Just Because It Zips Doesn't Mean It Fits
Watched Nomad with the very handsome and not in near enough stuff Kuno Becker. It's about a warrior hero who will unite the tribes of the Kazakhs to drive out the cruel Jungar tribes. While the movie itself is disjointed and obviously made by people who have SOME idea about how to make an epic movie but not enough experience, it does have some really good points to it that some other movies could learn from.
A.) Best friends turned opponents for a plausible reason:
Too many movies have best friends turned enemies over either jealousy or a woman or any number of things. The problem with that is they often paint the "bad" friend as so obviously bad to begin with that you wonder how the two were even friends at all without the "good" friend noticing and being creeped out. It most often makes the good friend either look stupid or oblivious. This friend turned opponent scenario worked. They both like the same girl, but refuse to make their feelings known to her for fear of hurting each other over her. Erali gets passed over to fight the chosen champion of their enemies, but he easily accepts the explanation that Ablai is the child of prophecy that is supposed to unite the Kazakhs. It's when they're forced to fight each other masked that it truly works. Erali knows who he's fighting, but he also knows that for Ablai to win his freedom and fulfill the prophecy, he has to kill him, which Erali lets him do. It's one of the few attempts at this I've seen that worked.
B.) A damsel in distress who is feminine and dainty, yet still manages to rescue the hero (plausibly again) at the crucial time. Fragile and tiny Gauhar manages to steal a horse, stop a poisoning, and ride away with Ablai behind her at the climax. This is obviously not a character who is supposed to be a warrior or anything else tough like that, yet she's more proactive than many "heroines" in movies I've seen. The guy she loves is about to get killed, therefore she's going to do something stupid and awesome to save him. She's not a fighter herself, but when push comes to shove, she saves the actual warrior in convincing style with her smarts rather than brawn.
So take note, better movies. This one has you beat in some areas.
A.) Best friends turned opponents for a plausible reason:
Too many movies have best friends turned enemies over either jealousy or a woman or any number of things. The problem with that is they often paint the "bad" friend as so obviously bad to begin with that you wonder how the two were even friends at all without the "good" friend noticing and being creeped out. It most often makes the good friend either look stupid or oblivious. This friend turned opponent scenario worked. They both like the same girl, but refuse to make their feelings known to her for fear of hurting each other over her. Erali gets passed over to fight the chosen champion of their enemies, but he easily accepts the explanation that Ablai is the child of prophecy that is supposed to unite the Kazakhs. It's when they're forced to fight each other masked that it truly works. Erali knows who he's fighting, but he also knows that for Ablai to win his freedom and fulfill the prophecy, he has to kill him, which Erali lets him do. It's one of the few attempts at this I've seen that worked.
B.) A damsel in distress who is feminine and dainty, yet still manages to rescue the hero (plausibly again) at the crucial time. Fragile and tiny Gauhar manages to steal a horse, stop a poisoning, and ride away with Ablai behind her at the climax. This is obviously not a character who is supposed to be a warrior or anything else tough like that, yet she's more proactive than many "heroines" in movies I've seen. The guy she loves is about to get killed, therefore she's going to do something stupid and awesome to save him. She's not a fighter herself, but when push comes to shove, she saves the actual warrior in convincing style with her smarts rather than brawn.
So take note, better movies. This one has you beat in some areas.