After an unknown cause destroys civilization on Earth, leaving only a handful of humans alive, an ailing father tries desperately to protect his son from the violence and dangers of the road as they journey toward the sea. Along the way they struggle to find food, clothes, and are constantly hiding from the horrific cannibals who have been born from the need for food. All the while, the father (Viggo Mortensen) tries to instruct the boy (Kodi Smit-McPhee) about the world that existed prior and how they can be “the good guys,” in such a dark and horrible place.
The Road, based on Cormac McCarthy’s book of the same name, does as much justice to the source material as a movie could. Through the use of color, setting, and the superb acting of the leads, director John Hillcoat expresses the tension between the nihilistic and the hopeful that McCarthy so powerfully weighs in his novel. The Road will have your stomach in knots from the opening scene until the credits roll and after, as the movie’s grim and dark presence resonates.
Viggo’s performance as the man, and Kodi’s performance as the boy, are the highlights of the movie as much as they are the focus of the book. The desperation of the father mixed with the rather surprising optimism of the boy are showcased wonderfully through the two lead actors. Quotations and dialogues are quoted directly from the source material which gives fans of the book, like me, reminders of where the story is and where it’s going.
The Road’s dark and depressing undertones make it not a movie for everyone. The dead and dying world met only by the smallest hope of the boy give little sense of redemption. However, The Road is a challenging movie worthy of attention as it puts life into perspective and forces the viewer to answer tough questions about its meaning just like McCarthy’s book. The Road is a dark one, but not one that leaves the viewer hopeless and stranded, but that does carry the viewer with the father and son through their perilous journey.
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