The Road

[NeilTh]

If it's half as good as the last Cormac McCarthy’s adaptation - No Country For Old Men, then I can't wait..

[ciro22]

It's going to be a very different film to No Country, but hopefully it should be a good film in an entirely different way...

[ciro22]

I have to say that the advance reviews that I've seen so far have been fairly mixed so it's looking like this may be a bit of an acquired taste... I can only hope that the UK is a country of good taste!

[andrews]

I have just returned from watching this at Boldon. It is unremittingly bleak. It starts off bleak, hits a high point of bleakness, and concludes bleakly. Viggo Mortensen gives a superb performance as The Man(Oscar nomination at the very least). The child, Kodi Smit McPhee, is awesome as The Son, and an unrecognisable Robert Duvell plays an old man whom they meet for a short time along the way.
As with The Hurt Locker last year, the subject matter was not to my liking. I found myself closing my eyes at moments of terror or impending danger. (Coward)
This film is excellent, though harrowing to watch. You will not feel uplifted by watching it - in fact I'm in need of a stiff drink.

9/10 from me.

[moggers]

I really liked it. Very bleak and I totally agree with Andrews review. Loved the colouring used in the film and Guy Pearce was unrecognisable at the end.

[ciro22]

I actually saw this a couple of weeks ago, but as I haven't posted an opinion yet, and the board is fairly light on reviews so far, I figured I would put something up...

First up, I think it does make a big difference to the viewer whether or not you have read the book beforehand. From speaking to my friends after seeing the film, and talking to other people about it, there did appear to be a clear divide - with the readers all pretty much loving the film, and the non-readers being mixed about it.

Again, there's also an argument to be made that the trailers and marketing give off the wrong impression about the film and so some people will inevitably be disappointed by the fact that the film is not what they thought it was be. I'm finding this needs to be said more and more with films lately so it's becoming a big problem, although I guess Hollywood really doesn't care so long as you've pa*d for a ticket anyway...

The film follows the book and its style very closely and the book itself is an acquired taste as it is a series of exchanges between the man and his son, coupled with the man's inner thoughts, and every so often punctuated by random encounters with other survivors they come across along their journey. There's no explanation of what caused the apocalypse and the emphasis is taken away from action and thrills for most of the story. All in all, this doesn't make it an easy book to film and I think that the director and screenwriter did a pretty good job.

For those who haven't read the book, it's going to be harder to say whether or not the film will be as enjoyable. However, the film does have a lot of merits as a movie in its own rights - decent direction and cinematography; some good acting from Viggo Mortensen (although the boy can be a bit annoying at times...); the film draws you effectively into their plight and is able to rack up the tension when it needs to; and there's something to be said for the fact they resisted the temptation to make this into a Hollywood end-of-the-world thriller and over-explain everything that's going on.

Ultimately, it's a serious, downbeat, but thoughtful and uplifting film about relationships and the human condition, which doesn't seek to follow the usual commercial path of most films and certainly won't guarantee you a neat happy ending - so if the idea of that appeals to you then you should go see it!

(And if it doesn't - you could always go see Book of Eli instead...)

[tonethestone]

wasnt fussed on this to be honest. seemed to drag without it going anywhere. performances were alittle annoying too. 5/10.

[ciro22]

Tone - have you read the book though?

[tarantinoed]

I saw this at the London Film Festival and thought it was extremely good. I found the book almost devastatingly affecting. Obviously the film and book are bleak and depressing but they are saying somethings that are really important and we shouldn't avoid them because they are a bit of a "downer".