When I saw a preview for Land Ho!, I thought that I would love it, but the reality is that it put me to sleep. If I’m being harsh, Land Ho! is mumble core meets tourism promotional video. If I’m being generous, I know that it was supposed to be a realistic, unvarnished look at two elderly men, who are friends based on their former association as brothers-in-law–one sister died and the other divorced, as they basically try to not be sad as they approach the end, but live life fully. Objectively Land Ho! may deserve some kudos for the naturalistic unfolding of the men’s story and their encounters, but subjectively, I didn’t care and found neither character particularly compelling or realistic to feel invested in their story. I like the mumble core genre, but Land Ho! did nothing for me. I know that I’m supposed to soar when one character is no longer sad about being old or losing money and love and begins to enjoy life, but
SPOILER ALERT
the hook up scene was the final disappointment. On one hand, I was psyched that they encountered a random black woman photographer on their travels, but the fact that unlike the other people that they encountered who despite one or both of the two main character’s attempts to make them submit to a supporting character in their story yet remain stubbornly guest stars or cameos, she morphed into a character that only exists to make him feel sexually relevant again and then disappear. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but black women as sexual fairies deserve all the side eye.
