I will kill anyone who touches you. Because that's my job

Hello I am the movie encyclopedia and if no one else will see it, I will.

Its weird that an eighteen year old can be a devout Cormac Macarthy fan but that's exactly what I am. Before I ever heard that it was going to be made into a movie I was excitedly reading The Road. Macarthy, who had previously wrote the book No Country For Old Men (you may have heard about the movie version) has a really good knack for writing books that have great movie potential. The same goes for Thomas Lehane, author of Mystic River and the upcoming Shutter Island. But my biggest fear with movies based on books is that they wont live up to the book and the book will always be better. That is the case with most movies based on books but Cormac and Lehane's book movies have all been quite good. So it was understandable that I was excited but hesitant when an inexperienced director like John Hillcoat (he has done a lot of music videos and a few movies but nothing really that stands out) and my love hate actor Guy Pearce were in it but my fears were (mostly) quenched when Viggo Mortensen signed on to play the main protagonist named "The Man."

Not only with Mortensen but the other big thing that helped ease my nerves was how closely it followed the book. Yes there are a few differences but for the most part its the same story. The Man (Mortensen) and his son The Boy (Kodi Smit-McPhee great actor) live in a post apocalyptic world. They go day to day trying to survive and ultimately reach the coast so they can possibly find food, shelter or other "good" survivors: those who haven't turned to cannibalism or thievery to survive. At various points in the movie it flashbacks to before the apocalypse and how his life was with his wife (Charlize Theron)

That's the basic plot. The story of a father and a son on a journey of survival. And it is extremely well done. The cinematography is beautiful, the music is great and the scenery is dark and brooding. They show a realistic and dreary picture of a post-apocalyptic time. The acting, especially from McPhee and Mortensen is brilliant and quite moving. Mortensen has always proved to be a great chameleon actor who always gives 110% in every role he does. And its evident in this movie.

Its a dark movie and its a sad and dreary movie but it is one of the best of the year. Cormac would be proud.

MY VERDICT: OWN IT