Land Of Bad - Release Date, Cast, Plot And More Info
Another Russell Crowe and Liam Hemsworth collaboration was not a square on our 2024 pop culture Bingo card, yet it looks like we're about to check it off. Moviegoers are due to see the pair of Aussies team up for the second time in as many years in February's military action thriller "Land of Bad." The pair recently co-starred in the 2022 movie "Poker Face" (no relation to the TV show of the same name), a thriller about a high stakes poker game gone wrong that was directed by Crowe himself.
This time around it's not a card game that goes wrong, but a mission. "Land of Bad" follows a group of military men on an extraction assignment in the Philippines that takes a bloody turn, leaving one young officer at the mercy of the elements and local militia. Fortunately, he's not alone: he's got Russell Crowe's drone pilot droning in his ear, attempting to guide him through hell like he'd guide a missile through the air. If any of this sounds like your kind of movie, read on for all the details you need to know about "Land of Bad" before it makes a landing in a theater near you.
When does Land of Bad premiere?
"Land of Bad" is due to hit theaters on Friday, February 16, 2024 for viewers in the United States, although word on the street is it's already been shown in theaters once as part of Regal's Mystery Movie Monday. Given that the theater chain typically doesn't repeat its surprise movie choices, it's likely that fans hoping to see "Land of Bad" early will be out of luck.
As a moviegoer, your safest bet is to catch "Land of Bad" in theaters in February, or wait for the film to become available on home media and digital at a later, as-yet unannounced date. The action flick is distributed through indie company The Avenue, so it's tough to guess what streamer the film may land on once its theatrical run comes to a close. One recent title from the same company, "The Black Demon," ended up on Prime Video, but another is only available on PVOD at this time, so for now the February theatrical date is the only thing set in stone.
What are the plot details of Land of Bad?
On paper, "Land of Bad" fills a pretty familiar spot in the action movie landscape. The saga follows an Army special forces unit into the Philippines. When the Delta Force team's plan to retrieve a captured CIA asset goes sideways, a drone pilot and an air force combat controller attempt a rescue mission. The typical military men saving each other plot is made slightly more interesting by the fact that the rookie JTAC officer in charge of the rescue, Kinney, is being given remote guidance from the drone operator, Reaper (the unmanned aircraft involved also has the same name as the guy: MQ-9 Reaper).
When the Delta Force team encounters local militia and the mission goes badly awry, Kinney ends up on his own — but not quite. He still has Reaper in his ear to help him navigate the local terrain (he takes a big leap off a waterfall in the trailer) and presumably shoot whoever gets in his way with drone-powered missiles.
Who is the cast of Land of Bad?
This is where "Land of Bad" gets interesting. "The Hunger Games" and "The Witcher" star Liam Hemsworth heads up the cast as Kinney, who finds himself smack dab in the middle of the drama on his second-ever mission. In the movie's most intriguing casting choice, "Gladiator" and "Cinderella Man" star Russell Crowe plays Reaper, the man in the sky watching over Kinney.
The rest of the cast is pretty great too. "This Is Us" and "Gilmore Girls" alum Milo Ventimiglia shows up in the trailer, looking leaderly and reassuring and like his character is definitely going to die. "American Gods" and "The 100" actor Ricky Whittle is there, too, playing a member of the Delta Force team who areheaded into an unexpectedly rough mission. Whittle is one of those actors who I always want to support in whatever he does, not just because he's great but because I appreciate that he spoke up about the allegedly bullying conditions that led to his exit from "The 100."
Liam's brother, former "Westworld" cast member Luke Hemsworth, is also set to appear in the film, and pro rugby player George Burgess reportedly has a cameo.
Who is the director of Land of Bad?
The new action flick is the latest project from William Eubank, the filmmaker behind 2020's Kristen Stewart-led sci-fi horror film "Underwater" and recent franchise sequel "Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin." Before his feature breakthroughs, Eubank also made two sci-fi films that took the festival circuit route to release. The first, 2011's "Love," follows a lonely astronaut in space, while 2014's "The Signal" is a trippy alien flick featuring Laurence Fishburne.
Upon its initial release, /Film's Peter Sciretta gave "The Signal" a positive review, calling it "intense, mysterious, original and extremely ambitious." Chris Evangelista, meanwhile, lightly praised "Underwater" for its fast-paced approach to horror and "kick-ass climactic moment," but wasn't quite so taken with Eubanks' spin on "Paranormal Activity."
If you want to familiarize yourself with more of Eubank's work before catching "Land of Bad," you can find "Underwater" on Hulu, while "Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin" is streaming on Paramount+. "Love" is available on Prime Video as well as free FAST streamers Tubi and Freevee, while "The Signal" is only available to buy or rent at this time.
Who are the writers and producers of Land of Bad?
"Land of Bad" is co-written by Eubank (who also penned his own early directorial efforts, "Love" and "The Signal") and David Frigerio. Frigero co-wrote "The Signal" as well as the 2019 Kurt Russell thriller "Crypto." His only solo feature script to date was for the 2010 horror movie "Wreckage," starring Aaron Paul and Scoot McNairy, though the screenwriter also seems to have several other projects in various stages of development.
IMDb currently lists a whopping 27 producers, EPs, and co-producers in the credits of "Land of Bad," including Eubank, Frigerio, and Luke Hemsworth. Initial press materials indicated that Frigerio is producing via Broken Open Pictures, while Highland FG and R.U. Robot are also financing the film. Michael Jefferson, Adam Beasley, John Stalberg, and Cindy Bru are a few of the producers on board. The movie was first announced at the 2022 Cannes Film Market.
Is there a trailer for Land of Bad?
The first trailer for "Land of Bad" dropped in December. Much of it is exactly what you'd expect from a movie like this — military men pledging to protect one another in dangerous circumstances — but there are a few standout moments. Crowe's character, Reaper, is introduced with a goofy moment in which he very seriously declares, "I'm your eyes in the sky and the bringer of doom," a statement that leads his coworker to whisper, "Subtle." There are also a couple of decent action beats, as when Hemsworth's rookie character jumps off a waterfall and faces off against enemies with Crowe's seasoned specialist giving him advice via earpiece.
You can also see Kinney's squad tease him for being a newbie, catch a glimpse of a scene in which he seems to be captured and bloodied by enemy forces, and meet Ventimiglia's character, who gives Kinney a pep talk despite being injured himself. Some action shots here have a shaky, handheld style, while some of the explosive drone sequences are steady — and pretty stellar.
What is Land of Bad rated?
The MPA has given "Land of Bad" an R rating, citing "strong bloody violence and language throughout." This is a bit of a departure for Eubank, who's so far made two PG-13 films and one that was not rated, plus the R-rated "Paranormal Activity" spinoff flick (which also earned the rating for language and violence). Expect to see "Land of Bad" get bloody.
Highland CEO Delphine Perrier hyped the film back when it was first announced, saying the following via statement: "Will [Eubank] and David [Frigerio] have crafted a tense and compelling story full of suspense and intrigue. With Will at the helm, we are thrilled to be working with this uniquely talented filmmaker."
"Land of Bad" hits theaters on February 16, 2024.