Review: The Road

THE ROAD is one of my favourite books. Written by Cormac McCarthy, whose similarly brilliant novel, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN was turned into an exceptional, Oscar™ winning film by the Coen brothers, and directed by John Hillcoat, whose last film was an austere, impressive Aussie western, THE PROPOSITION, the stars were aligned for a film that should have dominated what has turned out to be a relatively weak awards season.

Unfortunately, domination is off the cards. It’s not that THE ROAD is anything other than a very good film, just that it doesn’t do enough to become a proposition (sorry) in its own right. So weighed down is it by the impact of the book, and so reluctant to do anything more than be a completely faithful adaptation, that it never actually gets completely off the ground.

Despite the reservations, objectively, THE ROAD has very little wrong with it. Viggo Mortensen is exceptional as ‘The Man’, who has decided in a post-apocalyptic America, that he must take his son to the coast, where the sea can protect them from one side, against the ravaging hordes of cannibals and killers patrolling the countryside. Hillcoat’s photography is starkly stylish, and the script is largely faithful to the source material.

It’s entirely possible that my own lack of distance from the source material is responsible for my (relative) lack of engagement with Hillcoat’s film. I doubt, however, that it’s a reaction that will be limited to me. If you’ve never read the book, I would recommend the film without hesitation. If you have, I would expect that you love it, and would advise lowering expectations before going in.