User Reviews

Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "The Road" came to the big screen in all its brooding, unrelenting glory. Set in a post-apocalyptic wilderness, Viggo Mortensen is so good as a father desperately trying to protect his son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) as they travel slowly to the sea. Along the way they encounter violent thugs and a near-blind old man (Duvall) who just commands the screen. Director John Hillcoat perfectly evokes the harsh, cold landscape of a frighteningly not-too-distant future, aided by sensitive, perfectly realized performances.

While is has been a while since I have seen The Road, I can't escape the isolating feeling of depression this movie oozes in every corner. However, there are glimmers of hope and love on display here as well. It really just goes to show how even in a cursed and hopeless world, there is always something to keep surviving for. The Road is as beautiful as it is sad. I believe it is a movie you should at least see once.

A movie that is hard to get through but mostly because the emotions are so grim it is a movie to watch with a family member or a friend who you can have something to talk to while the fighting with the sad movie. I enjoyed the acting very much vigo Mortensen really doing a bang-up job of doing this movie and acting is just so sad and has a bit of Hope once in a while. Surviving Win dows almost no reason to do so that is what I got out of the movie and it is one of those I'm gonna think about once in a while.

10/10 весь фильм до финала, финал мне понравился чуть меньше чем всё остальное. Сильный фильм, эмоционально очень тяжёлый. За такой маленький бюджет так стильно, антуражно передать визуал, и создать мощнейшую атмосферу - это что называется "не сп**дить деньги с продакшена". По сравнению с толпой "подростковых постапоков", это что называется пост-апокалипсис. Суровый, жестокий, показывающий истинный портрет человека.

One of the most difficult movies to watch. This bleak journey seared and scarred me, and I have never forgotten it, and rewatch it every few years. We live on the edge of a cataclysm, it is not unthinkable that in the decades to come there will be a planet-destroying environmental armageddon. The genius of the book author Cormac McCarthy is that the specific cause of the disasters are not openly stated but can be surmised from the symptoms. Biosphere collapse is total and final, humanity was hanging on by a thread anyway. At the heart of the story is the love of two parents for their child, born into a dying world. The father and mother, played so very well by Viggo Mortensen and Charlize Theron, show their love with the ultimate sacrifice in two very different but quite valid manners. They live on the edge of despair and hope, on the razor itself. Kodi Smit-McPhee brilliantly plays a precocious child trying hard to make sense of his world, trying to espouse the ethics his parents taught. The sheer cruelty of this world, and the most animal devolution to cannibalism, is perfectly logical and expected. It does not make the movie any easier to stomach. But I find nothing unrealistic here, it is all quite feasible within a few lifetimes.

Not what I would call entertaining or fun, but it is very interesting and gripping. Sadly pretty much what I would of expected to happen in a world like that. A long time between the first watch and second 2022 re-watch. This is the type of movie that puts things into real perspective. I thank my lucky stars I am not in this world.

Gritty, emotional and at times suspenseful. That was a film called The Road for me. If there's one thing I think works in post-apo films, it's the adult-child relationship. Nowhere else, in my opinion, does it work so well than in just such films where they have to survive together and this film shows it to the hilt. Cruel scenes where I said to myself more than once that I really wouldn't want to be in that situation. But what I liked most about the film was the overall coloring. The whole environment was so dark. I would say a dark brown. If there's one thing I love, it's atmosphere, and this movie definitely had that for me, and this darker brown coloring helped a hell of a lot, and I really enjoyed the shots of the destroyed surroundings. The only slight disappointment for me was the ending, which felt slightly clipped and I wanted a few more minutes to show what happened next. Overall though, for me, this is a great film that I recommend.

It looked bleak but that perfectly matches the tone of the movie. It was nice and simple without the wow factor in a good way. Again, bleak sound to match the story. Still an interesting and dynamic mix. This reminded me so much of the video game series Fallout. It has similar themes and reminiscent ideas. It is a sad movie and sometimes quite brutal. It doesn't have the same impact as some other post-nuclear attack movies but this is the best focused human story. Sometimes I didn't believe the world they were in but overall it was very good. It is not a plot but more a series of characters and locations. A tough film to watch but it is quite rewarding.

