In Cinemas: THE ROAD should be taken by all
Advertisement
It may look intolerably depressing, but something wonderful, something heart-warming even happens during The Road that transcends the evident despair experienced by the characters. The warm bond between Viggo Mortensen's protective father and his vulnerable young son restores your faith in humanity. Their tenacity to battle on in a world without hope is both noble and inspiring. Putting such a bond into words will always sound sentimental but rest assured, this is a film where the paternal instinct of a father to give his son the best chance of living, is genuinely life-affirming. If you don't feel a modicum of compassion and sympathy for the two spirits on show here, you might be made of stone. Australian director John Hillcoat's adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel is the most gritty and realistic depiction of the post-apocalypse you will ever see. The central character isn't some weapon-wielding warrior like in other films of this genre he's just a man. There is also a refreshing absence of zombies in this vision of the end. Instead this is a film that is about sheer survivalist spirit. Yes, it's gruelling but it's also rewarding in unexpected ways. It depicts the bond of trust and companionship that galvanizes people together when they've braved sheer pain and tortuous conditions. The tone of grimness is harrowing but there are so many moments that have the power to uplift: you'll never feel such a sense of joy at the sight of a tin of Del Monte pears as you do whilst watching The Road.
Advertisement
There's some great supporting turns along The Road. Stare into some of the haggard faces on-screen and you might just see Robert Duvall as an introspective old timer and Guy Pearce as a somewhat ambiguous survivor. Charlize Theron isn't as unrecognisable as Duvall and Pearce but she's equally as strong, giving a suitably downbeat performance - in a back-story that gives depth to the linear and lean narrative - as a tortured soul, struggling to hold herself together when faced with such a bleak future. There's considerable doom but a heartening picture of humanity between Mortensen and Mcphee more than alleviates the gloom. The Road is a strangely cathartic and rewarding character-driven piece of work - the most disturbingly naturalistic vision of the end of the world in cinema history.