THE ROAD

MY GOD, THIS MOVIE HAS NO TARGET AUDIENCE. ONLY A HARDCORE SADIST WOULD WANT TO SEE "THE ROAD."
THEY DID NOT DUMB IT DOWN FOR THE TEENAGE / CHILDISH ADULT MARKET. THEY DID NOT ROMANTICIZE IT FOR THE FEMALE AUDIENCE.
THEY DID NOT CREATE A SUPERHERO FOR THE MACHO MALE AUDIENCE.

THE ROAD IS THE MOST BASIC - HARDCORE SURVIVAL FILM EVER MADE.

THIS FILM IS JUST BRUTAL - IT HAS NO SOFT EDGES. THE WORLD IS DYING: TREES AND ALL VEGETATION ARE ON THE WAY OUT OF EXISTENCE - ANIMALS - HUMANS - INSECTS - EVERYTHING IS DYING AND THEY NEVER MENTION THE CAUSE OF THIS CATACLYSMIC FATE. THEY NEVER MAKE ANY SORT OF POLITICAL STATEMENT ABOUT THEIR PLIGHT.
THIS IS THE MOST BARE BONES FILM YOU WILL EVER SEE. THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS FILM THAT IS OUTSIDE THE EXPERIENCE OF THE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS:
VIGGO MORTENSEN, THE FATHER AND KODI SMIT-McPHEE, THE SON.
THE STORY IS ABOUT THESE TWO TRYING TO SURVIVE AND REMAIN HUMAN
IN A WORLD WHERE THERE IS ALMOST NO FOOD AND PEOPLE HUNT, KILL AND EAT
THEIR FELLOW HUMANS TO SURVIVE.
THIS FILM IS LIKE NO OTHER - IT IS TELLING A BRUTAL STORY IN A BRUTAL WAY AND IS IT NOT COMPROMISING TO ATTRACT ANY SPECIAL DEMOGRAPHIC AUDIENCE.
THE MOVIE IS NOT REALLY ADVERTISED -- YOU HAVE TO FIND IT.
ROBERT DUVALL IS IN THE FILM AS THE OLD MAN AND I DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM FOR THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES OF HIS SCREEN TIME AS A SUPPORTING ACTOR.
CHARLIZE THERON IS THE MOTHER, AND SHE IS THE FIRST AND ONLY PRETTY FACE IN THIS FILM.
GUY PEARSE OF L.A. CONFIDENTIAL IS THE SHOTGUN CARRYING "GOOD GUY" AT THE BEACH..
THE AUTHOR IS CORMAC McCARTHY, WHO WROTE - "NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN."
THIS IS A GREAT FILM, BUT IT WON'T BE SEEN BY MANY - IT IS TOO PURE - IT IS
NOT SELLING ITS VISION FOR ANY SPECIAL AUDIENCE - IT IS APPEALING TO
THE INTELLIGENT ELEMENT OF THE MOVIE GOING PUBLIC -- A FORMULA DESIGNED TO INSURE THAT ONLY A FEW WILL EVER SEE THIS POST-APOCALYPSE FILM.
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I JUST HAVE TO MENTION HOW GREAT VIGGO MORTENSEN IS IN EVERYTHING HE
DOES ON SCREEN. THIS ACTOR HAS A NAME THAT DOES NOT MAKE YOU THINK OF A
MOVIE STAR AND YET, THAT MIGHT BE HIS POINT, HE IS AN ACTOR, NOT A STAR SEEKING POPULARITY FROM THE PUBLIC.
THE MAN WAS EXCELLENT IN "BOILING POINT" WITH WESLEY SNIPES AND DENNIS HOPPER. HE JUST CREATED TWO GREAT CHARACTERS IN "EASTERN PROMISES" AND "A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE." HE WAS IN "THE LORD OF THE RINGS" SERIES ( WHICH I NEVER WATCHED, I CAN'T WORK UP ANY CONCERN FOR THE STORY ), WHERE I JUST ASSUME HE DID WHAT HE ALWAYS DOES, A GREAT JOB.
VIGGO IS ONE OF THOSE FEW ACTORS THAT SHOULD BRING YOU TO THE THEATRE BY JUST HAVING HIS NAME IN THE CREDITS.