Nomad (2005/II)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Directors:

Sergei Bodrov
Ivan Passer

Writer:

Rustam Ibragimbekov (writer)

Release Date:

17 July 2005 (Kazakhstan)

Genre:

Drama | History | War

Tagline:

Courage know no limit

Plot:

An historical epic set in 18th-century Kazakhstan, where a young man is destined to unite the country's three warring tribes. |

Plot Keywords:

Kazakhstan | Historical | Nomad | 1800s

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Kuno Becker	...	Mansur
Jay Hernandez	...	Erali
Jason Scott Lee	...	Oraz
Doskhan Zholzhaksynov	...	Galdan Ceren, the Jungar Sultan
Ayanat Ksenbai	...	Gaukhar (as Ayana Yesmagambetova)
Mark Dacascos	...	Sharish
Ashir Chokubayev		(as Ashir Shokibaev)
Zhanas Iskakov
Almaikhan Kenzhebekova
Tungyshbai Dzhamankulov		(as Tungishbai Zhamankulov)
Erik Zholzhaksynov	...	Barak
Dilnaz Akhmadieva	...	Hocha
Termirkhan Tursingaliev
Asylbolat Ismagulov
Sabit Orazbaev

Also Known As:

Nomad (USA) (informal English title)
Nomad: The Warrior (USA) (long title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence.

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

France | Kazakhstan

Language:

Kazakh | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | France:-12 (DVD) | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:MA (2008)

Filming Locations:

Kazakhstan

Company:

Ibrus

Trivia:

Begun in 2004, completed in 2005, not released until 2006.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the scene where Erali and Gaukhar are on the swing, you can clearly see a string or wire attached to the handkerchief/scarf.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 64th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2007) (TV)

Scenery/Action Over Character ...A Shame

Certainly NOMAD has some of the best horse riding scenes, swordplay, and scrumptious landscape cinematography you'll likely see, but this isn't what makes a film good. It helps but the story has to shine through on top of these things. And that's where Nomad wanders.

The story is stilted, giving it a sense that it was thrown together simply to make a "cool" movie that "looks" great. Not to mention that many of the main characters are not from the region in which this story takes place (and it's blatantly obvious with names like Lee and Hernandez). If movie makers want to engross us in a culture like the Jugars and the Kazaks, they damn well better use actors/actresses that look the part.

Warring tribes, a prophecy, brotherly love and respect, a love interest that separates our "heroes", are all touched on but with so little impact and screen time that most viewers will brush them aside in favor of the next battle sequence, the next action horse scene, or the breathtaking beauty of the landscape.

It is worth mentioning that there were some significant changes made to Nomad during its filming, specifically the director and cinematographer. Ivan Passer (director) was replaced by Sergei Bodrov, and Ueli Steiger (cinematographer) was replaced by Dan Laustsen. In one respect, Laustsen seems to have the better eye since his visions of the lands made the final cut that we see here. Definitely a good thing. However, the changing over to Bodrov as director may not have been the wisest choice. From what I'm seeing here, the focus is on the battles and not the people, which I sense comes from Bodrov's eyes and not Passer's. A true travesty.

The most shameful aspect is that this could've been a really fantastic film, with both character and action focuses. Unfortunately, the higher-ups apparently decided that action was what was needed and took the cheap (intellectually speaking) way out.

Even though I can't give this film a positive rating, it is worth watching simply for the amazing cinematography work. But that's all.