WATCHING bleak post-apocalyptic thriller The Road, it’s easy to understand why some critics have dubbed the film “the feel-bad movie of the year.”
If 2006’s Children of Men presented the end of the world as a depressing affair, this adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Cormac McCarthy novel takes the misery to another level, and makes Mad Max-style wastelands from movies past seem like veritable fun parks.
The Road is set about 10 years after an unspecified cataclysm that wiped out the world’s plant and animal life (and most of its human population), sparking a food supply crash leading to the complete collapse of global civilisation.
With no food production, survivors can either scavenge the wasteland for the rapidly-diminishing leftovers of the old world, or turn to cannibalism to survive, with many opting for the latter, forming gangs or basing themselves in rural properties and keeping unspeakable livestock.
Grimly trudging through this colossal bummer are a nameless father and son (Mortensen and Smit-McPhee) following the titular highway south in the vague hope that it might lead them somewhere better, doubtful as that may be with a layer of ash in the atmosphere causing long-term nuclear winter conditions.
Consistently excellent actor Mortensen (Lord of the Rings, Eastern Promises) puts in a compelling performance ranging from heartbreaking to terrifying, always with the raw humanity that he does so well.
Young Aussie Smit-McPhee impresses with a performance that is remarkably visceral for his relatively tender years (he’s 13), sparking online speculation that he might score a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination, which would be quite the coup.
The Road’s small but impressive supporting cast includes Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall and Guy Pearce, who don’t get oodles of screen time but still make an impact.
Australian director John Hillcoat has crafted a visual triumph to rival his 2005 success The Proposition, though The Road looks completely different to the former film’s Sergio Leone-inspired visuals.
Make no mistake, this is a film for tough audiences – those blessed with strong stomachs, receptive minds and the ability to channel confronting artistic darkness into something profound and rewarding.
For these viewers, this will probably be one of the year’s best films.
The Road offers a stimulating journey for the intrepid filmgoer, or a highway to hell for the thin-skinned.
The Road (MA)
Directed by: John Hillcoat
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee
Rating: Four stars (119 minutes)
Screening: from January 28