Access Film
Interpretation
Words: Nissa 07130 / Editor: Andrew Thren
THE ROAD
Director : John Hillcoat
Written by :
Joe Penhall
Cast :
Charlize Theron, Garret Dillahunt, Guy Pearce, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Robert
Duvall, Viggo Mortensen
Production year
: 2009
Runtime
: 119 mins
The Road is a film adapted from the same title
Pulitzer Prize winning novel written by Cormac McCarthy. It is a powerful,
apocalyptic, yet a blinding and evoking film. It tells us the story about
a father (the Man) and a son (the Boy) perceiving their existence in which the
conditions of life are extremely bad as from deprivation, oppression, or terror
of a post-apocalyptic world. The early scenes show us how the Man and his wife
(the Woman) witness the end of the day. However, there is no exact explanation
for what triggers the world’s devastation and it seems like there is no more
chance for mankind to survive in spite of adversity.
There is no certain plot implied in
this film. It sort of goes all over the place, back and forth, to the time
before the calamity happens and at the moment when the calamity happens. The
Boy was born at some time after the disaster happened. The mother of the Boy
found it difficult to endure her life in such a condition where habitations
were demolished, and people who survived become uncivilized as they turned
into cannibals. At last, she committed suicide, as she said, ‘They’re gonna
catch up with us. They’re gonna kill us and they’re gonna eat us… I don’t wanna
just survive, don’t you get it?’ (Hillcoat, The Road, 2009, 00:20:40)
After being left by the Woman, the Man
and the Boy wander through death valleys, abandoned towns, and dying forests.
They are heading to the sea. On the road of their journey, they come
across some inflicting upshots; join with another wanderer,
escape from cannibals, and find food and shelter for
themselves. Later, those occurrences lead us to the evoking messages
behind the relationship build up between the Man and the Boy.
Lighting
Up the FIRE inside You
The Man, unlike the Woman, has a
strong belief that they’re going to survive; they’re not going to quit. He
clings on to “the fire inside you” (Hillcoat, The Road, 2009, 00:24:39)
as he teaches the Boy to have great compliance to persist for his life. The Man
and the Boy depict a strong emotional connection between a father and a son.
As life gets harder for them, where there is no civilization, the
Man, armed with patience, shows the Boy how to support himself, how to define
the good and the bad, and how to understand and construe the meaning of life.
Just like all parents all across the universe, their affection grows inside our
hearts and minds, creating a warm ambiance that fires up our will to
live.
Savoring the Meaning of LIFE
At the end of the film, the Man is
dying, waiting for the moment when death is about to draw closer. He tells his
son, ‘You have to keep trying. You have to find the good guys. You have to let
me go.’ (Hillcoat, The Road, 2009, 01:09:54) From this scene, in my
point of view, after all that they’ve been through, The Road elicits and
evokes our awareness that life is not that simple. It requires strenuous effort
and many forms of struggle. We must savor it as a priceless gift that God
gives.
Blossoming Out Your FUTURE Plans
In the film, the Man and the Boy have
a certain destination for their journey which is heading to the sea. They
finally reach their goal through various ventures and tough efforts.
Regarding this notion, the Man and the Boy who are said to live in such
deprived conditions can still hold tight their hopes and faith, then why don’t
we look at their passion and begin to determine, make, or come to a
decision about our future plans? Or, do you already have it? Then, synchronize your
plan with the road to accomplish it!
Live as if you were to die tomorrow.
Learn as if you were to live forever.
(Mohandas K.
Gandhi)
P.S. This was the last article I wrote for my dearly loved "Access" English Department Magz.
Oh how I miss those splendid days back then.. :'))
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