Transitioning from last week’s discussion of Stephenie Meyer’s The Host, which we jokingly describe as a “vague attempt” at stepping outside her Twilight universe that did not succeed, we share that this week we’ll be looking at a much more somber and well-regarded work – the 2009 film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel The Road.
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Details About The Novel & Movie
We provide some key details about the film’s background, stating it was released 2-3 years after the publication of McCarthy’s novel in 2006. The lead actor is Viggo Mortensen, playing a character known simply as “the man” with Kodi Smit-McPhee as “the boy,” the man’s young son. Charlize Theron has a supporting but pivotal role as “the woman”, the man’s wife, and the boy’s mother.
Shifting to a high-level summary of the plot, we set up the post-apocalyptic premise by explaining some unknown global catastrophe has destroyed the environment, wiping out most animal and plant life. Very few humans have survived these dire conditions. The earth is now locked in a perpetual cold, dark winter, slowly dying.
The Road Synopsis
Against this bleak backdrop, the film follows the struggles of the man and boy as they traverse the barren landscape on foot, walking south in hopes of finding slightly warmer conditions and scarce sources of food. Through flashbacks with Charlize Theron, we get glimpses of the man and woman’s lives before the apocalypse, when they were a content married couple excited to start a family.
After the woman gives birth, however, her spirit sinks into despair at the thought of raising a child in this harsh new world. The flashbacks build towards her eventual demise, leaving the man to care for their son alone.
We go on to analyze some of the themes and major plot points. In the beginning, the man and boy’s interactions with other human survivors they encounter are extremely violent, as groups have turned to cannibalism and attacking outsiders to survive. This leads to visceral scenes that convey the horror of humans hunting each other for food in this depleted world. In contrast, we discuss how the boy serves as the moral compass, always wanting to help strangers and appeal to their humanity.
As they continue south, the man and boy have some less violent encounters that align with the boy’s desire to see the good in people. One example is an old blind man on the road who winds up needing their help despite originally feigning weakness. Later, when a thief steals all their supplies, the empathetic boy still calls to let him go rather than retaliate.
We also highlight the father’s complete devotion to his son’s wellbeing, as evidenced by him consistently giving the majority of their scarce food and water to the boy even at his own health expense. Over time, the cumulative effects of exertion, malnutrition, and toxic environmental conditions take their toll, causing the man to grow progressively weaker.
Upon finally reaching the southern coast after months of grueling travel and realizing the conditions are equally harsh there, the man succumbs, using his final moments alive to impart words of love and encouragement to the grieving boy. He urges his son to “keep carrying the fire” – serving as the last vestige of hope and humanity in this dying world.
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Ultimately the film comes full circle to the theme of hope triumphing over despair when the boy chooses to journey onwards with a sympathetic man played by Guy Pearce and his family who had been following them, rather than facing the wilderness alone. We emphasize this bittersweet yet hopeful conclusion pays homage to Cormac McCarthy’s vision in writing The Road – to create a powerful fable for his young son about carrying the fire of hope and goodwill even through the darkest of times.
Our Take On The Adaptation
In closing, we laud the adaptation as a masterful transfer of McCarthy’s visceral, emotionally intense story to film. The direction, performances, cinematography, and faithfulness to the novel are all excellent.
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