is a scene that definitely highlights. At one point, Kinney is desperately trying to survive as he is being tortured by the enemy. As this is happening, Reaper is shopping for vegan food at his local supermarket. It serves as a highlight of what our military in the field is going through, as the analysts back on the bases can go home. That was a stark and well-shot sequence.

The cast also did a decent job. While I do not think anyone had a standout performance, I do think everyone did an excellent job with their respective roles. Crowe was, of course, on point with his character. I also think Hemsworth did a good job as the leading man. Of course, Ventimiglia was on point with his role. This was only the second feature I had seen Ikogwe in, and I thought she did a good job with her character.

Bottom line, Land Of Bad is not bad, but it is not amazing. If you are looking for a decent military thriller with a decent cast, this is a good one to queue up.

PARENTAL CONCERNS: Strong foul language, Extreme violence

FAVORITE QUOTE: You can take that out of my active duty bonuses, Colonel.

Check out the trailer below:

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. Tell me if there is a novel, comic book, movie, or anime you would like me to review.