VDT View — “The Road” (Drama: 1 hour, 51 minutes); Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce and Robert Duvall; Director: John Hillcoat; Rated: R (Violence, gore, nudity and profanity)

Movie Review: A post-apocalyptic tale based on the book by Cormac McCarthy (“No Country for Old Men,” 2007; “All the Pretty Horses,” 2000), a man (Mortensen) and his young son (Smit-McPhee) travel through rough lands, trying to survive by any means possible. The father and son face hidden, dangerous conditions continuously: murders, cannibals, thieves and rapists. Even more, the duo faces psychological aspects of survival, sometimes considering suicide as a means to escape their nightmarish life. Yet they keep walking south toward the coastal plains, searching for food, warmer climates and a safe place.

Lately, movie cinemas are plagued with apocalyptic photoplays — plots involving Earth after a major catastrophe. This one is a 2009 film just making it to wider audiences. Also, it is one of the better post-apocalyptic debuts thanks to a genuine penmanship of screenwriter Joe Penhall.

To explain the state of life of a damaged Earth in this film, Mortensen’s character asks an old man played by Robert Duvall, whose body is aching from miles of walking and avoiding dangers, if he ever considers death as an escape from the hellish world in which they live. Duvall’s character conveys with a deep sense of conviction, “What’s done is done. Anyway, it’s foolish to ask for luxuries in times like these.”

Those words are powerful and, tragic as they appear, convey this movie’s world, a place where death is arguably a good thing.

The life portrayed in this film is gritty and gory. Characters live a difficult existence but they survive. Unlike other destructive Earth films, this one makes its focus survival of two family members and their daily struggles. You do not know how the planet became the terrible place it is, but these two characters’ existence in this world is captivating. Emotional attachment to this father and his child is instant and easy. The predicament in which these two find themselves is not a place anyone would want to be, especially if one is a parent with your only child. This relationship is captured nicely due to the fine acting of Mortensen and Smit-McPhee.

Mortensen is a fine actor, one of moviedom’s best. Here, he must play a parent protecting his child while facing his own fears and grieving over his deceased wife, played by Theron via a series of flashbacks. Mortensen shows his anguish, an emotive masterpiece and a superb presentation of range and versatility. Mortensen is Oscar-worthy, splendidly excellent in every role he plays.

Smit-McPhee nicely holds his own, considering he is a child actor. He portrays much with little communication at times. His onscreen relationship with Mortensen is awe-inspiring.

Also, look out for talented actors Guy Pearce and Robert Duvall in small roles, where they almost appear unrecognizable. Duvall is especially captivating as an old man, traveling dangerous roads alone.

Director John Hillcoat does a great job helming this drama with no pretentious bits. While some more back-story details would have been nice — such as what happened to cause this disastrous planet — the realism portrayed is fascinatingly present with zeal and expertise.

Grade: B+ (A road worth traveling ...)



By Adann-Kennn Alexxandar

The Valdosta Daily Times

“The Tooth Fairy” (Adventure/Family/Fantasy: 1 hour, 30 minutes); Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Ashley Judd, Billy Crystal and Julie Andrews; Director: Michael Lembeck; Rated: PG (Violence and some non-sociable language)

Movie Review: Derek Thompson (Johnson) is one of hockey’s best players. On the ice, he is “The Tooth Fairy.” Thompson occasionally dislocates opponents’ teeth via rough collisions, a practice that earned him his moniker. Thompson can be jerk on and off the ice rink. He constantly devalues the dreams of others. He tells one of his youngest fans, a small kid, to lower his expectations about achieving his goal of becoming a professional hockey player. While sleeping one night, Johnson receives a summons. Thompson must report to the chief administrator of Tooth Fairies, Lily (Andrews). Thompson must serve as a tooth fairy for two weeks. Hockey is easy, but putting money under pillows for teeth is not as easy as Thompson imagines.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is still very masculine, even in a pink tutu or sky blue tights. Johnson keeps managing to surprise as a family-friendly actor, even in the gaudiest of screenplays.

Anyone over the age of believing in fairies will probably find this a lukewarm piece. However, families should find this comedy interesting and inviting.

Grade: C+ (Teeth and fairies, you make the call.)



“Extraordinary Measures” (Drama: 1 hour, 45 minutes); Starring: Brendan Fraser, Harrison Ford and Keri Russell; Director: Tom Vaughan; Rated: PG (Profanity and thematic elements)

Movie Review: An adaptation of Geeta Anand’s book, John and Aileen Crowley (Fraser and Russell, respectively) attempt to help two of their children fight a rare genetic disorder. They enlist the aid of Dr. Robert Stonehill (Ford, who provides laughs), a scientist on the cutting edge of a cure. Dr. Stonehill and the Crowleys need financial support. They find the resources, but the funds do not necessarily make life easier or a cure more forthcoming.

Like a television program with no commercials, this drama moves quickly, jumping haphazardly from one scene to the next without an emotional component. Even more, time is absent and distances appear irrelevant, as the cast moves from one city to the next over a period of time. The result is a mediocre production about real-life events that should be a serious drama. As an alternative, audiences receive an uplifting piece without getting anything inspiringly memorable.

Grade: C (Ordinary measures)



“Legion” (Action/Adventure: 1 hour, 40 minutes); Starring: Paul Bettany, Lucas Black, Tyrese Gibson, Adrianne Palicki, Charles S. Dutton and Dennis Quaid; Director: Scott Stewart; Rated: R (Profanity, strong violence and gore)

Movie Review: Charlie (Palicki), pregnant and a month away from becoming a mother, finds herself at the center of the universe while working in a diner in the middle of nowhere. Charlie’s baby is the focal point of a battle between God’s angels and humanity.

God loses faith in humankind and decides to send his angels to cleanse the planet. For some reason, Charlie’s unborn child is the key to stopping the annihilation of people on the planet. To save the child, Michael (Bettany), a general and angel of God’s army, falls from Heaven to save the child. His job will not be easy, considering Michael has only a few people to aid him in his quest to save humanity from God’s wrath.

Plot: It builds characters. The intrigue is lost with “Legion” — it never explains the multiple questions it delivers?

“Legion” turns Christianity into modern mythology with no solid plot. Like other tales about angels in Heaven, the greater story is what is Heaven like when angels appear to disobey God’s orders. That is the greater story here. Instead, the plot revolves around a baby. Is this baby the Second Coming, the next savior of humankind, or a mutant with telekinesis? Audiences never discover why this baby is important, although this notion is relayed multiple times. Viewers only know this unborn child is important for humanity.

Keys are handy devices. However, if one does not know where they fit, keys are useless. The plot is useless here.

Instead, this photoplay turns into an action flick, where the main characters make no sense. Much is unexplained about these one-dimensional characters, who, while in danger, never evoke emotion. They never appear worthy of audiences’ compassion because the screenplay has plenty of trivialities and holes.

A legion of people developed this screenplay. Apparently, none had an angle to guide them.

Grade: D (A legion of mistakes)