It’s inspiring when a film comes to define a genre. When one thinks of post apocalyptic film, Mad Max Two (1981) comes to mind, embodying both the portentous uncivilised nature of a future without law, but also the fashionable violence expected with an action film. However when a film subverts convention and transcends genre, something completely unique can happen. I make no secret of the fact that I love post apocalyptic films, something about the escapism coupled with the heroics and fetishistic attitude to clothes and guns is made extraordinarily appealing by the benchmarks of the genre, and despite words to the contrary I expected from The Road something similar, if more nihilistic: but what I got was something quite different.
Set years after an unnamed ecological disaster, one that dulled the sky and killed almost all plants, animals and people, a Father (Viggo Mortensen) and Son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) travel across Middle America, heading to the south coast in the hope that it will yield some sort of rescue or hope. The scarred landscape is populated by roving gangs, driven to cannibalism and acts of horrendous violence just to stay alive; and as the human race slowly dies out, the man and boy try to stave off illness, starvation and the constant threat of abduction or murder so they can reach the sea.
To say this film is depressing would be to miss the point entirely. Certainly the bleak outlook and difficult subject matter carries with it hard moral baggage, but the film is eye-opening more than downright crushing. To a fan of post apocalyptic movies, The Road came as a shock particularly to me, as its realistic attitude to the depths that people will sink; the Darwinian survival instinct of humanity that leads us to depart from our ethical sensibilities to survive is utterly distressing. The Road is superbly acted, Viggo Mortensen adding another fantastic performance to his increasingly impressive repertoire, and the young boy is an excellent find, conveying the fear, sadness and distress that a daily life full of death and hopelessness would produce. The moments of happiness and love are few and far between, but have a power and weight far beyond that of any other post apocalyptic film. The film’s tone can be extraordinarily bleak at times, but the affecting story, wonderful direction and great performances make for an extremely powerful film, and an eye-opening reality check for fans of post apocalyptic fiction.
By Alastair
Wow. I am impressed Mr Brown! Another great review :-)
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