The Road (2009) - 70%
A powerfully bleak, post-apocalyptic portrayal of one man and his son, the latter born into a world of scavenging, cannibals and heartache.
There are excellent performances across the board, including - and perhaps even especially - the young Kodi Smit-McPhee (who plays the unnamed son of Viggo Mortensen’s similarly unnamed character); all of whom fulfill a role in illustrating the line between good and bad when society itself is gone. Viewers might be reminded of King/Darabont’s The Mist, which also sees a father having to protect his son not only from an exterior catastrophe but from those around him. In the latter case the external threat was the mysterious mist and the creatures which roamed within, and in this case it is utter scarcity of food and shelter. In both cases when society is confronted by ruin, it turns in upon itself.
Hints are made towards a natural disaster which has left a bare land without sunshine or wildlife, but only pockets of what remains of humanity. Barring the central characters, it seems that those who do remain have turned to cannibalism and theft, leaving Mortensen and son caught between the two evils of noble starvation or unconditional self-preservation. Here is where the lines become a little blurred. Throughout, the pair reassure and reassert that they are the good guys because they haven’t turned to barbaric means to survive, and vow that they never will. The youthful optimism and kindness of the boy occasionally makes Mortensen seem excessively cynical and uncharitable towards the strangers they encounter, which asks serious questions about the nature of good, and on which side he really stands. They aim to reach the south and warmer climates, and in order to do so Mortensen must teach his son some tough lessons along the way about morality in the quest for survival.
Their journey must overcome great obstacles, the biggest of which being their own sense of hopelessness. Upon being forced into a world of such barren prospects where you fear the living and envy the dead, would suicide be the best option? The pair own one gun and two remaining bullets, and throughout Mortensen knows that when the time comes he will have to pluck up the courage to take their lives. Those who have seen The Mist will know the importance of this principle, and the impulse to push on regardless of that cynical voice inside which cries to end it. Isn’t an extra minute’s life always the better option?
It might seem it to us, but their journey is one of sleeping in delapidated buildings with the constant lingering threat of imprisonment, rape and death. There are oases along the way, including an excellent appearance by Robert Duvall, but otherwise what else is there to make the struggle worthwhile?
Stylistically a terrific example of solitude and despair, and an interesting exploration of its consequences. Strong performances and stirring poetic interludes make this a very enjoyable watch.
70%
