The Road

Reviewed by Drav3n

Format: Blu-ray

Release: May 25, 2010

Rated: R

Runtime: 111 Minutes

The Movie:

From the author of "No Country For Old Men," comes this highly anticipated post-apocalyptic film about a father and his young son as they struggle to survive after a devastating cataclysm that has destroyed most of civilization, including plant and animal life. The only remaining survivors of mankind have become either scavengers or cannibals. The father and son are heading to the south, hoping that it will be warmer there. Their journey consists of trying to find food and shelter, and to avoid the cannibals.

This highly emotional drama can be downright depressing at times. The father carries a revolver with only two bullets in case it comes down to them needing to commit suicide. However, after an encounter with one of the cannibals, the father is forced to used one of those bullets to save his son, leaving him now with just one bullet.

The premise of the movie is based on the bond between the father and the son. The father is trying to teach his son how to survive with what they have and how to "carry the fire" if the father should die. You are able to watch the bond between father and son grow increasingly stronger from the beginning of the film right up until the end, as you will see the father will do just about anything to make sure he and his son survive.

The performances from Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee as the father and son are simply amazing, and will easily be able to get the viewers attention and allows them to feel the emotions going through each of their characters. Just looking into the eyes of their character, you can see the emotions they are going through. Although used in a smaller role, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce and Charlize Theron are able to steal the scenes they appear in, adding a good depth to each of their characters.

What stands out about this film is the fact that the locations aren't CGI. Most of the shooting took place in Pennsylvania, Oregon and Louisiana. The worlds looked very realisitc and the viewer should be able to immediately determine what this movie is going to be about.

Unfortunately, I haven't read the novel that this film was based upon. But after watching this movie, I'm definitely intrigued to pick up this book and see what else happened that wasn't added to the movie. Some will disagree, but when you think about it, this film is probably one of the more realistic possibilities of what could happen in a post-apocalyptic world.

Presentation:

While this film looks great, don't expect to see blown away. There's nothing flashy about this movie. It's mostly a dark and gritty movie, with the exception of the flashbacks which show a fair amount of color. However, where this movie shines is with the amount of detail that is visible and how crisp it looks. With the facial closeups you can see almost every line and wrinkle on Viggo Mortensen's face. Black levels are deep and while there is grain present, it's used properly to add to the grittiness of the film.

Audio:

The DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack sounds great. While the dialogue is clear, I did notice I had to turn the volume louder than I usually do when watching a movie, especially during scenes when there's sound effects being mixed with dialogue. The sound effects that are used come through sounding very strong and will provide an enjoyable listening experience.

Bonus Material:

• Audio Commentary - Featuring director John Hillcoat
• Making of The Road (480p, 13:47) - Features behind the scenes footage and interviews with the cast and crew about the effects the book had on them.
• Deleted Scenes (480p, 6:36)
• Theatrical Trailers
• BD-Live and MovieIQ Enabled

Bottom Line:

An excellent heart-felt drama that really should not be missed. A great looking and great sounding presentation that will leave blu-ray owners satisfied. The special features could've been longer and more informative, but still worth viewing. Definitely recommending this movie!