trailer:
The NYT says, "The most arresting aspect of “The Road” is just how fully the filmmakers have realized this bleak, blighted landscape of a modern society reduced to savagery." The Guardian concludes, "It is an inexpressibly painful subject and Hillcoat has brought it to the screen with great intelligence." Rolling Stone closes with this: "In this haunting portrait of America as no country for old men or young, Hillcoat — through the artistry of Mortensen and Smit-McPhee — carries the fire of our shared humanity and lets it burn bright and true."
Time Out says,
the central purpose is to break your heart and shatter your soul. On which level, Hillcoat’s movie is a resounding triumph. Stunning landscape photography sets the melancholy mood, and Nick Cave’s wrenching score reinforces it. But it is the performances that ultimately hold the film together. We expect this kind of selfless professionalism from Mortensen.
Roger Ebert gives it 3 1/2 out of 4 stars. Rotten Tomatoes has a critics score of 75%.
Posts
I'm with you. I skipped the movie because I didn't like the book all that much. I guess I am not into these post-apocalyptic works. It is just downright depressing. Hope you're feeling better. Happy weekend. :) Erika
ReplyDeleteI like post-apocalyptic works usually, but it was like the literary establishment didn't realize there was a long history of this kind of writing before McCarthy wrote this book.
DeleteI'm getting better but am still coughing. I'll be glad when this is gone! :)
I have seen this one. It really made me think about what would you do to protect those you love. What is "survival"? Is it worth surviving if you are reduced and changed? How to you teach your children to be good people if you have to kill and there are murderous examples all around you? Very dark movie that stuck with me for quite a while. You could imagine the world could be like that under the circumstances. Humanity--what is humanity? All those questions...
ReplyDeleteI think the entire post-apocalyptic sub-genre makes for excellent discussion on these issues. What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to "survive" and what is worth saving? What and who do we really value? How do we avoid making the same mistakes again if we somehow survive the apocalypse? I think these books and movies are too often dismissed without serious consideration, and at least McCarthy's book got a serious film adaptation.
DeleteThat's why I have always been drawn to post-apocalyptic movies, I think. We don't realize how near we are actually. All it would take is for us to lose electricity and society would fall like dominos. So few of us live on the land anymore. And humans are both the ugliest and most beautiful creatures on earth. I wouldn't want to survive, but with my luck I would--LOL! ;)
DeleteI know. When I look at the survivalists I always think I've lived long enough that I'm good with available resources going to younger folks and those more able to thrive in such a changed world. I look at how many ways authors have explored these issues. My kids never seemed to see much difference in the books I encouraged them to read, while I saw some scenarios where I might fight to survive and others where I'd just as soon not. It's a good way to consider what you _really_ value.
DeleteHow ironic. Right now I'm reading a non-fiction real life apocalypse event that happened in 2002. There is no fiction involved in it, but it is still quite sad what happened to over 8000 people on 5 continents. I'm glad you shared this, though, because it proves there is some real basis in all these post apocalyptic events and scenarios.
ReplyDeleteWhat event are you reading about?
DeleteI think it's interesting that the type of event isn't even specified in McCarthy's work, though I always assumed it was a world war.
I just read what Wikipedia wrote about this movie. It reminds me of a TNT scripted series that ran for five years. Only instead of cannibals, they were fighting aliens. People turning on each other for food, weapons, and supplies often overshadowed the fact that everyone should have been working together, rather than against each other. It was also a sad series, with little to celebrate each week.
ReplyDeleteFalling Skies? I haven't seen that show. I tend to place those types of stories into the alien invasion sub-genre instead of post-apocalyptic. In both cases, though, people do tend to separate into tribal groups more involved in survival of their own group rather than survival as a species, but I guess that makes sense when you see that food and supplies are so limited that not all people can survive. It's interesting to see who is counted as "outsider" and who can included in the class of those who should be protected.
DeleteI enjoyed both the book and the movie, to me they showed a triumph of spirit over defeat. I know that is not the normal take but think of the setbacks a difficulties that seem insurmountable except the love of a father and son won't let them give up.
ReplyDeleteI think it's bleak, but I agree there's hope for the human spirit and the survival of goodness in the world in McCarthy's vision. Some of these stories end with some hope, and some of them end with a loss of everything. I remember reading On the Beach (it got a movie adaptation) and Earth Abides and thinking how different those 2 outcomes were.
DeleteI haven´t seen or read this but it seems like one of those I should make an effort to look for. It´s a classic, isn´t it? I am eagerly awaiting the Last Policeman, though, I really hope that is happening... :-D
ReplyDeleteNo, definitely not a classic, and in fact I still find myself irritated by literary reviewers who showered praise on the book's author while seemingly unaware of the long-standing post-apocalyptic sub-genre. Humph! ;) I'll watch anything with Viggo Mortensen in it (I'm still peeved he wasn't cast in The Dark Tower. He'd have been perfect!), and this movie is definitely worth looking for.
DeleteIs The Last Policeman in development hell? I'd forgotten there was talk of a film, but I'd definitely watch that in the theater.