The Road: A Shred of Hope Staggering Toward Salvation

If you only see one post-apocalyptic thriller this year about the end of the world, the hopeless struggle for survival, and humans that have all but lost their humanity, make it this one. Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Cormac McCarthy, The Road is the story of a desperate man (played by Viggo Mortensen at his best) and his son (newcomer Kodi Smit-McPhee) somberly making their way across a barren American landscape after a devastating apocalyptic event. While the event itself is never fully explained, the Earth is dying all around them and the chances for survival aren't good. Not many humans (and apparently no animals) have survived the global disaster, and those who have must scavenge for food, seek shelter from the cold, and avoid the murderous gangs who have decided to survive in a more loathsome way (cannibalism is not uncommon). For most, suicide is the most attractive option, but The Man continues to preach hope to his son, even though his wife has long since taken the easier way out. The question I found myself asking while watching this dark drama was "why does he want to survive?" In fact, this is the first movie I've ever seen where I kept hoping the protagonists would finally accept the hopelessness of their situation and end their own misery. That's not to say that I didn't care about them – quite the opposite. The Road is a study in bleakness. A forlorn quest where all color and joy have been stripped away. Yet the man and his son, despite their anguish and dejection, manage to retain some shred of hope as they stagger towards a salvation that may or may not exist. While Mortensen gives an excellent, emotional performance, the foundation ofThe Road comes from director John Hillcoat's stark, desolate landscape. This movie is not about plot as much as it is tone and mood, and Hillcoat sets them with frightening precision. Even when The Man and his son are not in immediate danger, the tone established leaves the audience always aware of it – waiting for it with ominous anticipation. The Road is an end of the world movie like no other. Bleak, horrifying, oddly spiritual, intensely compelling, and certainly depressing, it manages to get under your skin and forces you to examine how people hold on to optimism when all hope is lost. If you're having a bad day, or feeling even slightly depressed, save this one for another day, or it might be the thing that sends you right over the edge. It is absolutely commanding in its desolation and despair. There is no telling what will happen in this movie and how, or if, the characters will survive. In every scene, up until the very last moment, you'll want to know what happens next, even if you can hardly bear to look at it. But be prepared, the unrelenting bleakness of this movie makes it feel a lot longer than its 112 minutes.

Rating: 8.5/10
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Robert Duvall
Directed by: John Hillcoat
Written by: Cormac McCarthy (novel), Joe Penhall (screenplay)
Runtime: 112 mins