The Perfect ‘Landman’ Follow-Up Is Matt Damon’s ‘Promised Land’

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Did you like Landman? If so, you might want to check out a Matt Damon movie from 2012 that often gets overlooked. Directed by Gus Van Sant, who previously worked with Damon on Good Will Hunting, Promised Land follows Steve Butler (Matt Damon), a successful employee at a natural gas company. His job is to convince landowners to allow fracking on their property, and he’s very good at it – quickly securing deals that benefit his company.

Butler faces a difficult challenge: convincing the people of a struggling Pennsylvania farm town to sell their land. This town is full of families who have owned their farms for generations, so it won’t be easy. Can he succeed?

The movie wasn’t a commercial success, earning only $12 million despite costing $15 million to make. However, the National Board of Review still named it one of the best films of 2012. Those familiar with the world of energy, particularly fans of the show Landman, will likely appreciate it most, as it delves deeply into that industry.

‘Promised Land’ Has Most of ‘Landman’s Key Ingredients


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The characters of Promised Man and Landman are remarkably alike. Viewers will quickly recognize the parallels as soon as they meet Butler. Similar to Tommy Norris, he’s a highly effective employee and a skilled negotiator who can calm difficult situations and easily connect with people. Pay close attention to a scene where he recounts how his hometown was devastated when the local Caterpillar factory shut down.

Gus Van Sant’s film, like the Taylor Sheridan show, pays close attention to the world of industry, drawing stories from both office settings and the land itself. Both works focus on the process of extracting resources, particularly a technique called hydraulic fracturing, or ‘fracking’, and similar methods.

Both stories primarily explore the problems that arise when a town experiences a rapid economic boom. They show how the chance for quick riches can cause worry, friction, and disagreements between locals and those seeking to profit. While Landman focuses on the excitement of oil production itself, Promised Land highlights the perspective of activists, which caused some controversy within the oil industry.

‘Promised Land’s Pro-Environment Approach Triggered Controversy


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The documentary Promised Land received strong criticism from the energy industry, which believed it unfairly highlighted concerns about fracking. Critics argued the film spread inaccurate fears about the process. Phelim McAleer, director of the pro-fracking film FrackNation, was a prominent voice, claiming the movie falsely linked fracking to water contamination. He pointed to multiple EPA investigations that found no evidence of such a connection.

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A CNBC report from September 2012 highlighted protests from residents of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania – the primary filming location for the movie Promised Land. They expressed disappointment online, stating the film didn’t accurately represent the drilling industry as they were led to believe it would. Residents also felt the movie portrayed farmers in a condescending way, which particularly upset them. The Independent Petroleum Association of America voiced similar concerns.

If you find the constant focus on profit and aggressive drilling in Landman frustrating, Promised Land could offer a more balanced perspective. While the film looks great and features a strong performance by Matt Damon, some of its storylines feel a bit weak and don’t quite come together seamlessly. However, it’s still a very entertaining movie, and it tackles important environmental issues that the Landman series largely ignores. It will likely spark debate among fans of the show, prompting them to consider the validity of these concerns.

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2026-01-06 00:34