Movie Review

This weekend my wife has been out of town. So in my lonely boredom I rented a couple movies that I knew she wouldn't be too interested in seeing. Last night I watched The Road, starring Viggo Mortensen, and based on the novel of the same name.

Viggo and his son are on the road travelling south in a post apocalyptic world. His wife, played by Charlize Theron, has committed suicide. There is no food, no wildlife, birds or even many insects. They encounter other wanderers and gangs of cannibalistic thieves. With only two shells left in the revolver, the two that are meant for themselves, they eat anything they can find and keep to themselves, never trusting anyone.

While the main theme of the movie leans towards the relationship of a father and son, there is an obvious survival story here. The techniques used to survive aren't all that great, though possible the best given the circumstance. Not being able to hunker down because of constant earthquakes and wildfires the characters do their best to head south to hopefully warmer climates. The best survival technique on display in this story is the heart. The desire to stay alive and keep going. They call it "the fire inside".

This is the one thing that can keep you alive in almost any survival situation. All the preparation in the world could be for nothing if you can't keep your head on straight. Most people that get lost stop using common sense. Most people that die from hypothermia panic and don't do the things they should, like build or find shelter. Mental strength and stability are the greatest tools in these situations.

The Road is rated 'R'. There is violence and Viggo shows his tush, something he has done in other films. It is a graphic film, with insights into the cannibalism that most seem to have embraced as morally correct given the circumstances. But it is a good flick if you like gritty accurate portrayals. Book might be the way to go if not.