"The Road"

[emeraldknight47]

Just watched this movie this evening and all I can say is---wow. It's a movie that is both heartbreaking and somehow beautiful at the same time. Viggo, Charlize and the little boy all were outstanding! Highly recommended viewing!

[jessica]

I read the book and it is beautiful and sad. Have not seen the movie yet.

[hawkmike]

as in most adapatations great book bad movie!

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

It was alright, but I had two questions:

-why were they headed for the cost? (I missed some of the beginning.)
-how do we know the "family" at the end isn't a pack of crazed cannibal axe murderers like durned near every other person in the film? (Okay, it's 'cos we WANT a happy ending.... well, as happy as we can get; but still.... there's no real indication these folks aren't psycho as well.)

Don C.

[emeraldknight47]

Hmmmm....

It was alright, but I had two questions:

-why were they headed for the cost? (I missed some of the beginning.)
-how do we know the "family" at the end isn't a pack of crazed cannibal axe murderers like durned near every other person in the film? (Okay, it's 'cos we WANT a happy ending.... well, as happy as we can get; but still.... there's no real indication these folks aren't psycho as well.)

Don C.

Never having read the book, I can't compare the two, but the movie by itself, despite its desolation, was, at it's root, a story about a father's love for his son and what lengths he would go to protect him.

They never really gave a reason (in the movie) as to why they were headed for the coast. Perhaps the coastline was safer and it would be easier to know you were on the right track heading south.

We don't know about the family at the end, but personally, I hope they were "good guys."

[Toyman_Chris]

I enjoyed the movie. Sad, yet endearing.

[Gorn Captain]

It's indeed a grim story, it doesn't pull its punches at all.
The father never knows if his son is safe, he dies in the knowledge that his child is in a very dangerous situation.
And indeed, you don't know about the "new" family. They might just be luring the kid in.
I'm glad that these "not typically Hollywood" movies get a chance.

[mazinz]

I know they filmed a lot more for the movie (inc the infamous baby scene) but sadly the stupid dvd/blu has none of that footage as any sort of extra (originally it was supposed to).

The film is not bad, but the book was so much better

[kennermike]

Decent film !

[megoscott]

I read the book in a day, it was incredible. The movie was just about identical to the book with one crispy, well basted difference...

But it took me a long time to actually see the movie because I wasn't sure I wanted to subject myself to the bleak horror of the thing.

[spacecaps]

This is one where you have to read the book. Even if you've already seen the movie, go back and read the book. Almost none of the mans philosophical teachings make it into the film. "There is no God and we are his prophets." Its a good film but I would think that anyone that read this book felt the movie came up flat. Seriously, you'll need a highlighter to mark off all the good parts.

Man:Just remember that the things you put into your head are there forever. You might want to think about that.
Boy: You forget some things, don't you?
Man: Yes. You forget what you want to remember and you remember what you want to forget.

Anyway,they were heading for the coast because it gave them hope; something to accomplish. The man knew there wasn't anything there but everything he did, he did for the sake of the boy. He's dying and he knows it but he's holding out and giving them a goal. If he cannot teach the boy properly then everything is lost. "He thought if he lived long enough the world at last would be lost. Like the dying world the newly blind inhabit, all of it slowly fading from memory." It's all about the journey here not the destination. It kept them on the move and alive but more importantly time to teach and instruct the boy and keep The Light alive. Hope was all the man had to live for and he's insuring that when he's gone, the boy will carry The Light. "He walked out into the gray light and stood and he saw for a brief moment the absolute truth of the world. The cold relentless circling of an intestate earth. Darkness implacable. The blind dogs of the sun in their running. The crushing black vacuum of the universe. And somewhere two hunted animals trembling like ground-foxes in their cover. Borrowed time and borrowed world and borrowed eyes with which to sorrow it."

Its not so much about their actual survival but the survival of what is being passed on to the boy. "They are gone and I am left and they have taken with them the world. Query: how does the never to be differ from what never was?"

The family that takes the boy in isn't crazy, they're the next to carry "the light" the man instills in the boy. Read closely and you'll see instances where they've been keeping a close eye on the man and the boy throughout the book and were making sure that they weren't as bad as some of the others on the road. Thats also kind of one of the big philosophical questions the book presents, if we think what we're doing is right and others think what their doing is right, than who's to say we're not that bad guys...

You wanted to know what the bad guys looked like. Now you know. It may happen again. My job is to take care of you. I was appointed to do that by God. I will kill anyone who touches you. Do you understand?
Yes.
He sat there cowled in the blanket. After a while he looked up. Are we still the good guys? he said.
Yes. We're still the good guys.
And we always will be.
Yes. We always will be.

But in the end the boy is with children his age and with the knowledge and wisdom the man instilled in him, the boy will now pass it along to his peers and humanity will persevere. "If he is not the word of God God never spoke." "Ever is a long time. But the boy knew what he knew. That ever is no time at all."

[emeraldknight47]

I read the book in a day, it was incredible. The movie was just about identical to the book with one crispy, well basted difference...

But it took me a long time to actually see the movie because I wasn't sure I wanted to subject myself to the bleak horror of the thing.

I think I know of the event of which you speak, MS. Yeah, THAT was gonna leave a mark for sure. And the arrow scene hurt. A lot. Makes me afraid to get near my stapler, though....!

[megoscott]

Man:Just remember that the things you put into your head are there forever. You might want to think about that.
Boy: You forget some things, don't you?
Man:Yes. You forget what you want to remember and you remember what you want to forget.

Mmmmmm. Heck, yeah, that's it.

[Nostalgiabuff]

i thought the movie was incredibly dark and depressing. not one i would ever care to rewatch

[spacecaps]

Yea the movie has that dark feel to it but read the book and it changes the tone drastically. I mean the novel goes to places that the movie didn't even dare but the moments of happiness are so much more rewarding in print. When they find the storage room with the supplies, you're right there with them or the scene where they come across the Coke machine and the boy has his first soda is just amazing.