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*** Official THE ROAD Review Thread (1 Viewer)

Tino

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I attended a screening tonight of The Road which is based on the Pulitzer Prize winning book by Cormac McCarthy.

I was apprehensive going in due to the trailer and the numerous delays and was worried that the film would disappoint.

It Doesn't

I Loved It!

For those not aware, the film is about a father and son trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. It's a unique powerful film. It is in my opinion the most faithful adaption of a novel since The Silence Of The Lambs.

They nailed the tone of the book perfectly. The look, settings, pace,story, its all there. It's pretty much exactly as I imagined it while I was reading the book.

The performances are very good, especially Viggo Mortenson as the father. As was Charlize Theron, the actor playing the son and a few surprises.

It's a deliberately paced film, heavy on emotion and lite on action, as was the book. I was never bored. It's not the typical Hollywood/Apocalypse film and thats a good thing, trust me.

So for those of you that read and loved the book like me, I think you will all be happily satisfied.

And for those of you looking for a film that is powerful, original and entertaining, this film is for you.

FOUR STARS
 

Robert Crawford

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This thread is now the Official Review Thread for "The Road". Please post all HTF member reviews in this thread.

Any other comments, links to other reviews, or discussion items will be deleted from this thread without warning!

If you need to discuss those type of issues then I have designated an
[COLOR= #44708c]Official Discussion Thread[/COLOR].




Crawdaddy
 

Lou Sytsma

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Very faithful to the book. Lot of damp eyes - mine included - as the last few moments played out. Viggo was awesome, as expected.

Oddly, I never really engaged fully emotionally until they were chasing the man who stole their cart from the beach. From that moment on though I was totally empathetic to the character's plight.

Very well done.
 

Patrick Sun

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Viggo Mortensen continues to add solid films to his resume, and "The Road" is no exception. While it's not going to go down as the "feel good film of the year", it examines the bond of love and dedication a father has for his child's safety and well-being under possibly the bleakest conditions imaginable (post-apocalyptical conditions) and takes the viewer on a highly emotionally-charged journey that isn't filled with histrionics, but rather rolls on with short episodes of the various places father and son encounter on their way southward to get away from the wintery climate they came from. The road is filled with dangerous situations and people, and each encounter leaves their mark on father and son, and the film goes to great pains to keep the viewer tuned into the emotional state of both characters on the road.

Mortensen is obviously the emotional anchor to the film, and he's up to the task, and gives a highly believable performance as the father, and Kodi Smit-McPhee is also fine as his son, and he did sort of looked like the mother, played by Charlize Theron.

I suspect for fathers who have young children, this film will hit them hard and earns all the heartbreak and tears it elicits from them. It's a solid powerful film, I just don't know if I could watch it again anytime soon.

I give it 3 stars, or a grade of B.
 

Todd H

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Finally found a theater showing The Road and saw it this afternoon. It was an absolute masterpiece that left me drained when the credits rolled. Four stars out of four and for me the best film of the year.
 

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