The Road (2009)
Country: US
Technical: col/2.35:1 111m
Director: John Hillcoat
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce, Molly Parker
Synopsis:
After some unnamed global apocalypse, probably nuclear in nature, a man and his son toil south through the grey deserted wasteland, pausing to scavenge among the detritus of civilization and shelter from the predations of cannibalistic marauders.
Review:
One of the more dignified entries in this overworked subgenre; it follows Hillcoat's equally bleak and 'end of days'ish Australian western, The Proposition, in showing what happens when humanity (as a quality rather than a species) must really fight for survival. Mortensen, appearing to feed off his History of Violence character as 'family man driven to ruthless acts', here at once admonishes his young son of the dangers of recognising the 'bad men', while at the same time keeping one last bullet in its chamber should danger threaten and oblige him to mercy kill his child. The production design is first-rate, producing vistas which, no doubt because of the limited colour palette, outdo those of The Book of Eli in their sense of desolation. There are juicy cameos but basically this is a two-hander, and a touching one at that, though the film's most moving scene in fact involves the fate of a stranger who threatens to steal all they have. In short, not a cheery night out but one that makes one grateful for one's creature comforts and does so with integrity.
Country: US
Technical: col/2.35:1 111m
Director: John Hillcoat
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce, Molly Parker
Synopsis:
After some unnamed global apocalypse, probably nuclear in nature, a man and his son toil south through the grey deserted wasteland, pausing to scavenge among the detritus of civilization and shelter from the predations of cannibalistic marauders.
Review:
One of the more dignified entries in this overworked subgenre; it follows Hillcoat's equally bleak and 'end of days'ish Australian western, The Proposition, in showing what happens when humanity (as a quality rather than a species) must really fight for survival. Mortensen, appearing to feed off his History of Violence character as 'family man driven to ruthless acts', here at once admonishes his young son of the dangers of recognising the 'bad men', while at the same time keeping one last bullet in its chamber should danger threaten and oblige him to mercy kill his child. The production design is first-rate, producing vistas which, no doubt because of the limited colour palette, outdo those of The Book of Eli in their sense of desolation. There are juicy cameos but basically this is a two-hander, and a touching one at that, though the film's most moving scene in fact involves the fate of a stranger who threatens to steal all they have. In short, not a cheery night out but one that makes one grateful for one's creature comforts and does so with integrity.
Country: US
Technical: col/2.35:1 111m
Director: John Hillcoat
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce, Molly Parker
Synopsis:
After some unnamed global apocalypse, probably nuclear in nature, a man and his son toil south through the grey deserted wasteland, pausing to scavenge among the detritus of civilization and shelter from the predations of cannibalistic marauders.
Review:
One of the more dignified entries in this overworked subgenre; it follows Hillcoat's equally bleak and 'end of days'ish Australian western, The Proposition, in showing what happens when humanity (as a quality rather than a species) must really fight for survival. Mortensen, appearing to feed off his History of Violence character as 'family man driven to ruthless acts', here at once admonishes his young son of the dangers of recognising the 'bad men', while at the same time keeping one last bullet in its chamber should danger threaten and oblige him to mercy kill his child. The production design is first-rate, producing vistas which, no doubt because of the limited colour palette, outdo those of The Book of Eli in their sense of desolation. There are juicy cameos but basically this is a two-hander, and a touching one at that, though the film's most moving scene in fact involves the fate of a stranger who threatens to steal all they have. In short, not a cheery night out but one that makes one grateful for one's creature comforts and does so with integrity.