Land of Doom Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Land of Doom Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 7, 2019

1986’s “Land of Doom” gives the audience a different kind of hero in Harmony, a post-apocalyptic warrior with severe personal contact issues and preference for kicking attackers in the groin as a way of shutting down oncoming violence. She’s not exactly a steely, butt-whuppin’ type (remember, this is the same release year as “Aliens”), but she’s close enough for director Peter Maris, who tries to make a proper actioner with star Deborah Rennard. Tasked with supplying screen authority, and the actress certainly seems like she’s having a good time with “Land of Doom.” It’s a bummer the rest of the feature only reaches a certain level of campy chaos, finding Maris unable to bring his B-movie elements to a boil.

After the Future War, the world is left in ruins, with loner Harmony (Deborah Rennard) traveling across the wasteland, trying to avoid plague- infested humans and roving Raiders, with the motorcycle gang enjoying a daily diet of destruction and sexual assault. Their leader is Slater (Daniel Radell), and he’s hunting for Anderson (Garrick Dowhen), a former collaborator turned enemy, hoping to exact revenge on a man who scarred his face. Harmony finds Anderson in a cave, with the wounded man requesting help crossing the land, chasing a rumor of a safe civilization to join. Slow to trust men, Harmony agrees to join Anderson, with the pair setting off into the desert, soon encountering a range of enemies, outsiders, and the wrath of the Raiders, who leave a trail of pain and destruction behind them as they chase their targets.

“Land of Doom” was shot in Turkey, giving Maris some wide open spaces to work with, trying to sell the end of the world in an area that looks like a state park. The feature relies on expanse to provide a cinematic stance, with the characters often marching around like ants in the middle of glorious nature, diminishing technical achievements, including the decoration of Raider war machines. These motorcycles and trucks are fitted with lots of scrap metal and cardboard, with Maris trying to summon a “Mad Max” vibe of futureworld gang violence, but mixes in a little “Megaforce” as well, often highlighting how the bikes blast away with mounted machine guns. “Land of Doom” works this weird collision of nature and schlock for as long as it can, and the helmer doesn’t waste much time establishing the violent antics, welcoming viewers to the picture with a dose of Raider horror, watching as the goons relish a chance to destroy a village and rape anything in sight.

Such threat of sexual horror fuels Harmony’s character arc, arriving on the scene as a woman without any interest in time spent with men. She’s a lone wolf just trying to survive, getting caught up in a mess with Anderson after discovering the wounded man inside a cave. The pair works to something of an understanding, with Harmony intrigued by the man’s information concerning a safe zone somewhere out there in the wild. Their partnership forms the mission of “Land of Doom,” tracking their travels into the wasteland, where they encounter a good number of people, with most hoping to do them harm.

Maris varies up the desert march, putting Harmony and Anderson into contact with crazy Raiders and a town of cannibals who offer their special stew to the hungry travelers. And help arrives with Orland (Akut Duz) and his special companion Guinevere, a puppy. As amusing as some of these misadventures are, the best scenes are saved for the Raiders, who speed into the film, causing all sorts of problems for innocents, even inspiring a mid-movie chase with the heroes, giving the picture some needed action. And there’s Slater, a masked villain with an awkward yelling voice who demands revenge, but can’t quite get his band of braindead stooges in line to finish the job. He provides quite the caped visual, but he’s never a complete threat.

Land of Doom Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from an older scan of "Land of Doom," displaying slightly fatigued hues, revealing age. However, primaries are acceptable, on view with post-apocalyptic costuming and blue skies. Desertscapes are intact, with satisfactory greenery. Skintones are natural. Detail runs softer, with mild filtering diminishing sharpness, but textures remain on Raider gear, with its leathered, studded construction, and hero outfits retain lighter appeal. Skin particulars survive in close-ups, and distances are adequate, retaining the feel of isolation. Delineation is comfortable. Source has its share of wear and tear, with scratches and speckling, along with some chemical blotches.

Land of Doom Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix also details some age issues with hiss and pops, while the general clarity of the track is slightly subdued. Intelligibility isn't problematic, offering dialogue exchanges that retain their intended power and dubbed artificiality. Scoring is satisfactory, with some cues coming through with more definition, allowing action sequences to enjoy a musical boost. Sound effects are basic, but gun and laser fire are snappy, and explosions register as intended.

Land of Doom Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (12:01, HD) with Deborah Rennard examines the actress's early career achievements, including a decade-long stint on the popular television series, "Dallas." The promise of Turkish locations and a part that celebrated female authority brought Rennard to the production, jokingly noting she did the wasteland warrior routine before Charlize Theron. Such empowerment wasn't met with preparation, as the actress regrets skipping martial arts training, left to figure out moves on her own. Rennard discusses her collaboration with director Peter Maris and her interactions with co-stars. She also offers an amusing anecdote about the extent of her "Dallas" fame, and shares memories about the unusual locations.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:19, SD) is included.

Land of Doom Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There are a few Leone-esque touches thrown into "Land of Doom" to keep it going, but Maris doesn't supply a full plate of cinematic distractions. Instead, stretches of the film are too talky or clumsily staged, with Rennard not quite ready for fight choreography. Still, for bottom shelf addicts, "Land of Doom" has the basics in post-apocalyptic entertainment, unleashing mutants, motorcycles, and leather outfits when the effort slows to a crawl.