I rarely give a perfect score, but this is a truly special film that I feel most struggle to understand and appreciate.

Amazing,realistic and terryfying.I'd be given money to watch this again;I wouldn't though,this is too much for me.

Boring, climate propaganda. The main characters were both unlikable, they make stupid decisions, have no redeeming qualities and are just flat out annoying. Also, the fact that EVERYTHING was gray was a bad choice.

Pretty good road/survival film with good acting and visuals and fairly powerful story.

One of the bleakest films I have ever seen yet I marvel at how uncompromising it was with the post-apocalyptic world. Survival was all that matter to Viggo and the boy and it is something that makes people feel more prepared after watching it.

Brood And Breed. The Road Hillcoat is confident in his world. Almost as if too much confident at times. The stillness and the rawness that he has captured is both his major asset and the upset. Stillness, mostly favors in on actors account as they never miss a chance to flaunt in their skills at these moments. But the rawness that makes it authentic, can also be jarringly haunting and off putting on terms of the appeal. Armed with a sharp absorbing adaptation, John Hillcoat- the director- has unfortunately lost the structure and somehow the spark of the game these characters are involved in. What could have been fascinating is the film not obliged to specific various acts, since it is only one big act, a build up of the finale. But that one big act certainly overstay its welcome and takes things for granted. As far as verbal sparring is concerned there isn't much to rely upon, as mentioned before, the film relies upon physical sequences to speak volume and the man to look forward on such instances is of course Viggo Mortensen. His gaze whilst brooding onto various aspects of the location or situation comes in handy in this world. But what grounds and humanizes his character, is the way he looks at his boy (Kodi Smit- McPhee), there is nothing but peace left in your heart as he teaches and corrects him. And when the time comes to take tough decisions, his pain and fear is what drives Mortensen to amplify the momentum or the drama to a cinematic level. The guest cast like Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall and Guy Pearce comes in and does their work expectantly and fulfills their importance on screen. The Road is hard, long and unfortunately bumpy, with none whatsoever rest in this journey, it can grow tiresome for the audience.

Utterly depressive. I cannot understand all those positive reviews. If I had done simply nothing for the two hours. I would have least not feel that kind of exhausted!

The films nails the grim tone of the apocalypse and dire feeling of every encounter a father and his son would experience in those kinds of times. The filming and production work are also masterful as every shot makes you feel like you're watching some devasted portion of the planet. The film even carries a worthwhile tense feeling whenever anything living comes on to screen that isn't the main characters and that's awesome. What isn't awesome is the point of the film. Without spoiling it, there seems to be little point to the film other than the survival tale of a boy and his father. There's no focused narrative - no meaning. I can live with that if there's enough content that is experienced along the way that makes the film engaging and entertaining but while there's moments that meet that criteria the film as a whole just left me asking the question "why did this movie get made like this"? It's not a waste of a watch, I just doubt I'll watch it again. I'm disappointed because I enjoy this genre more often than not yet The Road never does enough to draw me in and keep me in. Side note: the audio mixing isn't great. Often the background noises are as loud as the dialogue, or louder, which left me having to focus on the dialogue a lot harder than I typically do. What's with that? I say that with my center channel speaker maxed out with my surround sound system at 60% volume so it's not like I was trying to keep the volume down. Odd miss by the studio that put this out.

While the movie adaption does fall short of doing the novel complete justice, it is a still powerful, heartbreaking film for the ages.

Google defines tedious as "too long, slow, or dull: tiresome or monotonous," and that pretty much says it all. The film is less a film than simply a moving picture. There's so little story here you could cover it in a single sentence. "The Road" is nine minutes short of two hours and by the halfway point it becomes excruciating. The only surprise is that I managed to sit through it till the end. I shouldn't have bothered.

