The Road (2009)

What can I say that hasn't been said about this movie. It is a scary and upsetting film about the end of days. I had to catch this film before it vanished from theaters. With Avatar and all the new holiday films glutting up the theater screens I raced to the theater before the distributor pulls it. I understand why not many people have seen this film. It's a hard film to watch. There is no Mad Max action that usually is standard in films that deal with the Apocalypse of civilization. Maybe the film "2012" seems to have covered that territory and more audiences went to see that then "The Road".

I haven't seen "2012" and from the coming attractions I'll wait for the DVD. I know I'll miss the spectacle of the end of day shots that Roland Emmerich has compiled for the BIG screen, but I'll put my money on John Hillcoat's version of the end of the world thank you very much.

Why? You ask. Simple. It's a better film. The mood, the feel, and the performances of its actors in "the Road" are all of top notch quality. It is this quality that makes the film a real masterpiece of cinema. I'm not putting Mr. Emmerich's film down. After all sometimes spectacle is really cool, and fun. But for true heart "the Road" will have you gripping the theaters chair not from suspense, but of the sheer emotional onslaught that the film will deliver to your senses. "The Road is based on the book by Cormac McCarthy who wrote "No Country for Old Men". The filmmaker follows the book from what I am told, and it's because of this that the film is so powerful. There is not much dialogue in this film. The musical score is haunting, along with it's cinematography., but not just one element can be singled out in this film. It is ALL these elements that make the film such a powerful viewing experience.

Viggo Mortensen, and Kodi McPhee give outstanding performances. I have to say all the performances in the film are top notch. Charlize Theron is and will always be an actress who is severely under-appreciated.

If you can. Go see this film before it leaves the theaters. It's worth seeing. It's a film that stays with you for awhile, and that's a good thing. It makes you appreciate the here and now, and what we have, and maybe makes you even think about how dark it can become. This is a dark film, and one that grips you from beginning to end. Maybe not something you would see around the holidays, but if you do yourself a favor and love cinema I suggest you go see it. It's a film that is timeless, and will eventually become a classic.