John McTiernan’s Uneasy Chill: Unraveling the Haunting Mystique of ‘Nomads’

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#8 in my Ranking of John McTiernan films.

In my perspective, starting out in filmmaking isn’t usually a smooth sail. It’s seldom that you hit the jackpot like Orson Welles did. Instead, you often end up with pieces that exhibit potential in certain aspects yet are plagued by significant flaws that more seasoned storytellers might have steered clear of. John McTiernan’s debut film, Nomads, carries its appeal, but the drawbacks overshadow it significantly. However, given these shortcomings, I can understand why Arnold Schwarzenegger would have found McTiernan a promising choice to direct a movie about Arnold pursuing an elusive alien through South American wilderness. The mood and atmosphere of Nomads were indeed reminiscent of that very concept.

In the early stages of this film, a thought crossed my mind: Why a doctor? The narrative revolves around a physician who experiences the final days of memories of a French man she treats in the hospital before his death. Somehow, an otherworldly transfer takes place, and she finds herself reliving his last moments until his demise. At the outset, I found myself pondering that very question: Why a doctor? Couldn’t it have been anyone else – a businessman, fast food worker, fellow anthropologist, or countless others? Why a doctor? The movie doesn’t seem to provide a compelling answer for this choice. There are instances where dialogue hints at her need for heightened rationality as a doctor in dealing with the visions (which I will discuss later), but she becomes overwhelmed by the visions from the second one onwards, losing her ability to distinguish reality from the visions.

In the revised version of the film, it might be more impactful if Veronique, the wife of the anthropologist, experienced some of the visions instead of Dr. Eileen Flax. Throughout the movie, Veronique has been equally knowledgeable about the nomadic cultures as her husband, Jean Charles Pommier, who has spent years studying them. However, in the current film, it’s Dr. Flax who seeks explanations from Veronique late in the story. By giving Veronique a limited understanding of the nomads (in contrast to her comprehensive knowledge in the original version), by having her miss at least one of Jean Charles’ excursions, would make the audience more emotionally invested as they witness her struggle to understand her husband’s final days from a perspective other than her own. This change could create new scenes where Veronique gains insights from the visions that she didn’t initially experience, thus strengthening the emotional bond between the characters and the audience. Since Dr. Flax is somewhat detached from Jean Charles in the film, transferring the visions to Veronique would make those scenes more powerful and immersive for the viewers.

One issue I found with the movie is the portrayal of the title nomads. While I appreciate the connection to Inuit folklore about malevolent spirits, I feel the presentation could have been improved. The nomads were never frightening for me. Instead, they appeared as tough-acting individuals in leather clothing who seemed more focused on dancing and posing than being genuinely intimidating. The characters’ fear response didn’t seem warranted at their presence. They came across as comical rather than scary, which I believe weakened the overall eerie ambiance of the film. Another concern I had about the nomads was their purpose and motives. It was challenging to understand what these beings wanted or why they were causing terror. However, the movie’s final scenes clarified this issue for me. Despite my initial reservations, the ending provided some insight into their intentions, making their character more coherent in the film’s narrative.

The movie truly shines in its captivating atmosphere, although as a whole, it may not quite hit the mark. However, the atmosphere is undeniably present and sets a somber tone throughout the film, particularly when shot around Los Angeles with strategic use of deep shadows that subtly instill fear more effectively than the explicit terror from the nomads. A notable scene late in the movie occurs when Jean Charles visits an abandoned building at night and encounters a blind nun. The nun’s lack of sight isn’t immediately clear, making us question and slowly uncover the truth over time. This uncertainty creates tension that enhances the scene significantly.

In its debut, the film demonstrates potential. A substantial overhaul was required to clarify the visual aspects and to reimagine the nomads as truly threatening figures. It seems that Arnold Schwarzenegger had remarkable insight when he convinced McTiernan to direct Predator.

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2025-01-29 00:31