The trailer for the post-apocalyptic thriller The Road has conveniently surfaced online, just in time to capitalize on the buzz spearheaded by Esquire — who saw it, loved it, and busted out their jump to conclusions mat to label it "the most important movie of the year." Certainly, we’re fans of Cormac McCarthy’s book around these parts as well, seeing how we ranked it No. 1 on our New Classics list. The trailer suggests that the film has been translated to the screen superbly, sporting a bleak, grayed look, and what looks to be a tremendous performance from Viggo Mortensen.
The book is one of the most disturbing pieces of literature I have ever read. There’s a specific scene in a basement that I caught a quick glimpse of in the trailer, and I’m not ashamed to admit it scared the daylights out of me. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be there on day 1 when the movie hits theaters Oct. 16. My one quibble would be the studio tried to make it more of an action movie than I think it really is. But hey, whatever they have to do to sell this thing is fine by me. What are your thoughts on the trailer? Too stark for your tastes?
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I can’t wait! It looks amazing.
I’m a little disappointed that they explain what the event that ends the world more than in the book- and the fact that the mother seems to play a much larger part. However, i will definitely be first in line to see this movie.
The movie will be different from the book. I hope they don’t show too much from the worst scenes because I believe my imagination is more dark than the scenes can possibly be. It’s like when Stephen King showed us what “It” was–a spider. What a disappointment. It totally deflated the threat for me. But I agree that leaving the nature of the apocolypse un-named is better.
The book was incredible and I’ve been waiting forever for this movie to come out, but, like you said, from the looks of the trailer, seems they may be going more of a disaster/action/horror route than focusing solely on the the father and son relationship. But could just be the trailer, since that’s their seller. And I’ve heard all good things. No doubt, come Oct. 16, I’ll be in the front of the line with you!
I know that basement scene you are talking about. Dang! I seriously cannot wait for this movie. I love the book and I LOVE Viggo Mortensen.
They showed Charlize Theron an awful lot in the trailer, relative to the size of the role in the book. I imagine that is just selective trailer editing, rather than a buffed role. In any case, it looks awesome and I’ll be in line on day one too.
I love the book, but the book has a deliberately slow pace to it. The amount of action in this trailer coupled with its fast-paced, heart-pounding music has me worried. I hope they didn’t ruin the story by making an action movie.
I can’t see the trailer from the computer I’m on right now, but I’m excited to know that there is one out there. I just read the book not that long ago and I’m pumped for the movie.
Too stark and bleak for my taste, but I’m sure my other half will insist on going to it/or renting it once on DVD
I hope they haven’t changed too much or added too much. But when someone once mentioned to James M. Cain how Hollywood had ruined his books, Cain said “no they didn’t. They’re still there on the shelf”.
I think the trailer spoiled the subtlety of the book. Part of what makes the story so bold, is no exposition to what occurred. The montage of natural disasters, human violence, etc. takes away from one of the most significant choices in the plot device. A slow, meditative trailer would be more appropriate. I think it has the potential to be a good film, yet that overused cliche scream at 2:03 really upsets me. Use some original recordings for once. Violence becomes cliched and too recognizable, rendering it subdued, something the violence in the book certainly wasn’t. The book is not about how the earth deteriorated, or how his beautiful wife came to shoot herself, it is primarily about the love a father has for his son and his willingness to protect him. Trailers like these trivialize that emotion, and lump it into post-apocalyptic cheese.
It gives me hope that it’s by the same crew that made “The Proposition” a few years ago. I’m looking forward to it.
I’m pumped. I’m not too worried about Theron having a big role; if you pay attention, she’s in the trailer a lot, but you can tell it’s actually only a few scenes. They just cut back to those same scenes.
I think the “thriller” pace is mostly just editing, and the music choice has a lot to do with it, too. It still looks great.
Looks good, but I agree, the Howie Scream diminishes the trailer. Why not throw in a Wilhelm Scream for good measure….
… and Drew: no spoilers please. Not everyone has read the book >_<
I agree that the fast paced trailer is a little dsiappointing, because the reason why the book was so great was because of it’s starkness and slower pace that gave you time to mull over the enormity of what has happened. It’s sad to thimk it’s going to be more of a thriller than the heartbreaking drama the book was. Oh well, still excited to see the movie.
It was more than heart-breaking for me. It was such a dark discourse on how our society could end up, and what will be the limits of our actions if the survival of our child is the reason?
Some of McCarthy’s other books required a 1955 Spanish-English dictionary for me to really grasp the subtleties.
I didn’t require looking up but one word in The Road, and I’m telling you, learning the definition of “catamite” is something I could have gone my entire life without knowing.
I agree with the Guaucho-Gringo dictionary necessity-Had I know what a catamite was I would most certainly have had a dog or cat named this. In line I will be!
“I hope they didn’t ruin the story by making an action movie.”
I’ve heard that it’s supposed to be fairly true to the tone and spirit of the book. If that is indeed the case, the trailer is awfully misleading — selling the story as some sort of action-horror-thriller (not to mention making Charlize Theron’s role seem bigger than it actually is) — but hey, whatever brings people to the theater to see this.
…this trailer is intended for people who haven’t read the book. I’m guessing Weinstein knows the readers of the book will be interested in watching this movie, regardless of how the movie adaptation was handled, and the trailer is intended to pump up excitement for everyone else by making the movie look like a post-apocalyptic thriller. (At least, that’s what I’m hoping…)
Charlize Theron did a great job with the acting scenes! You can tell already.
Thanks alot Drew, never read the book and now you spoiled what seems like a significant part of it.
Does anyone else think the trailer is a lot like a trailer for I Am Legend?? That’s all I could think about when I was watching it.
Oh no….. what have they done?!
I have had this book next to my bed for years. I can’t bring myself to read it and probably won’t know that I saw that. I can read some scary things, but that freaks me out. About spoilers – this book came out too long ago to be unspoiled – it was an Oprah pick for heaven’s sake!
I had to just sit and read this book all the way through in one sitting because of the subject matter, but I don’t think I want to see it as a movie. The pictures in my head while reading it were depressing enough.
II found the trailer to be too frenetic, and misleading as to the movie content. Love and caring for a child.
Miss Theron was as I understand it in the film approximately 5 minutes as a flashback. Unless of course the Weinstein’s have dabbled. I hope that the dabbling with the trailer will not ruin audience participation.
This is a film everyone should see, because it is real, people.
I think people are overreacting to the trailer Yeah, I agree, it’s too action-oriented and the music clearly wasn’t by Nick Cave. At least we’re out of the ’80s and ’90s, otherwise we would have had the “O Fortuna” section from Carmina Burana as the trailer music.
However, the people who make the trailer aren’t the same people who make the movie. The trailer is mere marketing, not the content of the movie. It could easily have been much, much worse. Frankly, I think the main problem was the hint that the catastrophe was related to global warming, which it wasn’t.
Drew you are an a hole!
Looks too actiony, I thought the same thing upon first seeing it. Worse than expected, hope it’s just the trailer.
Bring on Blood Meridian!
I have every inclination to avoid this movie. The book was told in quiet thoughtful moments and in simple dialogue. This makes for an extremely dull movie – hence the over-the top action sequences, hurricanes, bands of militia, etc. The trailer, at least, misses the whole point.
Did you notice the book’s cadence was as stunted, bleak, minimalistic, fragmented, and moment-to-moment as was the lives of the Boy and the Man?
They’ve been fooling around with this movie for awhile now. I hope they didn’t tart it up for the preteen sociopath.
I cant wait to see the movie. have it marked on my calendar. The trailer looks so good that I cant wait to see the movie.