While it did have an interesting plot to begin with and great acting performances, the movie was very cliché, predictable and it wasn't entertaining or interesting enough to keep the viewer interested till the end. Overall, it's not a bad movie, it's just not a particularly good one.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Defintely worth watching, not as brutal as mad max, which i was relieved of, yet pretty gripping, poignant, i felt a very real terror throughout the whole movie, absolutely real experience, i literally yelled "shut up" at the boy in one of the scenes.

Emotionally devastating and utterly, crushingly, eye-wateringly bleak. Do not watch this on a Sunday night before going to work. I can't say I enjoyed The Road but I admired the craft of enormously.

One of the worst movies I've ever seen. Both boring and depressing. Not much of a plot line. If you have a problem with depression don't watch this movie or you'll probably kill yourself. How did Robert Duvall and Viggo Mortensen end up in this stinker? It's just awful.

Not necessarily apocalypse needs zombie, quite the opposite. The Road shows a father a son trying at all costs to survive a hostile, violent world where one can not trust...

I'll take the movie over the book (which I found totally overrated). The film stays pretty close to the novel, and effectively brings it to the screen.

A masterpiece. In nowadays movie industry, this type of of cinema is fairly too rare. Both visually and by the pase the stroy is driven, director's John Hillcoat probably built up on the most powerfull and realistic envision of a post appocalyptic story (thanksfully to the original book, which defined this tone - and which I didn't read). Viggo Mortensen is, as often, endorsing the role briantly. To be franck, I haven been touched so deeply for ages. Oh, and I've to say I'm a huge movie goer, and Im quite kind regarding blockbusters, but still happy to enjoy slower pace movies.

Post-nuclear apocalypse survivor movie, and one of the best of its kind, evoking desperation and intensity against bleak landscapes, whilst maintaining a gentle, caring undercurrent that keeps the best of our humanity alive. A deeply serious movie that has left me moved and thoughtful every time I've seen it, currently five times.

Slow and gray, this post-apocalyptic film isn't likely to be everyone's cup of tea. The emphasis isn't so much on the survival aspects these characters must go through, but more on the emotional bond between father and son. Don't come into this expecting a lot of action. The movie barely has any at all. It's a touching and dark tale. The son really is the only thing that keeps the man going, and thanks to the strong acting and direction the love the father has for his son is completely real here. It adds a sense of beauty to the bleakness of their world. It's emotionally affecting to see how the boy acts as the tether that keeps the man's humanity. It's emotion over action here. Lot's of dialog and reflecting are the core of the experience. There are a few scenes where the tension is ramped up to add a little pulse to the affair, but nothing really happens. It's clear that humanity has gone to crap and other people are a danger to the characters. There are no real moments of conflict though. The majority of the movie is rather silent. That's not really a bad thing. I like the emphasis on emotion over action. The way the apocalypse is used as a tool to show the hopelessness of the father and son's situation, rather than just how screwed up humanity can get. It's a very personal tale that leads to a strong, powerful drama that's admittedly slow on pace and many thrills. There were moments where I was left wishing something a little more exciting would happen, but for the most part I really enjoyed this different angle. It still includes the elements of violence and survival that one would come to expect from a post-apocalyptic setting. Those elements just aren't the focus. It's all about the love a father does (or should) have for his son. It grabs at your heart and shows the cruelty of the end of the world in a different way than other films of this ilk. It has it's boring moments, but I was never once not invested in the characters fates. It's grim and emotional in almost all of the right ways. 8.6/10

The Road is a pretty solid film, with great performances by the two lead actors. Its probably not a film for everyone, due to how saturated the visuals and the overall dark depressing environment the two characters travel through. The film will also make you hungry, so be certain to have snacks over the duration of this film. 8/10

The Road is a dark post-apocalytpitc film about a man and his son trying to survive. There are no zombies or anything like that, just desperate survivors (and some crazy people). The story is grim and it works well; you learn more about the mother as the two (the father and son) go through hell together. Too bad some parts felt boring and not as impactful. Otherwise, I'd give it an 8/10. I'd say it's a 7.5/10, and since I had to choose between7 (good) and 8 (great), I rounded down for the fault I described. Still, watch the movie if you're not "faint of heart."

stupid annoying boy ruins the movie. movie does not make any sense at many points: all vegetation has been destroyed for like 10 years or so, but there are leaves on the floor everywhere and bushes and stuff

It is, for me, a beautifully made film, scary, gripping and quite frankly the bleakest bloody thing I've ever watched, but it will, no doubt, leave you drained and empty for days afterwards, and in addition, it's not a film I'd be so excited to watch again, with the knowledge of how I'd feel afterwards. But in the time I watched it, I was able to acknowledge the brilliance of it, and I should say most definitely it's a film plenty of people may love to watch again.

