The Rover (2014)

In recent years, films centering around or having the story taking place in the country/continent of Australia have dwindled. Which is sad, because there is a lot creative potential in this place. Mostly because the country/continent is full of desert and nothingness. And that's where The Rover comes into play. Directed by David Michôd (Animal Kingdom), the film is a post apocalyptic view of the nation starring Guy Pierce and Robert Pattinson. The movie is good on the technical aspects, yet there is one major flaw that keep it from being perfect. The Rover is an exciting visual treat for the eyes, as well as delivering an intense drama from Australia.

An economic collapse of Australia has left many in an abandoned environment, mainly in the western region. One of these people is Eric (Guy Pierce), who wants to forget the past as it is too horrifying for him to take. Suddenly, a group of bandits come and steal Eric's car. Now, in a broken-down truck, Eric must get his car back at all costs; a personal reason is what keeps him going. Along the way, he meets and young kid named Rey (Robert Pattinson) who is badly injured; it just so happens that Rey's brother is one of the bandits. The two must form an unlikely bond and team up to meet their own personal quotas: Eric- to get his car back, and Ray- to get revenge on his brother who left him to die.

The Rover is an intense drama that needs to be seen to have an individual experience when one watches this movie.

The direction is perfect as director David Michôd creates a perfect atmosphere, leaving moments that have no dialogue work by giving the characters enough facial expression to show what's happening. In fact, one feels like they're watching a silent movie throughout the entire run time.

Guy Pierce steals the show as a loner that only wants to get a personal job done. As for the rest of the supporting cast, they are only on screen for a short period of time, but they do their job well enough to leave an impact. Robert Pattinson does a fine job with what he's given, but it almost feels out of place, it's almost surprising that we see him in a role like this.

Musically, it is great as it blends both modern rock with Australian compositions, with heavy usage of winds and strings. Just like the dialogue, there is hardly any musical accompaniment, but when an orchestration comes, it does its job well.

But what really sets the movie above the rest is the cinematography. For you see, Australia is mostly desert, at least in the western region, and for the context of this film, it works beautifully. The landscape is perfect for these types of films; if there is a movie that needs a post apocalyptic setting, then Australia is the place to film.

If there are any minor setbacks that the film offers, its with the pacing. The movie runs at a very slow pace, and it feels like one is checking their watch or clock wishing that it would be over soon. But for a movie of this caliber, it works within the context of a post-apocalyptic setting.

However, there is one major problem with The Rover, and that is the actual story. While the story is convincing enough and filled with very intense moments, it feels as if our main characters are going on one long determined path. Which makes the film not that engaging, nor interesting. Also, if there had been more of a connection between Eric and Ray, then the chemistry would have worked far better than what we are given.

In conclusion, The Rover is a fantastic piece of Australian cinema that audiences need to see more of. If the story could have been improved a bit, then the movie would have been perfect. But as it stands, it's a good movie supervised under great direction and good performances. The Rover is definitely something to behold from the land down under.