R.W.R.

In a post apocalyptic future a man and his son fight to survive in a dying world.  After an unnamed cataclysmic event destroys most of the life on Earth, the few humans left resort to any means necessary to survive.  Cannibalism, murder, stealing, and those that wish to continue to preserve humanity are all that await those that travel The Road.

Directed by John Hillcoat The Road is a film based on a book by the same name by Cormac McCarthy.  Viggo Mortensen stars as "Man" and Kodi Smit-McPhee as "Boy" (the characters are never given names) in this end of the world drama.  After civilization has been destroyed and humanity lays broken, will humanity survive or will we destroy what's left in our own quest for survival?

Through flash back sequences early on we learn that shortly after the cataclysm the man's wife (played by Charlize Theron) gave birth to their son then slowly sank into a deep depression.  In face of hopelessness and the thought of being captured by cannibals the man's wife commits suicide, but not before telling her husband to head South with their son.  Hoping to reach the coast and warmth the man and his son set out for a brighter future.

The Road is an excellent film about what people are capable of, the horrors of survival and the preservation of society.  Mortensen and McPhee make you believe as though there is an actual bond between them.  The acting is superb with cameos from Robert Duvall and Guy Pearce, which only adds to the seriousness to the downfall of man.

As Mortensen becomes increasingly more paranoid his son becomes more compassionate to the needs of those around him.  After being robbed by a man the boy's father catches up to the thief and takes back what was stolen, however the boy leaves him food before moving on despite what had happened.  Both learn from each other a great deal, how to survive, where to scavenge and how to be decent to those that have even less than they do.

The film contains many memorable and rather disturbing moments including an old farm house with people trapped in the basement who are being used for food.  This scene brought back memories of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The People Under the Stairs..  I really enjoyed this movie as I do with all post apocalyptic films, The Road doesn't take the same cliched route of mutated creatures and animals running around.  This film takes a more human approach, it shows we have a choice in how we act when society is gone and technology is no longer around to help us.  All the while giving us hope for the future even though things will never be the same again.

My only criticism is in that the movie contains a little too much gore at times.  It gets the point across very quickly that bad things are happening all around but then continues to push the issue too much at times.  That is not to say this is a bad film by any means, the violence is used with a purpose to show how insane things have gotten.  I encourage those that enjoy "after the world ends" films to check this out and as always keep an open mind when watching movies.  Try to discover your own meaning in what you see, in tends to help the movie going experience a bit more.

4.5/5