Read Mixed User Reviews for The Road (2009)

6

BennyMDec 24, 2009

Well crafted film overall but a bit choppy at certain points and some unexplainable character shifts. Viggo Mortensens acting itself was great but the film failed to properly demonstrate his progression. The sons acting was a bit stale but Well crafted film overall but a bit choppy at certain points and some unexplainable character shifts. Viggo Mortensens acting itself was great but the film failed to properly demonstrate his progression. The sons acting was a bit stale but Robert Duvall stole much of the show in a very well done scene. Weak, depressing themes stressed too much over actual substance.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful

6

JoseDec 20, 2009

If you were a fan of the book then you'll enjoy the move, everyone else should proceed with caution.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

6

SteveNov 29, 2009

Bleak, gritty, discouraging to be sure, but mostly just slow and dull.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

6

JimSNov 27, 2009

A dark and depressing drama that treads into the horror genre. Bleak doesn't begin to describe the lifeless landscape in which survivors scratch and claw the depths of their humanity. Absent any glimmer of hope -- even the ocean has A dark and depressing drama that treads into the horror genre. Bleak doesn't begin to describe the lifeless landscape in which survivors scratch and claw the depths of their humanity. Absent any glimmer of hope -- even the ocean has turned gray -- life is reduced to a masochistic exercise. Too dark, even for this dark-movie lover.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

5

MikeBDec 1, 2009

I loved the book but was disappointed by this adaptation. The performances were good (OK, Viggo and Duvall were both great) but the music and the CGI skies grated on me. It's not that it's too bleak, it's that it wasn't I loved the book but was disappointed by this adaptation. The performances were good (OK, Viggo and Duvall were both great) but the music and the CGI skies grated on me. It's not that it's too bleak, it's that it wasn't bleak enough. Too many flashbacks to Charlize that just felt focus grouped. The book is uncompromising, but the film has been compromised.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful

5

paulNov 30, 2009

Rushed to the theaters to capitalize on the success of "no country for old men" despite the lack of a worthy director or screenwriter. redefines terrible child acting. amazing cinematography that ultimately doesn't save this soulless Rushed to the theaters to capitalize on the success of "no country for old men" despite the lack of a worthy director or screenwriter. redefines terrible child acting. amazing cinematography that ultimately doesn't save this soulless disappointment.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful

5

MaxLDec 4, 2009

A long bore with some plot holes that didn't explain some of the action of the father, a man who'd been careful not to put himself and the son in danger. The production design was good, the acting good to great, but the story is A long bore with some plot holes that didn't explain some of the action of the father, a man who'd been careful not to put himself and the son in danger. The production design was good, the acting good to great, but the story is just not quite there. When the movie can be summed up by Robert Duvall in his 5 minutes scene of remembrance, it failed its intention.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful

4

venceApr 28, 2013

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 theDumb 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 prick will end up raped and eaten in a true post apocalyptic world… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

All this user's reviews

5

dagirlsJun 3, 2014

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 thinkBare 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.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

6

DaveDec 3, 2009

I agree with Hoberman that this was essentially a pale imitation of Children of Men, which was a far superior film in my opinion. I will give it points though for the realistic landscape depicted.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

6

SchroederRockJan 11, 2019

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'reThe 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.… Expand