Review of The Road (2009) by Wololooo — 26 Mar 2012

John Hillcoat's adaption of the classic novel of the same name is a solid, loving and engrossing effort. Viggo Mortensen is absolutely brilliant as an unnamed survivor, trekking slowly towards the east coast with his son, played by Kodi Smit McPhee. The young and inexperienced McPhee holds Mortensen back in some scenes, especially the more emotionally intense dialogues that occur toward the end of the film. He does a satisfactory job, and shows a lot of potential, but nevertheless a more experienced child actor might have better captured the character. The script is pretty well thought-out, - there's very few of the cliches one might expect from such a film. However, some of the scenes drag out too long, and at times I was left wondering why certain scenes were necessary. The cinematography in The Road is immaculate. The way post-apocalyptic America is presented, with bleak, washed out landscapes and decaying buildings, is truly one of the most effective visions of a dying world I've ever seen.

The Road is so filled with melancholic beauty and gentle, thought-provoking imagery that the situation in which the viewer watches the film will heavily influence their opinion of it. This is not a film to watch over some beers with mates - it's a film to watch alone and become totally immersed in.