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"THE ROAD"
(2009) (Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee) (R)

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QUICK TAKE:
Drama/Suspense: A father tries to provide safety, shelter and food for his son while teaching him how to survive in a post-apocalyptic world where none of those are guaranteed.
PLOT:
Once upon a time, The Man (VIGGO MORTENSEN) and The Wife (CHARLIZE THERON) had a good life. But then the apocalypse came about and they found themselves raising their young son, The Boy (KODI SMIT-McPHEE), in a decidedly different world where civilization had broken down and marauding gangs roved the lands, raping, killing and/or eating whoever they might find.

With The Wife now a fading memory and seen in just flashbacks, The Man sets out with his son on a journey toward the coast where he believes life might be better. Along the way, he tries to provide safety, shelter and food for both of them, while also teaching his son how to survive in that hostile world once he eventually ends up alone in it.

Along the way, they must contend with encounters with various bad people, as well as the likes of The Old Man (ROBERT DUVALL) and The Veteran (GUY PEARCE) who provide glimpses that not all hope might be lost for good.

OUR TAKE: 7 out of 10
When it comes to end of the world movies, there are basically three genre varieties. Granted, "Disaster Movie" was supposed to be a comedy, but since it wasn't funny, that doesn't count. And there have been plenty of romantic comedies that have similarly been disasters, and some viewers may wish for the apocalypse while watching them, but they likewise don't make the grade.

Instead, the main three consist of the following. There are the religious based ones such as "Left Behind" that may play to the choir, so to speak, but rarely go beyond that, usually due to awful and/or amateurish filmmaking. Far more financially successful are the action pics, once dominated by the likes of Irwin Allen and now firmly controlled by Roland Emmerich.

Films such as the recently released "2012" usually do quite well at the box office due to their amusement park ride aura, but rarely take the subject matter that seriously. In other words, viewers are supposed to be entertained by the special effects destruction on hand, but not disturbed. After all, realistically disturbing flicks aren't generally known for positive word of mouth and/or repeat viewing business.

That will likely be the fate of "The Road," a well-made but bleak and fairly depressing film that falls into the third "end of the world" category, that being serious drama. Unlike the disaster flicks that depict the beginning of the end in spectacular fashion, these sorts of movies often start after said event is done, and thus arrive with fewer extravagant special effects and decidedly smaller budgets.

Based on the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name, the movie -- directed by John Hillcoat from a screenplay adaptation by Joe Penhall -- is essentially a road trip flick through a post-apocalyptic world. Details are scant -- I didn't catch any character names if possibly stated (and the press notes only refer to the main characters as "The Man" and "The Boy") and we never know what led to the end of civilization.

While that might annoy some viewers (likely those who favor nature, aliens and such as the obvious calamitous culprits), the past really isn't the point. That is, except for some occasional voice over narration by the adult lead (Viggo Mortensen with another solid & intense performance) and various flashbacks showing the now-absent mother (Charlize Theron in non-glam mode) and brief bits about why she's not traveling with her husband and child.

Those flashback decisions only add another layer of bleakness to the proceedings which, when boiled down to it, are about a parent teaching his offspring how to survive in a cruel world. All of which makes sense as humans would start to devolve back to animal instincts the further from civilization they got.

It isn't a happy theme by any means, but it works here, no doubt helped by a strong (if nearly emaciated) performance by Viggo Mortensen as the dad as well as Kodi Smit-McPhee as his boy who needs a crash course in survival. The two are so good there's never a doubt they're father and son, and one feels for the parent hoping to prepare his offspring as best as possible before it's too late.

My only real objections with the film, beyond the overall downer aura, are the usual subjects in most any cinematic offering, and that's those flashbacks, the unnecessary voice-over narration, and potentially distracting star cameos. I get that Hillcoat is trying to capture the essence of McCarthy's novel in explaining the main character's mindset in relation to what's occurred, but the two mediums are different beasts and the visuals and Mortensen's performance certainly supply all we need to know.

As far as the cameos, the likes of Robert Duvall and Guy Pearce are in just small parts that have no need for recognizable star power (other such brief parts are played by performers few but family and friends will recognize and thus are more effective since one won't be distracted by thoughts - inner or uttered -- of "Hey, that's the guy from whatcha-ma-call-it." Thankfully, lots of grungy, end of the world make-up does help some in such regards, but the overall issue easily could have been circumvented.

As it plays out, it's one-hundred percent clear that this is the antithesis of the uplifting and entertaining fable, "Life is Beautiful," although there are obviously similarities in terms of the father/son bond and the former trying to help the latter get through the dire situation.

Despite its setting but probably because of its story of overcoming obstacles and the uplifting message, that Roberto Benigni film was a hit among most critics and moviegoers. Considering its bleak portrayal and only marginally optimistic conclusion, it's unlikely this film will enjoy the same sort of positive word of mouth (few will be doing their best Michael Stipe singing "It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine").

"The Road," however, may just similarly rack up some award nominations for the work of those in front of and behind the camera in this gritty, bleak, and fairly depressing but otherwise well-made offering. The film rates as a 7 out of 10.




Reviewed October 14, 2009 / Posted November 25, 2009


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