A Movie Review: The Road

"The Road"

FYI: Spoilers

I swear this has to be the most depressing movie of the year. I was in dread during the whole movie. I even found the ending depressing even though others might consider it a positive ending. “I am Legend” had a positive ending -- admittedly, not the same type of movie, but whole end of the world as we know it sort of scenario. This movie, the ending is depressing. Even though I was in dread throughout the movie, I couldn't help but wonder if the movie was leaving out the final ending -- that is, the book was even more depressing. So I went to Borders and read the last couple pages of the book. The book ended pretty much the same way. In fact, some of the dialogue was very similar – if not word for word.

I didn’t fully follow how the apocalypse occurred. There was some sort of massive light of some sort or perhaps fire. The majority of animals and plant life died. A number of humans probably died, as well. There were constant earthquakes afterwards, which makes me think that perhaps something was emanating from the earth’s core that was killing off plant life. This resulted in the breakdown of society. Folks were able to live perhaps 7 to 9 years on remaining supplies in grocery stores. I’m making this assumption based on the fact that the boy in the movie looked like a 9 year old. From that point, people turned in three directions. Most took two extremes: suicide or cannibalism. A few others decided to search for a better life – these individuals had to navigate through the gangs that had turned to cannibalism as well as others like them who may not be cannibals, but might not be the most trustworthy.

Roger Ebert has a review that seems contrary to what I saw of the movie. He mentioned that the Boy was born before the devastation. My opinion is the he was born during the devastation. He also indicates that the flashbacks with Woman and Man were also before the devastation and showed a marriage falling apart. I thought the flashbacks were during the devastation. I could be wrong, which would imply that a lot of my theories in the previous paragraph is wrong.

The movie deals with the Man and the Boy traveling to the ocean. They run into three cannibal gangs – what I recall. The first was the most powerful, driving vehicles. The two are nearly captured by this gang, but the Man kills one of the cannibals and they’re able to avoid the others. The second gang is holed up in a house. It looks like they are a family. They store their victims in an underground dungeon. The Man and Boy are trapped in the house, but escape via some fortunate events. They see the third gang from afar as the gang cuts down a woman and a girl. They also run into an elderly man – who I can’t believe has escaped the cannibals for so long. When they make it to the ocean, they run into a thief that steals from them. The two chase down the individual and leave him with nothing. They run into two others, one an archer who decides to kill first and ask questions later. The Man ends up killing the archer.

The Man has lung issues and towards the end of the movie dies. The movie ends with the Boy being found by a Family that had been following them. And you would think this would be uplifting, but I found it depressing. They’re only five, three being children. The gangs are many. How long can one possibly avoid the gangs?

I over-heard someone recently saying that the older we get the fewer friends we have, because we become less trusting of people. I don't know if I agree with that statement, but it is so true in this movie as the Man doesn't trust people while the Boy does.

My one issue with the movie: why is it that only the gangs seem to have guns. I'd think everyone would be armed to the teeth. (Yes, the Man has a gun -- but with only two bullets.)