Land Ho! Is a very pleasant surprise. Coming into the movie, I had zero expectations, since I had never heard of the film prior, and a movie about two old men embarking on a journey through Iceland, sounded like something that could have been boring for me. However, great chemistry between the two leads (Earl Lynn Nelson and Paul Eenhoorn), along with an emphasis of character than story, and a lot of very funny but vulgar humor, made Land Ho! was a pleasant surprise for me.
Land Ho! is a film that starts out in The U.S. (the opening scenes were filmed in Kentucky), and winds up going to Iceland after the first fifteen minutes of the film. Telling the story of two brother-in-laws named Mitch (his full name is Leslie Mitchell, but he prefers Mitch because he finds Leslie to be a girl's name), and Colin, an Australian, who decide to go through Iceland in an attempt to reclaim their youth. They go through Reykjavik nightclubs, spas, and campsites. This film is supposed to be a throwback to the 1980's road trip comedies, as well as an exploration of age and friendship. Mitch and Colin are still friends in the film all the way through, despite their differences and arguments.
As mentioned already, Land Ho! is a joy to watch, but what it makes it work is the actor's chemistry with each other. As played by Nelson and Eenhoorn, Mitch and Colin are believable as old acquaintances and best friends. The two bicker and argue in the film, but they still laugh and have a good time with each other. I especially like the movie references they give (of which the film has plenty of), including Sleepless in Seattle, Rio Bravo and Pretty Woman. Those were fun to hear and catch, as was the rest of the film.
The movie itself is put into three different sequences, referring to where the two are traveling. These include, The Golden Circle, Land Manga, and Laughter. Some of the plot concerns Mitch seeing his younger cousin (who refers to him as uncle, even though they are second cousins), who is visiting Iceland. The other parts of the plot concern Mitch and Colin getting caught up in some wacky shenanigans, like in an assuming scene where the two get lost in the dark after being outside and are trying to get back to their hotel, but can't see and eventually end up sleeping in the woods at night; very amusing scene.
The humor in Land Ho! comes from the characters interactions with each other. Director and writer team Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens clearly have a good idea on how to create genuine humor. Mitch and Colin, or either one or the other are the focus of the film 100% of the time, which is a good thing, and adds to the humor and interaction. Quotes such as "angels pissing on your tongue" and the use of the words "balls" in a particular scene, had me and the audience cracking up, as we were already enjoying the rest of the film. Another funny scene occurs when Mitch and Colin are in the water swimming around. Colin does his best Johnny Weissmuller Tarzans' scream impersonation. The film's dialogue and humor can be very vulgar at times, so it may not be for everyone, even if the film itself is harmless in terms of actual imagery.
Land Ho! is an enjoyable, road adventure comedy. It's not the greatest movie ever, but as a piece of entertainment, it works extremely well. The actors' chemistry, along with the humor, helps to make the film enjoyable to watch. You don't see many road movies like Land-Ho made these days.
