The Road is yet another apocalyptic tale from the never-ending flow of miserable stories/previews of our world “as we know it” ending. Differing from 2012 and Knowing, The Road is a dark, chilling drama/thriller that is gritty and depressing rather than a colourful, action-packed adventure, and is actually based on the book of the same name by Cormac McCarthy.

The Plot

Fans of the book will be pleased to know that the film plot sticks very closely to the book’s – a nameless father and son are among the last remaining survivors on Earth after an unexplained tragedy and as the pair head south, they encounter many problems including man-eating cannibals. Nice. The plot is minimal and doesn’t overload you with technicalities, rather it examines the relationship between a man and his son, and their struggle for sheer survival.

Starring critically-acclaimed Viggo Mortensen (Lord of the Rings series) as nameless man and Kodi Smit-McPhee as the boy, both of which are nominated for numerous acting awards. The film itself is being vigorously nominated for best cinematography, screenplay etc.

The Thoughts

This film is definitely depressing, dark, bleak and weary. Do not watch if you are already suffering from depression, however mild. Because I found this film extremely depressing and not in an entertaining/worthwhile way. Not that depression should ever be entertaining or worthwhile, but it wasn’t something I felt I needed to go through. I’ll admit the acting was exceptional and the relationship between man and son is touching but that wasn’t enough to hold my interest – particularly as my brain felt like it was going through a strainer the whole time – ouch. The landscapes photography was impressive though, and if anything this film has done a great job in capturing McCarthy’s vision of a cold and bone-chilling Earth.

However miserable it makes you feel, The Road will still leave it’s mark in reminding us what we’re in store for if we abuse Mother Earth any more, like many apocalyptic films preceding it.

The Film Buzz Review Rating: 5/10

UK Release Date: January 8th 2010

Director: John Hillcoat

Writer: Cormac McCarthy(novel), Joe Penhall (adaptation)

Links: IMDB, Official Site, Rotten Tomatoes