The Road poster & wallpaper

Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron

From Cormac McCarthy, author of NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, comes the highly anticipated big screen adaptation of the beloved, best-selling and Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, THE ROAD. Academy Award-nomin...( read more  read more... )ee Viggo Mortensen leads an all-star cast featuring Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce and young newcomer Kodi Smit-McPhee in this epic post-apocalyptic tale of the survival of a father (Mortsensen) and his young son (Smit-McPhee) as they journey across a barren America that was destroyed by a mysterious cataclysm. A masterpiece adventure, THE ROAD boldly imagines a future in which men are pushed to the worst and the best that they are capable of—a future in which a father and his son are sustained by love.

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70% liked it

115,975 ratings

Critics

72% liked it

116 critics

R, 1 hr. 59 min.

Directed by: John Hillcoat

Release Date: November 25, 2009

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Flixster Reviews (2,314)

  • RCCLBC
    November 30, 2009
    RCCLBC
    The thinking man/woman's post-apocalyptic film.
    While the biological, geological and structural devestation is ever present and ominous, the film focuses mainly on the deeper horror of such an event; the social, psychological and physical deterioration of society,
    This film is ...( read more)Intense, bleak and at times horrific. But always deeply thought provoking and very complex to spite it's simplicity.
    WIth the exception of Mortensen and Smith-McPhee, screen time is minimal for the rest of the cast. But everyone does a really good job with the time that they have and over all the acting is pretty amazing.
    One of those films that you will think (and talk) about for awhile after seeing it.
  • DrZeek
    November 28, 2009
    DrZeek
    The Boy: How many people do you think are still alive?
    The Man: In the world? Not very many.

    Based on a great novel from author Cormac McCarthy, this is a bleak tale about a father and son making there way through an abandoned world. Director John Hilcoat and screenwriter Jo...( read more)e Penhall do great justice to the novel, bringing this dark tale to life, which is certainly benefited by the strong performances, headlined by Viggo Mortensen.

    The Boy: Are we gonna die?
    The Man: We are not gonna quit. We are gonna survive this.

    An unnamed father, played by Viggo Mortensen and his young son, played by Smit-McPhee, struggle to survive after an unspecified apocalypse and make their way toward the coast for possible food, shelter, safety, or to potentially find other survivors of the cataclysmic events. Along the way, armed with a gun with only two bullets, they encounter grave struggles and hardships across the barren landscapes, with scarce shelter and resources available to them, and having to avoid bands of cannibals and other desperate gangs looking to pillage valuables and food. Various flashback sequences occur where the Man remembers events prior to the catastrophe involving his deceased wife, played by Charlize Theron.

    The Man: I told the boy when you dream about bad things happening, it means you're still fighting and you're still alive. It's when you start to dream about good things that you should start to worry.

    Hilcoat's previous film was the great Australian western, "The Proposition," starring Guy Pearce. That film made great use of the barren outback to go along with another dark tale. His being attached to an adaptation of "The Road" got me immediately excited, and after seeing this film, he has delivered. As much as the story can be emotionally draining, I was not depressed watching this film. The balance between showing what humans are capable of and keeping a strong father-son bond at the center if the story is very effective here. Portraying a world gone to nothing, and not exploiting this aspect to achieve something greater beyond the two key characters is the element that certainly keeps this film in a grounded and tonally successful point of view.

    The Gang Member: That boy looks hungry. Why don't ya'll come on to the truck?
    The Man: You look at him again, I'll shoot you in the head.
    The Gang Member: I don't think you've killed a man in your life.

    The work by Mortensen and young Smit-McPhee is great. The two clearly worked hard to create the chemistry needed here, with Mortensen again throwing himself into another great performance. Small but effective work from Theron and Robert Duvall as well.

    The cinematography is quite effective here throughout. Working on a small budget, if one can get past the fact that gray is almost the only color you will see throughout this film, there is much to admire in the way the film has captured vast barren wastelands in both urban and forest settings. While not necessarily dwelling on how abandoned this world is, its certainly a great accomplishment in its portrayal of the world that was described in the book and in a way that captures why these characters act the way that they do.

    This certainly wont be a comfortable film for everyone to watch. Its very bleak and certainly not the exciting post-apocalyptic film that the ads want to sell this as (although there really isn't any other way to bring large audiences); however, its well made, with strong performances, and certainly does justice to the novel on which it is based.

    The Man: You have to keep carrying the fire.
    The Boy: What fire?
    The Man: The fire inside you.
  • DrBenway
    November 27, 2009
    DrBenway
    Everything from the performances, the sets, Nick Cave's minimal score and even the smallest of props made this one of the more believable, sludgey, post-apocalyptic tales in my recent memory that will test morality and humanity between father and son along their journey. This is...( read more) NOT a Hollywood film, such as I Am Legend or Terminator: Salvation, and the pacing is not for everyone. It certainly would have been so easy to dwell on huge scenes of devastation but instead we get to see the bleak human story going on amongst all the chaos. I have seen the future, and it is rotten.

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  • gilbertgumphrey
    September 24, 2009
    gilbertgumphrey
    "But I don't want to JUST survive. Can't you understand that?"
    It's with this quote (probably paraphrased slightly incorrectly) that The Road cuts straight to the heart of all post-apocalyptic movies. I know it's only two lines of dialogue, but for me, it's not only the most i...( read more)mportant quote of the film, it's also one I've been waiting years to hear. For some reasons, characters in post-apocalyptic films never said it. They take survival as a given - the world is now a shithole, and we must carry on and survive. There's never any doubt to that. But I've always watched these films and wondered - if I was in that position, would I even want to carry on? Would life be worth living if every day was a series of being cold and homeless, struggling to find any food or water, being hunted down by cannibals or Lord knows what else, while the rest of the world and all my friends/family are long dead? What about all my dreams and hopes and plans for my life, love, career, etc? When all those are dashed - what's left? Usually, no one in these films asks those questions. But characters in The Road do, and it helps explain why this movie, as harrowing, bleak, and depressing as it is, is one of the year's very best.

