• Release year: 1982
• Director: Patrick Tam and Terry Kay-Ming Tong.
• Producers: Jeffrey Lau and Dennis Yu.
• Screenplay by: Kang-Chien Chiu, Joyce Chan, Eddie Ling-Ching Fong, Ping-Hing Kam, Koon-Chung Chan, and Patrick Tam.
• Cinematography by: David Chung, Peter Ngor, and Bill Wong.
• Music by: Violet Lam.

Shotgun Commentary: there are two types of people in this world: the ones who will enjoy the first hour and a half of Nomad, and the ones who will enjoy the last six to ten minutes.

Review

Nomad is a film that is both outdated and more relevant than ever. It begins following a young man’s coming-of-age story, but slowly turns its interest into his friend group and their dynamics. This group is formed by two couples with relationships as complex and toxic as can be. The portrayal of these as an average teen experience might make you cringe to levels you never thought possible, but that’s nothing compared to the realisation that comes after: society has not changed all that much at all.

Now and then

The cringe era begins when one of the main characters enters his shift at a municipal pool. Instead of being respected as a bodyguard and a person, he is mocked, ignored, and sexually harassed in a “harmless joke” where a group of women gangs up on him and steals his swimming trunks, groping him while they are at it. What was probably meant as a fun gag in the 80s, is met with nothing but horror and second-hand embarrassment in 2025.

Sadly, this is only the beginning of the “fun”. Later on, he has a chance encounter with one of the harassers and demands his trunks from their leader. In response, another young man who has nothing to do with the matter tries to defend the girl by fighting the man, a fight that is further fuelled by an ironic kiss between the two boys, and finalised when the girl takes off her skirt and flashes the main character. You know, as women do.

This leads to a steamy make out session, closely commented on by a group of girls who act like a crossover between parrots and minions. Because nothing gets a girl going like a man who threatens and manhandles her… This surreal situation that surpasses expectations with every passing minute is the type of content that makes you think, what the hell was in the 80s air for people to behave like that? Then you are reminded of all the incels and Andrew Tates in the world, and suddenly the whole situation is a bit less hilarious-cringe and a bit more depressing-horror.

The lucky break

Luckily, after you are recuperated from the initial show and have been lulled to a false sense of comfort by a, let’s be honest, pretty dull narrative, you are suddenly jolted awake by a bloodbath. Yes, you heard that right. Right when everything seemed lost and your finger is dangerously hovering the one star on Letterboxd, come the most random final minutes to ever be in a movie. It is an ending so bold you can only love it or hate it. Hopefully it will be the latter, otherwise you might just give up now.

All in all, Nomad is a very strange coming-of-age story that never commits to a unique genre. This speaks volumes of the indecisiveness of the production company. Nevertheless, it also provides great plot twists that simply don’t take place any more. For better or worse, this feature is definitely one of a kind.

Radiance Films will release 4K restoration of Nomad along with the title My Heart is That Eternal Rose (of the same director) the 24th of February in the UK.

LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

• 4K restoration of the Nomad director’s cut, 2K restoration of My Heart is That Eternal Rose, UK premieres on Blu-ray presented on two discs
• Interview with critic Tony Rayns on Nomad (2024)
• Interview with assistant director Stanley Kwan on Nomad (2024)
• Interview with Nomad producer Dennis Yu (2024)
• A visual essay on Patrick Tam and the Hong Kong New Wave by author David Desser (2024)
• Audio commentary on My Heart is That Eternal Rose by Frank Djeng (2024)
• Interview with producer John Sham (2019)
• Two episodes of C.I.D. directed by Tam (1976, 49 mins each)
• Trailer
• Newly improved English subtitle translations by Dylan Cheung
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
• Limited edition booklet featuring an archival career-spanning interview with Patrick Tam by Arnaud Lanuque and a new essay by Kambole Campbell
• Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

Find the Radiance release right here!

Advice to take from this movie:

• Never date someone who sees women as horny gold diggers. They don’t need your love, they need therapy.
• Try to learn from past mistakes. Don’t be like history, don’t go in circles.
• Any film can be saved with the right bloodshed at the right time.

What’s your take? Have you watched Nomad? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