Review: The Road
The Road
Directed by John Hillcoat
Screenplay by Joe Penhall, based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron
Runtime: 112 minutes
Plot Synopsis: Based on Cormac McCarthy’s groundbreaking novel, The Road explores the aftermath of an unnamed cataclysmic event, particularly focusing on its impact on a man (Mortensen) and his son (Smit-McPhee).
In a year when cinemas are littered with post-apocalyptic tales of destruction and moral ruin, no film comes close to the crushing, emotionally shattering power of The Road. Those who enjoyed McCarthy’s 2006 Tour de Force will be pleased to know that Hillcoat remains true to the novel, both literally and in spirit. The few changes that were made only add to the story’s power, helping smooth the transition from page to screen. The parts of Old Man (Duvall) and Wife (Theron) have been extended for the film, with both additions crystallizing the story’s theme and increasing its ferocity. In particular, a new scene shared between Mortensen and Duvall is one for the time capsule, with Duvall demonstrating that one needn’t more than ten minutes of screen time to blow an audience away.
Still, for a film to be exceptional it must possess more than great individual scenes, and The Road doesn’t disappoint. The film manages to be simultaneously horrifying and cathartic, filled with both gleaming hope and utter despair. Many have deemed Hillcoat’s vision uneventful and sluggish, but they must have been watching a different film. The Road is more concerned with exploring notions of fatherhood, hope, and the human spirit than relying on gore and cheap thrills. The film is often bleak and suffocating, but the rewards are endless for those viewers willing to sacrifice their psyches to McCarthy’s and Hillcoat’s mesmerizing vision.
Grade: A
