The Rover

Maybe there should be warnings on movies that require thought and aren’t fluffy entertainment. This movie is not fluffy but what it is makes you think about what a collapse of society could look like. It’s gritty and if you let yourself be drawn into it you will come away understanding it on a visceral level.

It seems like these post acoplyptic movies keep trying to one up each other on depressing. This one treats murder like ordering a burger and fries. It isn't nearly as exciting as ELI, but it is light years more realistic. It has messages sewn into it that are not readily apparent, until the end. The end of the movie broke my heart, but I can't tell you why, without ruining the film. However I will say this. It does have a happy ending. You just have to figure it out.

Engrossing tale of mystery and friendship and the importance of knowing who your friends are. It's a story well photographed and told with skill. During the last third of the film I kept thinking of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, not so much in the details, but the relentless consequence of choosing the wrong people to be with. The acting is better than the normal hollywood tripe. Real honest acting--without being sentimental.

Insight within the light and darkness of human nature. When chaos and disorder combine there is no room for humanity. There is only desperation, survival, and selfish justification. Disguising it as pure justice. Interesting premise.

7.5/10 The Rover is a bleak and restrained thriller set in Australia ten years after a giant financial collapse. Let’s get this out of the way first: Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson are both fabulous in their roles. Pearce plays a silent man with a face that tells it all, and Pattinson plays a dummy with a heart of gold. Besides these two great performances, the movie also has an atmosphere of dread going for it, that is helped by the occasional outburst of bloody violence. The direction is restrained, the cinematography isn’t flashy. The camera here doesn’t have a mind of it’s own. It’s simply showing us the information as it is. The story is simple. Guy Pearce’s character Eric gets his car stolen by a group of criminals, one of which happens to be the brother of Robert Pattinson’s character Reynolds, who is left behind by this group. Eric sets out on a revenge path, and finds Reynolds on the way. Reynolds and Eric form a bond as they go on this road trip together, meeting various characters on the way, including a grandma that shouldn’t be setting an example for anybody. Also going for this film was this realistic, gritty feel it had. It felt like a possible world. Even if you do think this film is to bleak and grim for you, you can’t deny that it has craft.

This film, as acknowledged by my title, is definitely a thinker piece. If you can't handle slow paced drama with severely slow pans and hardly any forward momentum? Don't watch it. This movie was not made to please your eyes or your mind, it's meant to have you sit in dread and ponder on yourself and the people around you. I can see how people don't like this as it is very foreign and distinct. Definitely not something most are used to.

let me preface by saying I’m very open to artful films with less action etc. etc. However this just did not land for me. Saw it in theaters while visiting Australia and all of us in our party were ready to leave half way through. Very disappointing. Though I’d probably do exactly what he did if in the same situation and that’s why I’m giving it two stars.

This movie shows the true darkness that creeps in the human species and can be unleashed at any given point or time.....If you want or care about something enough you will do anything, even kill without a second thought. Original storyline when it comes down to the details. Well worth watching at least once just to see what it's all about.

The film is a dark and deeply disturbing one, but ultimately beautiful. The film unfolds slowly, and we puzzle over the haunted affect of the “protagonist”, as well as his brutality. By film’s end, it becomes clear what is going on. The cinematography is exceptional and the director plays the characters off of each other well in this odd, dystopian vision of the future.

I gave it 2 stars only because of the apocalyptic theme which does feed your imagination to the "what if" idea. However, that is it with this movie. The plot is so stupid, i can't even believe Robert Pattinson even took on this role, which of course his part in it is the only reason it is getting any attention. This film is slow, boring and the budget couldn't have been more than $1.35. (that's right: A dollar thirty five).