Hola all. Massawyrm here.
THE ROAD is easily the single most human post-apocalyptic movie you are bound ever to see. It is neither happy nor fun, and is a rather heavy, brooding, somber affair that delicately balances its story of survival with moments of horror, action and romance. But make no mistake; it is not ABOUT any of those things. What serves this film best is that while it is by all rights a genre picture, it never attempts to play out as a genre picture. There are horrific elements not unlike those you would find in a TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE movie, but it refuses to be gratuitous or attempt to frighten you with cheap jump scares or gross outs. There are moments of survival on the edge of nowhere, but it never strives to become a western or THE ROAD WARRIOR. And while we follow a man pining for his wife, it is not a film that ever tries to entrench itself in the heartbreak of a romantic picture.
No, THE ROAD is entirely about humanity. It is a story of a man trying to raise his son in a dying world without ever giving up their ethics for the sake of survival. They are characters that would put a bullet in their own brain before resorting to cannibalism. They would trek a thousand miles on foot to find reliable civilization. And they are smart enough to avoid the pitfalls and traps of a world gone mad.
But they are also two very different characters. The father, Viggo Mortensen, is a true survivor. He knows the road; he knows how to make it through the day – what they can eat and what they can’t. But he’s also protective and selfish. His son is inexperienced, but possesses the joy and wonder of a world he never got to know while also wanting to offer kindness to strangers who might just up and kill them.
Once again director John Hillcoat, who previously directed the masterful THE PROPOSITION, creates a brooding, bleak and bloody morality tale set in a wasteland. This time around, rather than the dry desert of the “old west”, he paints a rather drab, wet, depressing world unlike any you’ve ever seen in post-apocalyptic fare. This isn’t the dusty, charred waste shot on a shoestring budget out in the middle of the outback. This is the real world, torn apart, gloomy and sad, with a permanent layer of ash lingering in the air, brought down by the constant rain that leaves everything covered in layers of grime, muck and filth. It is a refreshing and altogether frightening version of a future on the opposite end of some unnamed event.
Fans of the book will find a few things changed. Most notably the book’s centerpiece scene, a macabre incident involving a baby, is nowhere to be found here, which is probably for the best. The looks on people’s faces when they discuss reading that sequence in the book speaks volumes as to what might have occurred had that been put to film. It might not have made it through with an R rating, and might actually exist on the cutting room floor. But it’s not here. Also gone is the need for masks – a great visual in the book, but terrible for getting good performances out of actors. And as to be expected, there are a few minor changes as to how events go down, especially in the way the book fast forwards through the final, pre-epilogue chapter.
However, the film perfectly captured the morbid, weary spirit of the book and presents its morality tale in a thoughtful and entertaining way. While it is a film without a lot of action, what action beats and tense sequences exist are perfectly paced to keep the tension going. And Hillcoat is smart to capture just the right amount of hopeful, joy infused moments to keep this from simply being a post-apocalyptic THE PIANIST in which our protagonists simply suffer, suffer some more and then suffer again. That by no means makes this an adventure tale of any kind, nor something you’ll walk out pumped from watching; but it certainly isn’t the two hour cinematic train fucking that it initially appeared to be.
Harsh, cold and riveting, this delivers on everything it promises: an Oscar caliber film that transcends genre and truly captures the essence of Cormac McCarthy’s literature. Mortensen and Hillcoat prove to be an effective team that each delivers on their potential. Expect to be hearing a lot more on this as the buzz builds and this finally (after a year long wait) sees screens. Highly recommended for Post-apocalyptic film fans, but should be avoided by the squeamish or the sensitive. It is not a film that plays nice. At all.
Until next time friends, smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em.
Massawyrm
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