Review of The Rover (2014) by Tim S — 20 Feb 2015

When it comes to films about the future, especially ones set in a dystopian time period, few of them really capture the feeling of desperation. They spend more time world-building and tend to forget that they have characters that need to seem interesting.

Thankfully, The Rover belongs to the latter group. But The Rover is less of a dystopian film and more of a western to me; not in the traditional sense, but certainly in the look and feel. Sure it takes place in the Australian outback in a future where society has collapsed, but that isn't what the film is about.

The film is about its two main characters and their personal struggle, which is why the film shines and is one of the more refreshing takes on this type of story in recent memory. Sure you can draw comparisons between this film and Mad Max, but why bother? Mad Max is specifically about the future and what's happening in it because of whatever downfall society has had.

This film is the opposite of that. It simply presents two characters in a situation with the details in the background, and as a result, it's much more engaging. We're not being constantly reminded that we're in a different time through dialogue or technology, or in this case, the lack thereof.

I felt that the film had more in common with a Martin Scorsese film, like Taxi Driver, than something like Mad Max. The stark but beautiful landscape and the scant use of violence, sometimes brutal, is affecting.

But at the same time, it's not really exploitive either. Again, the film is saying "here are the characters, here is the situation, watch what they do." To be more succinct, this is a terrific piece of filmmaking.

It's not a perfect movie, but it's a perfect example of a slow burn movie that has characters that you want to spend time with and see where their plight takes them.