Excellent movie with good pacing. Characters depict what it would really be like for a father & son struggling to survive the apocalypse. No mutants, cyborgs, or sci-fi creatures like in I am Legend, or the Fallout game series, this is pure survival. Acting is superb and will have you feeling for the characters from beginning to end. A lot of suspense leaves you hanging on the edge of your seat. This movie will leave you wondering if the decisions the main character chooses are right or wrong, or if right or wrong has a place in the wasteland that unveils itself over the course of the movie.. overall this is the only movie I have seen that depicts how hard and realistic it would be to live through an apocalypse.

This one is very impressive. I am not a huge fan of John Hillcoat's, but his direction here is good as usual and he really manages to tell quite the beautiful and tragic story here. Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee are phenomenal. Robert Duvall, Charlize Theron, Michael K. Williams, Guy Pearce, and Molly Parker, all have very small roles here, but all are good in their roles and really make the film all the more tragic. Unrelentingly bleak, the worst (best?) part of this one is how it will give you a glimmer of hope from time to time and then it just rips your heart out again and steps on it. This makes the somewhat hopeful ending, almost depressing, since you know the positive will not last forever. This one is gorgeously filmed and it really shows how much beauty there is, even when things are going bad. Each shot, with its largely gray and bleak colorization, is breathtaking and, for me, is the true star of this film. While the acting is great, the cinematography is the true powerhouse here. The story is also solid, even if bleak. As a whole, the end result for this film is pretty good. It is not an amazing film, but it is most certainly powerful, beautiful, tragic, and filled with despair, all of which make it one that is tough to watch, but make for a good watch all the same.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Incredibly powerful, emotional, and it gives a very realistic feeling of what could happen to humanity under a worst case scenario. It rates far above other disaster films in its portrayal of the human experience and what we are capable of in dire circumstances. In effect it looks like a warning to us if we are not careful in how we conduct our society. It brings out feelings of sadness that few films could replicate and displays a full range of powerful emotions that emphasize what it means to be human.This is much more than a film to entertain you for a few hours; it is a message about the will to live, what it means to be human and about how unsympathetic this world could be. I could not tear myself away from it though I hadn't planned to watch all of it when I started watching it on TV. It is rare that I can relate with deep feelings to characters in a film but this one compels you to do so. The father-son relationship was so deep it forced me to think about my own deceased father and the relations I had with him. More than entertainment it is an insight into our souls.

Bare pass for this movie. Very depressing fare without even the smallest glimmer of hope basically. Good strong acting from the lead didm't raise it much due to the overwhelming weight of the script. Absolutely leaden in places. I don't think there is another film out there that is darker in terms of theme. I don't recommend this movie much. Probably has big fans in people who think that half decent SF like Aeon Flux were awful. Even if AF was based on a cmic it was still better than this black napkin of a movie.

This would be a great movie if it wasn't for the whiniest brat, worst written child in the history of movies. Hey movie writers! A little tip. A child will not act like whiny little brat in extreme situations. Ever been to Mexico and seen a 12 year old running a taco truck? Ever seen a kid from any 3rd world country act like a little **** when the chips are down? Children will grow up very quickly in hardship. This child is written like he's living in a suburb and can't have his xbox. Pathetic writing.

