Content advisory: Spoilers ensue for Land of Bad. Read at your own risk.
The Hemsworth brothers have cornered the market on Netflix content but in Land of Bad, fans get two for the price of one. Both Luke and Liam Hemsworth lead the new military picture.
But that’s about as much fun as viewers are going to have with this film. The stacked cast, including the Hemsworths, Russell Crowe, and Milo Ventimiglia, star in an intense film that depicts an acute understanding of drone warfare. The controversial subject is shown from the perspective of Airman JJ Kinney (Liam Hemsworth) as he joins a special ops unit. Despite Reaper Eddie Grimm (Crowe) guiding drones from eyes in the sky, the operation is almost immediately blown to pieces.
Luke Hemsworth isn’t long for this world as Sgt. Abell, who dies as soon as the mortars go off. With the rest of the team presumed dead, Kinney makes a dangerous trek to find an evacuation zone with the help of Reaper. But if this high-intensity subject matter isn’t enough to put parents off from showing their children, the content certainly should.
Kinney does not have an easy time finding his way home with obstacles at every turn. The first sign of a reprieve is finding that comrade in arms John “Sugar” Sweet (Ventigmilia) is alive, but they need to rescue Sgt. Bishop (Ricky Whittle), who is in captivity. The following events are full of violence and situations that feel extreme even for some adult viewers. The team is recaptured, and undergoes some vicious depictions of torture. And in one sequence where he is dressed only in his underwear, Sugar is shot in the head at point-blank range.
Though not gratuitous, blood and strong language are prevalent throughout the film, as the rest of the characters struggle to escape before bombs descend on their prison. If parents are looking for a light-hearted action flick to wind down for the night, this may not be the best choice. The MPAA rated Land of Bad R for bloody violence and language throughout.
Published: Jul 23, 2024 01:33 pm