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Andy K (10823 KP) rated The Rover (2014) in Movies

Nov 20, 2019

The Rover (2014)

2014 | Mystery, Sci-Fi, Western

7.5

(2 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Don't mess with a man's car!

If you have seen the current Netflix film, The King (hopefully watching this weekend), you will have seen a subsequent effort by writer/director David Michôd.

This film takes place 10 years after "the collapse", not really specified other than not many people around and the ones who are survive a desolate, isolated existence. The setting is the barren Australian outback wasteland where human beings are scarce and gratuity and benevolence are things of the past.

A lonely man (never spoke his name in the film) sees three men steal his vehicle after theirs is sidelined from an apparent crash. Incensed, the grizzled man takes off after the threesome rapidly wanted to reacquire it. The men are far in the lead down the infinity highway, but the man manages to catch them since they are unaware of the pursuit. After some cat and mouse along the highway, the man is unable to retrieve his vehicle at that time.

The makes his way through the harsh landscape eventually running across the wounded brother of one of his car thieves who he decides to bring along for the ride. The brother is willing to explain the possible destination of the thieves as well as he may want some sort of vengeance since his brother and companions left him to die on the side of the road.

Any post-apocalyptic film set in Australia immediately will remind you of the Mad Max films. Similar in setting only, this film is much less action and is an unlikely road film at its core. There are some well designed action scenes when the men encounter various scumbags and individuals along their route. You are never really sure why the man is so interested in getting his car back until the very end.

Guy Pearce shows he is up to the challenge of playing a very unlikable, hardened miscreant, while Robert Pattinson plays the simpleton sidekick role extremely well. His accent his so hard to understand at times (reminded me of Brad Pitt in Snatch) I actually had to rewind a few times because I missed the catchy dialogue.

The film does have a few dry spots, but I was very surprised how much I liked this.