The Rover [DVD] [2014]

‘The Rover’ is not just another crime drama, but a subtle yet profound warning to all of us about the future that we might be sleepwalking into. Environmental and socioeconomic disasters of the last few decades have been ample proof for the rational amongst us to envisage economic, and therefore political, turmoil across the globe in the near future. As the human population increases beyond its optimal capacity, the intensifying competition for the ever so dwindling resources of an ailing planet is likely to manifest in land-grabbing, tribal wars, the early indicators of which are all over the media right now. The film’s insightful depiction of that likely dystopia should feel very real to those who have been campaigning for a greener and a fairer world for several decades now, because it is more plausible and convincing than almost all, previous attempts in futuristic cinema.While the plot of ’The Rover’ is deceptively simple, thinly veiled beneath is an intriguing, audiovisual subtext that relays a lot more about the desolate and dying world in which the story unfolds. Natasha Braier’s aptly toned and textured cinematography not just captures this landscape in haunting detail, but describes its socio-political backdrop through subtle and symbolic markers. This is further supplemented by the unique soundtrack, a coherent soundscape that portrays the likely cultural context of such a world through radio broadcasts, songs, diverse dialectical metaphors and mixing in a score like none other. Antony Partos experiments with an eclectic mixture of natural sounds and instrumentations to convey an impoverished world where music might be largely homemade with whatever is available. None of this symbolism is spurious. Instead, it is clearly based on well-informed and meticulously considered choices, in which the whole crew must have had a significant input.Guy Pearce is as assured as he always is in his performance as Eric, a world-weary recluse with nothing to lose, except for his car. His eyes are so expressive that the loathing for humanity and hopelessness he feels always hang like a shroud about him. Ray, who is played by Robert Pattinson, though is pivotal to the emotional core of the story. While his weird accent is disconcerting to begin with, the characterisation is so well nuanced that he gradually grows on Eric as well as on the audience, thereby commanding our empathy. The supporting cast is unique in their respective and well performed cameos, making this world suitably diverse and believable. It is only in the last few seconds that we come to fully appreciate why Eric was hell-bent on recovering his car, an unexpected and compelling detail to round up his character.‘The Rover’ is an original and truly memorable achievement in cinema, a movie that has the staying power of the finest in its genre, as much as David Michôd, the film’s writer, director is likely to have as a visionary filmmaker. However, its contribution in an entreating way to the topical discourse of where we are heading as a society cannot be overstated.

I enjoyed it and like to watch it.

I was surprised at just how much I liked this film. At first glance it looks like Mad Max. Set in a post apocalyptic near future in Australia, a man pursues a gang, leaving behind him a trail of death. But it is so much more than that. Whilst it certainly does more than nod at Mad Max, the characters are much more complicated. And whilst the motive behind Max's doggedness is clear from the start, the reason why the protagnist in this film is so hell-bent on getting his car back isn't revealed until the final scene. The violence is reminiscent of a Tarantino road movie, but the characters are much deeper and more believable.Eric is taciturn, answering almost every question with a question of his own. He kills without a moment's hesitation. He is dogged beyond obsession, ansking the same question over and over until he gets an answer. And for what? A gang steal his car, and he is prepared to kill anyone and drive for days to get it back. Why? Despite a big clue half way through, we don't realise it's a clue until the final moments of the film.Robert Pattinson is the co-star in this movie. Cards on the table, I don't like him. i found him creepy beyond belief in Twilight, and Cosmopolis is the worst film I have ever sat through, but in this film he portrays a simle but conflicted man-child with conviction and sympathy. Damn it, I didn't want to like his actiong, but in this he is actually good.A word of warning, don't watch this at 2 am after a bottle of wine. The director isn't afraid to put in sequences of people sitting still, staring into their own angst, or creeping around buildings in silence. It's a film you have to be alert in. It's not a film you can zone out during the quite bits and still understand what's going on when you wake up.It's that rare thing, a violent sci-fi film that actually makes you think and surprised you with the ending.

