Nomads (1986)

"Nomads" could have been better if the plot and narrative has been more coherent and that more incident had taken place. I still recall seeing the video trailer for this rather odd movie back in 1986. From what I saw, "Nomads" had potential but this wasn't fulfilled in my opinion. Lesley Ann Down is rather wasted as the female lead. Her actual screen time is limited and she's absent for quite a while. Pierce Brosnan is ok as the doomed character who gets too close to the ancient tribe that he's tailing across Los Angeles. The opening scene at the hospital is pretty good as there is some intrigue. The parallel flashback portion tends to become bogged down rather quickly. One or two scenes are not bad but this film is largely unsuccessful.

John McTiernan's Nomads is one of the best, and most unconventional horror flicks that you've never seen. Nestled so far back into the 80's that it stands as the mile marker for Pierce Brosnan's first on screen leading role, it's a beautifully tense, atmospherically crafted fright flick that's been lost to the hazy aeons of time. Unique in it's ambiguity, this is a film bereft of bells, whistles, gore effects or even obviously spooky apparitions, relying solely on mood to impart illusory menace that's never shoved in your face of spoon fed. Brosnan plays a French (hon hon) archaeologist who begins to suspect he's being followed by a group of unruly urban punks which, upon further introspection, could possibly be the malevolent spirits of a now extinct tribe he discovered years ago. It's a vague, very weird concept, but it just somehow works, the presence of these grimy streetwalkers inciting palpable fear at the thought that they're not what they seem at all. Opposites are at work here; by showing nothing, the filmmakers tell us and make us feel everything that is unseen, daring us to imagine what these mysterious beings might actually be, unsettling us further by having them appear in such benign (relatively speaking) form. It'll frustrate many, but those tuned into the film's eerie frequency will get the same chill down their spine that Brosnan perpetually walks around with, harassed no end by these meanies. The actors for these things are all especially chosen as well, each coached beautifully by McTiernan to act just normal enough to blend into the derelict fringes of an urban environment, while giving their demeanour an unnerving esoteric aspect, until they seem like a cross between mute versions of the Near Dark gypsy vampire clan and spectral coyotes. Brilliant concoction of subtle horror, clammy tension and gorgeously layered atmosphere.

I caught this in a movie theatre back in 1986 and I remember being less than thrilled. Pierce Brosnan plays Jean Charles Pommier (with the worst French accent you ever heard) who is tracked down and killed by some tribe he uncovered. Before he dies he whispers their name to doctor Flex (Lesley-Anne Downe) who is in turn hunted down by the tribe.The movie is boring and pointless with no scares and a stupid plot. Also just try to imagine Brosnan trying to play a French guy! Brosnan is a great actor but his French accent is downright hilarious. Downe does what she can with a seriously under written role. However it was fun seeing Adam Ant and Mary Woronov as part of the tribe (even though they have no dialogue). I will admit that this film had one scare--when you find out who is riding the motorcycle at the end. Still, that one scene doesn't make watching this any easier. Mostly forgotten--for good reason!

certain movies sit with us like old friends or lovers, or even family members... we remember every nuance, every scene, every sound with fondness and delight... movies like Star Wars or The Wizard of Oz, or even offbeat movies like Alien or The Usual Suspects or Independence Day or Seven Samurai or Jaws or many others... i'm naming my personal favorites, of course, it's different for all of us... but these are movies we carry in our hearts, we can replay vignettes from them as personal remembrances...other movies are great works of art, maybe not so personally felt, but their greatness is breathtaking, we love them for their sheer magnitude and scope and beauty... again this varies from person to person, but movies like The Ten Commandments or Spartacus or The Wizard of Oz or Gone With the Wind or many others... these are cultural icons, touchstones of our common humanity and vision...and then there are the movies that are just plain ol' flat out works of artas with any form of art or beauty, it is all within the eye of the beholder of course, your mileage may vary, taste is subjective etc. etc., but art is artNomadsi consider Nomads to be one of those flat out works of artcinematic artthose who left kvetches and bad reviews about Nomads here on IMDb are entitled to their opinions... i'm not saying they're wrong... but i'm definitely not gonna say they're right... they don't get it... too bad, move on, don't bother to bitch and moan... i personally can't stand Middle Ages Christian art... it bores me... but that's not a criticism, it says more about my tastes than the art... art is artNomads is art(i happen to think it's great art)