War does not determine who is right - only who is left. - Bertrand Russell
IMDb describes its movie: A US Army special forces unit is ambushed during a mission to retrieve an intelligence asset and their only remaining hope lies with a remote Air Force drone operator assisting them through a brutal 48-hour battle for survival.
The cast includes
Liam Hemsworth, AF Sgt. JJ Kinney
Russel Crowe, AF Captain, Eddie Grimm "Reaper"
Luke Hemsworth, Sgt. Abell
Ricky Whittle, Sgt. Bishop
Milo Ventimiglia, Master Sgt. John "Sugar" Sweet
Chika Ikogwe, Staff Sgt. Nia Branson
Daniel MacPherson, Colonel Duz Packett
Robert Rabiah, Saeed Hashimi, (The bad guy)
Director William Eubank
Writers David Frigerio and William Eubank
No movie is perfect and Hollywood has taken some liberties with this film. There are several places where our guys are too close together: this is probably so they can all be shown in the same frame. I always find it maddening when the soldiers do not pick up extra mags or a weapon from the battlefield especially if they are out of ammo and guns of their own. Fighting with your bare hands is not a good idea.
Another criticism of the film I have is the level of insubordination portrayed in Hollywood these days. The MPs would have been called long before this situation got too far out of control. OK, enough with the burrs and warts. What has this picture got that caused me to write a blog about it?
This is a brutal story. Some may not want to watch it especially if you are a woman. War is a nasty business and killing is what it is about. This movie is not in the Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers class. Land of Bad is more like Lone Survivor about Marcus Lattrell.
I find it fascinating that we have such sophisticated electronics available to our military. However, it always comes down to the boots on the ground. Wars and special ops in particular are won by the guys who get up close and personal and wrench defeat from the hands of the bad guys and turn it into success.
A quote from the movie:
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."
This move is a tribute to the American spirit. It will make you grip your chair...it will scare the hell out of you and it will make you laugh. When it is over you will be proud to be an American and glad you watched it.
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