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Title: The Road
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| CONSUMER ADVICE |
Parents, there is heavy violence and language. Recommended for ages 17 and up. |
Though I completely understand the meaning of “The Road” I must confess that I’m not sure I understand why I should care. Based off the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Cormac McCarthy, the movie expands upon what I believe was a fairly mundane and unspectacular story. The core concept of the story is the same, where a man and his son wander a dead world trying to stay alive. The reasons for the death in the world is never mentioned, but I suspect it to be nuclear war gone wrong. The man is played by Academy Award-nominee Viggo Mortensen, who wanders the Earth with his son, who is played by newcomer Kodi-Smit McPhee. Like the novel they walk. And wander. Once in awhile they suspect they are being followed, but that suspicion never fully materializes.
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Like the novel the man remembers a better time with his wife (Academy Award-winner Charlize Theron), who is unable to handle the desolate world and kills herself. This I can almost understand. I’m not one to have a death wish, but in this world there is no life or future to be found. For once I see a situation where death actually seems like a logical solution to everyone’s problems. The lack of anything to do was a major problem with the novel, as it was little more then two people walking and musing about how they might die. The movie tries so hard to give them something to do, but ultimately doesn’t succeed. In the movie we have cannibal hunters, a tired old man, and a quest to get to the ocean. None of these subplots matter though.
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They are neither detailed enough to make a difference, and in fact they only worsen the situation because if natural death doesn’t get to you first, one of these situations will. Technically speaking this is a great looking film. Though I normally frown upon desolate scenarios, the art direction of “The Road” is haunting and brilliant. The direction is solid. The acting is pretty good too. But, like the book, I fail to see the purpose of it all. I know the point of the story is that living in a world like this is hopeless, but the narrative doesn’t give the viewer anything to chew on. We’re just going through every situation this world can throw at the characters wondering which one will kill them first. A movie cannot be just as pointless as it is depressing, and “The Road” never does much to engage the viewer. It only exists to depress them.
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