John McTiernan’s initial effort, a supernatural thriller starring Pierce Brosnan, is something of an oddity. A French anthropologist and his wife—played by Brosnan and Anna Maria Monticelli—attempt to establish a life in Los Angeles, where he finds himself noticing a group of sinister street punks (featuring Adam Ant, Mary Woronov, Héctor Mercado, among others) and unfortunately attracts their attention. Lesley-Anne Down portrays a doctor who seems connected to his memories in some way. McTiernan wrote and directed “Nomads” (1986), which is an inventive mystery/thriller incorporating supernatural elements and a touch of horror. It shares certain aspects with the forthcoming “The Lost Boys” (1987), although it doesn’t involve vampires and possesses less of a comic book feel, even though some characters appear to have stepped directly from the set of “The Road Warrior.” It has an adult sensibility and artistic qualities reminiscent of “The Mothman Prophecies,” released fifteen years later, but is even more challenging for audiences. It avoids predictable storytelling patterns; it trusts viewers to assemble the puzzle pieces themselves. Schwarzenegger reportedly was so impressed that he persuaded the producers of “Predator” (1987) to hire McTiernan. A friend I respect considers “Nomads” one of his favorite films, and because of this, my initial viewing left me disappointed despite its technical competence. On a second watch, I focused more intently and was able to understand things better. For example, the reason behind Pommier’s (Brosnan) seemingly illogical actions—like wielding a crowbar against a thug—became clearer. The identity of the peculiar nun in the abandoned building also started to make sense. Likewise, why Dancing Mary (Woronov) would turn around when the women are clearly trapped in the attic, and why the motorcycle rider pauses at the border, all became less perplexing. Brosnan delivers a strong performance here, projecting considerable masculinity, while Lesley-Anne Down and Anna Maria Monticelli are visually appealing. The film’s length is 1 hour, 30 minutes, and filming took place in Los Angeles and Santa Monica. GRADE: B/B-

Source on TMDB