The Road (2009)

The Road (2009)

Wow. Feel good movie of the year! In all seriousness though, wow. Great movie and for a book-to-movie conversion, this is a movie that knocks it out of the park. Like most people, I find that book to movie conversions are often severely lacking even a fraction of the atmosphere, character or story of the titular novel the films are meant to epitomize. In this situation though, the movie does the book justice creating a labour of love that encapsulates the Cormac McCarthy story and in turn presents a film that is more horrific than any recent contemporary attempt at horror in some time.

Those unfamiliar with the story, can have it summarized up as such, boy and father travel a road in the bleakest most depressing post-apocalyptic world you could probably ever imagine without the addition of zombies. Don't get me wrong though, there are definitely different kinds of monsters that exist in this world and we the reader/audience travel with them through their trials and tribulations to reach some semblance of sanctuary.

I am familiar with the source material, having read the novel some time ago... en route to Belize for my honeymoon I think... and while the movie has some creative liberties (ala the role of the mother and a conspicuously absentee baby) such liberties in the film either do not detract from the overall essence of the story or in some facets, add to it. Now Cormac McCarthy also wrote No Country for Old Men, a Coen brothers adaptation that truthfully I didn't care for that much, nor did I think it was an Oscar contender let alone worthy of being a winner, hence why I have had little to no interest in the Academy Awards for some time, but I digress. The Road, unlike No Country for Old Men, is captivating from beginning to end, and everything from cinematography, powerhouse performances, quality actors in the smaller roles, and the devotion of the director all add to what is a spellbinding film.


The good: Everyone. Viggo Mortenson and Kodi Smit-McPhee hold the film. A testament to the kid's chops in holding his own against Viggo for 2 hours. If Stephen King's Dark Tower series ever actually sees the light of day, and I am speaking to you Ron Howard, do everything in your power to get these two for Roland and Jake. Oh and don't screw it up. No pressure though. What else is good? The other actors, Charlize Theron who is often hit-and-miss with me, nails an unforgiving role as the mother. Seeing Robert Duvall, Guy Pierce and Molly Parker, round out a small cast with quality over quantity. It would be a disservice to not acknowledge the incredible cinematography, the visual ability is the very essence of using a picture to tell a thousand words, which allows us to see page by page on screen in all it's wonderfully depressing splendour.

The bad: Not much. This film is definitely not for everyone. This film had my wife weeping (because of how good it is) but this may not be the film for kids or parents alike. You have to have a strong heart and a strong will to endure this film, as you are right there every moment with the characters on screen.

Final Verdict: Go see it. Expect to hurt watching it, but know that you are seeing a work of art. Then go read the book if you haven't already done so.

Add to the vault? Well this is a tough one. Obviously this isn't a film that you're gonna pull out for guilty rainy day fare, but I would be honoured to have this film in my collection if only for the sake of dusting it off in ten years and sharing in the experience again. So yes.


And to try something different, I am going to try linking to the trailers for the films I review from here on out.


Enjoy folks!