As someone who has not read the novel, I was extremely impressed by John Hillcoat's work. It effectively portrays the unending love between father and son in a world where there is no room for emotion, and even provoked thoughts of my relationship with my own father. Visually and audibly the film thrives. Muted colours and the use of silence create a depressing atmosphere whilst retaining a tangible tension. Mortensen's portrayal as the paternal figure who refuses to give up really carries the piece! However, I found 'The Road' a touch too slow at times and a repetitive formula seemed to occur-stop, scavenge, sleep... If you are only looking for a graphic, action packed film where everyone is armed and no one thinks twice about killing, 'The Road' is not for you. If you are looking for something moving and more subtle, with greater underlying issues about mortality, give this film a go!

Strong Points: - Really Strong Characters. You really care about the characters when you're seeing the movie. Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee have really strong performances. - Great Scenery: The environment can get really gray during the movie, showing the lack of supplies people had. - Good Soundtrack: The piano based soundtrack is a welcome addiction to a history like this. Every note of the soundtrack fits the movie. Weak Points: - Lack of explanation: Nothing about the apocalyptic event is explained. Other comments: The narrative is very interesting, although it seems to have some flaws. In my opinion, 8/10.

Based on the phenomenal novel of the same name, this movie offers us a glimpse of a world where everything has gone wrong, there is no light at the end of the tunnel and all that is left is the weak preying on the weaker. The book made me depressed and sick, the movie less so but it raised the hairs on the back of my neck several times. This is not for the faint of heart.

What an amazing movie, I really felt for the characters, A good movie like this doesn't come around often enough. I would go as far to say this is in MY top 5 movies of all time.

Dumb movie, the kid is gay and i wanted all along to choke him with my bare hands, he wouldn't survive 5 min without hes father and yet he wants to spread love in a cannibalistic post apocalyptic world, of course at the end of the movie the producers conveniently avoid putting him in harms way situation by making him meet a good guy, but we all know that such gay and useless **** will end up **** and eaten in a true post apocalyptic world

From the writer of No Country For Old Men, comes yet another tale about the end of the world. From the previews, I thought this movie had promise, that it would be different from other post-apocalyptic stories, but it wasn't. It's the tale of a father and son wondering aimlessly just trying to survive. Nothing is at all explained, there are weird flashbacks, and there are way too many interactions with people. Most of the world is gone, not a single animal survived, yet everywhere you go, you run into people, crazy people, most of whom are cannibals. Viggo Mortensen does give a pretty solid performance, however Kodi Smit-McPhee does not. I've never seen him in anything before, but the whole movie, he's hiding, whining, and screaming papa, it got really annoying! It was awful, I felt like they kept acting out the same scene over and over again in a different location. Nothing happens, there's no plot, and the dialogue is just stupid. This movie is a huge waste of time.

A truly unpleasant movie, because it realistically portrays a world without authority and law. Most likely, a lot of people you know would become that bad guys in a situation like that. Good people are very rare unfortunately... Recommended if you are interested in Post-apocalyptic fiction.

The road is not just an ordinary movie, it not about action or anything it's about something deeper, the ambiance created is insane from time to time. The music provided also suited the movie well and served it's purpose well. The story was sometimes really dark but in a really strong way. It is a movie which will not win prizes for the special effects or anything but it really comes close to you, makes you think. This may movie isn't just a movie sometimes is just an artwork.

It is considerably dispiriting and unnerving, however that's what makes John Hillcoat's adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel so unfading. It's rich with haunting questions of morality, remarkably human characters, and some unshakably frightening imagery.

The movie was gripping, but it was just too depressing to watch because it was really boring and dull and dark at times. There is no possible way I can actually say I enjoyed the movie or even thought provoking.

This is a FANTASTIC film and it is realistic in the way that they have to worry about things like food, shoes and bandits. As it progresses through the film you grow attached to the characters and feel their struggles and triumphs and it is just great.

Beautiful but sad. After I watched the movie, I went to buy the book- I was retiscent for I am a very good reader, and know a lot about good literature, so I don't like much 'comercial' reading. Yet, I did enjoy both. I think it deserves at 8, absolutely! But yeah, it is beautiful but **** I like that mix, for somehow, it **** art direction was great **** were the performances!