A film with a lot of promises: the Australian director who made “Animal Kingdom” at directing and writing, a road trip western style reminding “Mad Max” with a bad-tempered Guy Pearce and a simple-minded Robert Pattinson.
From the first images, you understand the whole movie; it has a real directing and actors are at their best but the screenplay is sorely lacking of dramatic tension. The film takes place in an apocalyptic Australia ruled by the U.S. dollar and the Asian domination.
Eric (Guy Pearce) has the tendency of not answering questions and to get easily angry. Especially when someone steals his car. This is the story of this guy who does everything he can to find it back and takes hostage the simple-minded brother of the thief, Rey (Robert Pattinson). Guy Pearce expresses perfectly the tension his character encounters and delivers a true demonstration of acting. Same thing for Robert Pattinson, very touching as a simple -minded guy, absolutely not ridiculous despite a very tricky part. His look has been chosen by him and Michôd; the dirty teeth, the haircut… The Cronenberg movies started to show the potential of Pattinson but this is the first film where you actually see his talent.
The directing is at its best: the stylish shots and a true aesthetics, tracking shots like Nicolas Winding Refn. However, the film has its own style and it is the strength of Michôd; it differs from a American indie directing like Jeff Nichols can do. For example, he dares to put a Chinese-English RnB song during a scene where the main two characters walk away in the plains. The use of sound is by the way very important: the almost ubiquitous silences are succeeded by an anxious soundtrack composed by one or two notes, very loud gun shots and Thai pop music. Michôd has indeed an original sound and image style.
However, the failure appears in the screenwriting. A car as a McGuffin, a main character who has the tendency of shooting anything that moves, bad guys not that scary… a lot of noise but little interest. You do not identify with the characters; you are not embarked in their journey.
In short, awesome directing, a Guy Pearce who is still great, the birth of a grand Pattinson, but a screenplay that can be boring … Consider yourselves warned!