    There's very little action in The Road. No big chase scenes, no impressive shoot outs, no climactic battles or fist fights. That's not what this film is about. Simply put, it's about a father and his son trying to survive, and being almost frighteningly realistic about their chances (he carries around a pistol with two bullets in it for himself and the boy if necessary, and in one especially harrowing scene, he's literally seconds away from killing his son to save him from torture and cannibalism). Most of the movie consists of these two walking around, scrounging for food and anything else that'll help them survive. Aided with director John Hillcoat's impressive and restrained photography and Nick Cave & Warren Ellis' beautiful and subtle score, their journey is far more haunting and interesting than it has any right to be.

    Much has been made about the screenplay not living up to the poetic prose of the book by Cormac McCarthy. Having not read the book, I can state without bias that the movie is as effectively well written as I can imagine. If it isn't as sparsely wonderful as the book - well, too fucking bad. Books are books and movies are movies, and if you're looking for an intelligent, thoughtfully written film, it's hard to get much better this year than The Road. Every character speaks in a clear, concise voice - even the very minor roles filled out with surprisingly big names, like Robert Duvall, Guy Pierce, and Charlize Theron, all of whom have but a few minutes of camera time.

    The rest of the film is shared between Viggo Mortensen and the young newcomer, Kodi Smit-McPhee. To say that both deserve Best Acting nominations is an understatement - yes, maybe starving people would look a little more, well...skinny. But they both deliver such powerhouse, emotionally stunning performances. There's never a scene without them, and we believe their relationship and their focus on survival the entire way (their comradre and closeness was evident when the film was premiered at TIFF, in that both could hardly stop hugging or holding each other. It was kinda sweet). And when these two are faced with their biggest hurdles - such as being confronted with a group of cannibals, or trapped in a house with several murderous psychopaths - they deal with it believably, without the use of Hollywood action hero horseshit. I dare anyone watching this movie to pinpoint a scene where either character acts out of the ordinary or does something that we don't completely believe they could do. And trust me - the final scenes between Viggo and Kodi will break your fucking heart.

    So with all this praise, why only 4 stars? I'm not entirely sure. While hypnotic, fascinating, and deeply mature, there was still something missing from this film that I can't quite describe. A plot, perhaps? But then, the movie isn't about plot - it's about survival, and I kinda loved the glacial pace of the film. No, I think what the flick was missing most was an urgent coherency between scenes. They walk, they run into freaky killers or kindhearted strangers (never anyone in between), and then they keep on going. I suppose that, while realistic, gritty, and in a strange way kind of beautiful, the movie did become redundant after a while. But this is a minor nitpick, one which I suspect I'll care about less and less the more I watch the movie. The Road is not an easy film to watch - it's gruesome and pessimistic, and there's no good guys riding in to save the day. But if you can stomach the tough questions The Road asks, you're in for a treat this lame year for movies desperately needs.
  • jacquelinemaldonado3
    November 30, 2009
    jacquelinemaldonado3
    I WANT TO SEE IT I LIKE IT
  • juela92
    November 30, 2009
    juela92
    ..............................
  • abrahj
    November 29, 2009
    abrahj
    awesome , I must see it!
  • edupayot
    November 29, 2009
    edupayot
    i like to see this movie
  • francesdustine
    November 29, 2009
    francesdustine
    i've read the book,,i like to see it on screen
  • cda16
    November 29, 2009
    cda16
    Do you guys waste your time in watching that is not even that good or what?

View All The Road Reviews

Critic Reviews

November 30, 2009
A.O. Scott, At the Movies

It hits a few tinny, sentimental notes. Still, I admire the craft and conviction of this film, and I was impressed enough by the look and the performances to recommend that you see it. full review

November 29, 2009
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

In this haunting portrait of America as no country for old men or young, Hillcoat -- through the artistry of Mortensen and Smit-McPhee -- carries the fire of our shared humanity and lets it burn brigh... full review

November 29, 2009
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

You hang on to yourself for dear life, resisting belief as best you can in the face of powerful acting, persuasive filmmaking and the perversely compelling certainty that nothing will turn out all right. full review

November 29, 2009
Armond White, The New York Press

Great junk like Resident Evil and passable schlock like 28 Weeks Later have more skill and integrity. Why would anyone want to make -- or watch -- this Hillcoat/McCarthy desolation except to feel fash... full review

November 25, 2009
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

The most arresting aspect of The Road is just how fully the filmmakers have realized this bleak, blighted landscape of a modern society reduced to savagery. full review

November 25, 2009
Kyle Smith, New York Post

Zombieland was the same movie with laughs, but if you take away the comedy, what is left? Nothing, on a vast scale. full review

November 25, 2009
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

My, but it's been a fine year for Armageddon. full review

November 25, 2009
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

Mortensen warms the film with his presence, creating a vivid portrait of a bereft man clinging to the one thing he has left. full review

November 24, 2009
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

John Milton described hell as "darkness visible." That is the grim, mesmerizing world that director John Hillcoat creates here. full review

November 24, 2009
Claudia Puig, USA Today

While the film is not as resonant as the novel, it is an honorable adaptation, capturing the essence of the bond between father and son. full review

View more The Road reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

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