Official Synopsis:
“There are angels who patrol Los Angeles. And then there are the Nomads.
Lesley-Anne Down (Sphinx, Death Wish V) “gives a riveting… performance” (L.A. Weekly) and Pierce Brosnan (GoldenEye, The November Man) is top-notch in “the most stylish supernatural-themed chiller… since Carrie” (Variety)! Also starring Adam Ant (Slam Dance), Mary Woronov (Death Race 2000) and Frank Doubleday (Escape from New York) and written and directed by John McTiernan (Predator, Die Hard, The Hunt for Red October), Nomads is a “chiller thriller [that’s] brimming with menace and suspense” (Judith Crist)!
They creep. They kill… and no one knows who they are or where they came from. But when these rootless, demonic spirits descend on a determined doctor, all hell breaks loose. Bitten by a dying madman named Jean Pommier (Brosnan), Dr. Eileen Flax (Down) becomes the vessel for his turbulent and insane thoughts. Thrust into his last days, she is shocked to discover the existence of mysterious and murderous demons on a quest for destruction… and begins her own quest to somehow stop them before she joins Pommier in his horrifying fate!”
Nomads is a very interesting film to say the least. Directed by John McTiernan, who has brought us some very iconic films, and Pierce Brosnan’s first leading movie role, Nomads takes us on a journey much different than your average horror film.
Nomads is told through many different layers of story. Firstly, we see Pierce Pommier’s (Bronsnan) fateful demise in the very first scene. Thanks to a quick bite to the hand of the doctor, Eileen Flax (Down), we are able to see Pommier’s story told as Dr. Flax relives every moment. This non-linear method of storytelling can certainly make for an entertaining film, but here it is hard to connect the two stories together. Thanks to the large portion of the second act focusing solely on Pommier, the viewer understandably forgets that this is supposed to be taking place in the mind of Dr. Flax, who is wandering aimlessly trying to make sense of what she is seeing. When we do finally revisit the present, her quest to understand and stop these Nomads hasn’t really led anywhere. The urgency just isn’t there, and I for one simply wanted to see more of the Pommier storyline.
One interesting thing about Nomads is that it doesn’t spell everything out for you at the end. This is an urban fantasy/horror unlike anything out there. McTiernan leaves it up to the viewer to make their own judgments on who these people are. With a powerful final image, there are so many possibilities, and McTiernan trusts the intelligence of the viewer to come to their own conclusions. In this aspect, I really thought the film succeeds at accomplishing something unique. Unfortunately the two layers of story don’t mesh well together, and instead of having one strong story, we are left with two sub-par ones.
On the technical side, McTiernan and crew did some pretty interesting things with such a low budget. You’re going to see some really unique shots and lightning setups that definitely add a creepy feel to everything.
Video
Nomads is presented in 1080p 1.85:1. The print looks to be in relatively good shape save for a few issues. A few scratches and blemishes were noticed in some scenes, as well as excessive grain. The film has a very soft look to it, especially in some of the darker scenes.
Audio
The audio is presented in DTS Master Audio Mono. For a mono track, there are some scenes that really pop. Dialogue is clear, and the Bill Conti score comes through quite nice, although dated it may be.
Special Features
On this set you’re going to see:
New Interviews With Actress Lesley-Ann Down And Composer Bill Conti
Theatrical Trailer
Radio Spot
Still Gallery
The interviews are interesting and lend some insights to the production, but an interview with Bronsnan and McTiernan, or a commentary track would add a lot to these special features.
Nomads isn’t your typical horror film. Although problematic structurally, the tone of the film is what sets this apart from the rest. Fans of this obscure film shouldn’t hesitate to pick this up. For everyone else, Nomads is definitely worth checking out.
