Matt Shea
RubySoho
Morgan Bell
Cibbuano
David O'Connell
Mountain Fog
The Road
January 20th 2010 20:35
written by Sunny Lo
You're a survivor in a barren world after a devastating undisclosed apocalypse has destroyed all vegetation, leaving the soil infertile. Nothing will grow. And the earth is cold, and the sun is an echo in your mind. The weather is at best, overcast and cloudy, with a chance of precipitation. You're hungry for a nice juicy steak. But all the cows have been slaughtered for food, long ago. There are hungry cannibals chasing after you. What do you do?
Welcome to 'The Road', a movie based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Cormac McCarthy.
Viggo Mortensen plays the hardened everyman who survives in a barren world, protecting his son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) that was born post-apocalypse, never knowing about playgrounds or the sunshine. They are just alien concepts in a world where the father has just two bullets in his gun: one for his son, and one for himself. Names are irrelevant in a movie like this, where the main characters are suitable called The Man and The Boy. Charlize Theron has a smaller role as The Wife with little hope, in flashbacks seen throughout the movie.
Mortensen has played this role before: a character hardened by circumstances beyond his control, struggling to maintain his humanity. And he does a great job at it, as always. The boy is really good, too, as he struggles to grow up as a lonely, friendless child in a grim, grim world.
Both the director John Hillcoat and cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe paint a bleak landscape full of dirty grey and foreboding, where hope is almost non-existent and compassion will get you killed. They are hauntingly effective. I felt myself drawn into this movie, and found myself wondering, what would I do in a world like this? Some scenes can be quite suspenseful, especially as The Man descends into the darkness down a flight of stairs in different parts of the movie, in search of something---- anything useful to survive.
If there's a movie that will make you question whether your fellow humans will eat you, this is it. If there's a movie that will leave a sick stench of decay in your mouth, this is it. If you like to watch really depressing movies, this is it.
Watch The Road! You'll hate it and love it at the same time. You’ll want to wash your dirty hands afterwards, to wash off the dirt that doesn’t exist.
The Road raises a great question: What do you do in a post-apocalyptic world, where humanity has no future, and extinction is inevitable? Do you resort to cannibalism, suicide, or live a difficult, moral life, based on society that no longer exists?
I know one thing for sure: I'll have to stockpile some canned food in my basement.
*this image is from Save Ophelia
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Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
If you're after another review of The Road, I highly recommend Dave O'Connell's write-up on Screen Fanatic - it's great stuff. Check it out here.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Joshua Johnson
I was able to find some hope in the film. It wasn't entirely depressing. There are some great themes of humanity and the search for meaning as well. How did you like the voice-over? I thought it brought me out of the movie, as did the flashbacks.
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
I hate it when that happens