Watch Nomads

Nomads is a 1986 thriller film directed by John McTiernan, starring Lesley-Anne Down, Pierce Brosnan, and Anna Maria Monticelli. The movie revolves around a French anthropologist, Dr. Flax, who moves to Los Angeles with her husband, a doctor. Upon arriving in the city, she gets involved with a group of supernatural beings known as "Nomads."

The story begins with Flax (Down) nearly getting run over by a truck while walking in the streets of Los Angeles. She is saved by a man named Jean-Charles Pommier (Brosnan), who appears to be in a delirious state. Pommier dies shortly afterward, and Flax becomes curious about him, mainly because of his strange-looking tattoos. As an anthropologist, she feels compelled to learn more about the people and culture behind those tattoos, which leads her down the rabbit hole of Los Angeles' dark and supernatural side.

The movie is a unique blend of horror, science fiction, and psychological thriller genres. It follows Flax as she discovers that Pommier was once an anthropologist like her, who studied the Nomads, a group of people who possess the ability to see and communicate with ghosts, which they call "the spirits." The Nomads do not belong to any specific time or place but rather exist in a realm that intersects with the world of the living.

Pommier's death is just the beginning of a series of bizarre occurrences that leads Flax to the realization that the Nomads are still present in Los Angeles, and they have taken a keen interest in her. Flax stumbles upon Pommier's detailed journals and notes, which she uses to unravel the mystery of the Nomads. The deeper she delves into their world, the more she begins to experience bizarre hallucinations, making her question her grasp on reality.

The haunting ambiance in the film is notable. The soundtrack, composed by Bill Conti, is riddled with eerie undertones and demands attention. The filming style captures Los Angeles from an unconventional angle, almost presenting the city as a character whose underbelly is never exposed. The camera angles are often distorted, giving viewers the impression that the city is both familiar and menacing at the same time.

The chemistry between Down and Brosnan is excellent, despite the latter playing a dead character in most of the scenes. Brosnan's performance as Pommier, who is half-insane and often switches from speaking in French to English, is nothing short of exceptional. Down's portrayal of Flax is also compelling, as she conveys the character's struggle between being a rational anthropologist and a woman plagued by supernatural experiences.

Overall, Nomads is a movie that stays with the viewers, thanks to its mystical storytelling and haunting ambiance. It's a thrilling puzzle that keeps you guessing, and every new clue leads you further down a rabbit hole of mystery that, by the end, finally makes sense. The film is a perfect fit for those who enjoy psychological horror, supernatural thrillers, or any fan of Brosnan looking for something outside of his Bond filmography.

Nomads is a 1986 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 31 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.2.