This starts pretty well, Guy Pearce is on good form, their is a general set up of a post-economic collapse Australia (not unlike the first Mad Max film). Life is brutal, etc but its well acted and scripted. Then Robert Pattinson rocks up. From here on the film reeks of having got the OK because Pattinson is attached and he sucks the life out of it, I assume he is trying to build credibility by working with a hot and upcoming director. Despite the setting he is an American yokel, I assume because he could not do a generic Australian accent. Essentially he plays the character as if he is Cletus from the Simpsons. Worst bit is a campfire scene which doesn't really move the plot along but smells of Pattinson trying to be actorly. This would likely have been a four star film but this character just shoots holes in it.

This is not a fun film, but every second is worth watching.Guy Pierce absolutely at the top of his game; and Pattinson effortlessly showing his range.The film 'Mad Max' thinks it is.

DVD perfetto come nuovo... nessuna imperfezione ...più che soddisfatto, consegnato anche in anticipo!!!!! grazie mille

This is a wonderful film, providing a glimpse of a dystopian, but believable near future. While violent and brutal at times, Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson also manage to attract empathy and unexpected emotional depth. Beautifully filmed (the harsh landscape is spectacular), carefully paced and wonderfully acted.

Set in a world 10 years after a catastrophic Western economic collapse, THE ROVER follows a hardened loner (Pearce) as he travels the desolate towns and roads of the outback with a wounded captive (Pattinson) in search of the one thing that still matters to him, his stolen car. Pattinson does great acting in this movie. This movie is definitely worth watching.

Great movie, director and cast. The plot, the post-apocalyptic world, and the message can`t be better developed. Highly reccomended movie

Tout a disparu.Deux longs plans fixes sur le désert et le visage de Guy Pearce suffisent.le réalisateur David Michôd plante le décor, pose le rythme du film et nous présente le personnage central. Tout est là.Tout est dit.On appelle cela une ouverture magistrale, ou plus simplement du grand Art.Transfert Blu-ray impérial. image détaillée et totalement fidèle à la photographie "rugueuse" de la jeune et talentueuse directrice photo Natasha Braier (Casse-tête Chinois, Fausta) Un tournage en 35 mm assurant à l'ensemble une belle patine argentique.L'art de bien s'entourer est également la marque des grands.Clin d'oeil à une B.O hors-balises. Expérimentale à souhait, entre rythmiques lancinantes, discordances et mélodies de soirées karaoké surgies de nulle part. Une partition fascinante dirigée par Antony Partos, déjà à l'oeuvre sur Animal Kingdom, le précédent film de David Michôd.Avec The Rover, son second long métrage, ce jeune et puissant réalisateur a trouvé sa place dans la cour des grands.Son cinéma brutal, sec et sans concessions annonce clairement des lendemains qui chantent.Il est d'abord un immense directeur d'acteur.Guy Pearce trimballe sa silhouette cabossée et son regard brisé de culpabilité avec une intensité qui assoit définitivement son statut d'acteur de premier plan ainsi que la crédibilité du récit.Une fin du monde plus proche de nous que jamais.Une atmosphère violente et désespérée ou chacun n'agit que pour sa propre survie.Ce reflux total d'humanité évoque une parfaite filiation avec le film d'un autre réalisateur australien : La Route de John Hillcoat, sorti 5 ans plus tôt.Même dépouillement, même lenteur pesante de l'action.Refus absolu d'un cinéma de la séduction immédiate.Impossible de ne pas évoquer la prestation saisissante du héros de Twilight, Robert Pattinson.L'ex beau ténébreux pour midinettes campe avec finesse et profondeur un personnage d'attardé mental qui volerait presque la vedette à son partenaire.Ce duo improbable va se lancer dans une quête en apparence absurde, l'occasion en chemin de dresser un état des lieux terrifiant.Des espaces désertiques étirés à l'infini et des bourgades écrasée de soleil et de misère crasse ou plus rien ne fait sens.Tout combat semble dérisoire et perdu d'avance.Galerie de personnages tantôt pathétiques ou terrifiants. Un monde ou le danger guette en permanence. Ou seul quelques représentants de l'armée simulent un semblant de maintien de l'ordre. Sans y croire et suivant une stratégie de complète déroute.David Michôd parle bien de notre monde. Le désert est celui d'aujourd'hui.Absence d'avenir et d'espoir dans un univers de crise permanente et sans doute définitive.Une société du chacun pour soi ou finalement plus grand chose ne fait sens.Constat effrayant qui confère au film un sinistre statut d'oeuvre prémonitoire....Blog Les chroniques ciné de Francisco