Review of The Rover (2014) by David G — 08 Jan 2015

THE ROVER, starring Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson, is a really simple story about a man trying to get back his car. How this bare minimum of a plot is filled out to feature length might bore some people to tears, but I really liked it.

For one, not every film has to have a complicated plot or extensive character development. Film is, first and foremost, a visual medium and this is clearly something director David Michod excels at. Like George Miller before him (and in a few months, again), he sets his narrative in post-apocalyptic Australia, although this time it's more of an economic collapse.

The real meat of the film attention to detail and extremely realistic portrayal of what an apocalyptic wasteland might actually look and function like. Raw materials are hard to come by and people mostly just keep to themselves, while the army rounds up criminals and sends them back to the city for justice.

This area is where the film really shines, in its believable portrayal of a desperate world filled with desperate people. What little dialogue there is that doesn't directly pertain to the central narrative also helps to fill in details about this world.

Also complementing this was excellent production design and on-location shooting. Practically every frame of this film would make a great still or painting, and the way in which images are lingered on and slowly panned away from was hypnotic at times.

Completing a trifecta is the fantastic score which helped to set the mood extremely well and complemented the visuals to a tee. There was only one (maybe two) incidental songs, but despite it coming out of nowhere it helped to relieve the unbearable tension that had been building up and provided a moment of humor to lighten things up a bit.

The only reason I can't say that I "love" this film is partly due to the story and somewhat of a letdown of an ending, but like Robert Pattinson's character says at one point, "Not everything has to be about something.

" For me, the combination of images and music that this film provided more than makes up for the weakness of the story. This won't be to everyone's taste, particularly if you have a short attention span, but it might prove to be rewarding for those who give it a try.