From the outset, I need to preface this review with a disclaimer: I have not read any of the Stieg Larrson Millenium Trilogy books on which this movie is based, so I will be useless to anyone interested in how faithful is the adaptation. My review simply addresses the merits of the film itself.

Dense and atmospheric, the basic story line concerns a disgraced journalist hired to solve a decades old murder, and the strange woman (of which the film is named) who inadvertantly helps him. On some level, this is all a lot of things we've seen before. Anyone who watches CSI on a regular basis will feel right at home with the plot. And that is not to say that the film is unable to deliver surprises. There are wonderful moments of suspense, and twists that work well enough to keep your interest. The ending makes good on its promise and will scootch you to the edge of your seat.

What propels the story and lifts it outside of its conventions is the acting from the two leads. American cinema tends to race forward on plot alone, hoping that any holes will just be skipped over. European cinema enjoys the small moments that give the characters life, and weight. At first glance, the two leads seem like any people you'd run into on the street. But as layers begin to peel away, and the intricacies of their performance gather momentum, you will not be able to take your eyes off them. Their charisma is movie star quality made all the more interesting because they don't seem to be doing anything to earn it. Of special note is Noomi Rapace who plays Lisbeth, the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Her performance alone is worth the price of admission. She hums like a livewire, and seems to be carved out of marble--and yet delivers moments of vulnerability that are shocking and unexpected. Rooney Mara, just named as the actress playing Lisbeth in the American version, has some pretty big shoes to fill.

Sadly, the european tag, and subtitles, will likely keep people from renting. Which is sad, because this film surely bests most of the recent Hollywood output of thrillers by a long shot.

Rated R: this film is a HARD R and contains some very frank and shocking depictions of violence and sexual assault. The level of artistry keeps any of this from feeling cheap or exploitive; still, audiences should be warned that certain aspects of the film will test their limits.

WATCH THE TRAILER

 

 

A father and son are headed south to the coast, traveling through a world torn apart by an unnamed holocaust. Keeping hidden from roving bands of thieves and cannibals, they struggle not only to survive, but to keep alive the last flicker of humanity left in a blasted, ash covered netherworld.

Cormac McCarthy's novel The Road stands as a masterpiece of modern fiction.  An uncompromising book of hope amidst hopelessness; of a father passing his legacy on to his son, told in a prose so simple and direct it makes Hemingway feel long winded.  I read the book four years ago, and I'm still trying to reconcile my emotional response to it. So, how does the film stack up against such a formidable piece of art?

Quite well, actually, and surprisingly. Having arrived in theaters during the Avatar juggernaut, and marketed terribly--anyone familiar with the book sneered at the trailer--the film did not fare well, which is a shame because it deserved more attention and recognition. 

First, let me say that the trailer was completely misleading. This is no CGI fest, and Charlize Theron is in the film about as much as she's in the trailer. The Road holds true enough to the book that purists will be pleased.  But it also doesn't TRY to be the book, which will please purists even further.  Clearly, director John Hillcoat and writer Joe Penhall are respectful if not in awe of their source material.  But it doesn't dissuade them from exploring their own ideas about the story.  Certain elements with the wife, for example--who was a mere ghost in the book--are fleshed out in a way that not only makes sense, but strengthens the core themes of the movie.

Not everything flows to perfection.  Sometimes we're too long in a scene that feels extraneous, then whisked along when it would be nice to linger.  Also, the character of the child at times is not allowed to act like a child--which would have been more interesting--but yoked to the movement of the plot. These are minor quibbles, given how well Hillcoat and Co. assert themselves, and in no way hinder the overall impact of the story.

Be forewarned, this is a bleak, relentless movie, and no one involved shies away from the subject matter.  But anyone willing to travel The Road, will be rewarded for their journey.

Headlining a stellar cast, Viggo Mortenson's raw nerve performance is a study in the persuasiveness of pure belief. His every step through the gauntlet is etched into his haunted features.  Robert Duvall--who appears briefly as a fellow traveler through the wasteland--has a scene near the middle of the movie that is alone worth the price of admission.

Dark, terrifying, and heartbreaking, The Road is a beautifully crafted film that isn't afraid to plum the depths in order to assure us some measure of goodness will prevail.