6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
In the Australian desert in the dangerous and dysfunctional near future, Eric is a withdrawn lone-wolf drifter who is sent into a rage when his only important possession, his car, is stolen by a sadistic band of thieves. During their escape, the thieves leave behind one of their own, Rey, and Eric uses him to hunt the others.
Starring: Guy Pearce, Robert Pattinson, Scoot McNairy, David Field (I), Anthony HayesDrama | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English, English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
What is it about Australia that seems to make it such ripe territory for post-Apocalyptic dramas? When asked this question, many might instantly think of The Mad Max Trilogy, but as far back as the 1950s novelist Nevil Shute was depicting a somewhat more staid Australian reaction to a nuclear holocaust in his still chilling On the Beach. Even the decidedly cheeky Tank Girl’s source comic utilized the island nation as its locale, though the film didn’t really emphasize that fact very much. Remote, mysterious, alternately barren and lush, and at least partially populated by the descendants of some of Britain’s most notorious criminals, Australia has somehow become the “go to” continent for post-Apocalyptic fiction, and it serves that purpose once again in the 2014 film The Rover, an interesting if perhaps appropriately meandering film written and directed by David Michôd. An almost unrecognizable Guy Pearce portrays a loner named Eric, a scraggly looking character who spends most of the film trying to chase down a trio of thieves who have made off with his car. Along the way, he hooks up with Rey, the wounded (and perhaps mentally deficient) brother of one of the thieves, utilizing the simple minded man child to help track down the bad guys. Robert Pattinson is about as equally unrecognizable in this role as Pearce is in his. The film is largely a so-called “two hander”, though a number of tangential characters waft in and out at various times. Alternately strangely lyrical and almost grotesquely violent, The Rover at the very least offers a chance to both Pearce and Pattinson to break free of perceived typecasting and offer some really interesting, if occasionally bizarre, performances.
The Rover is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Liongate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.40:1. This is a film actually shot on film, and there's a beautiful depth and texture to the imagery here that proves what an evocative medium this continues to be. While there are some issues with the range of light the camera is able to effectively capture, leaving some dark scenes a bit muddy looking, overall this is a really spectacular looking release, with deep, etched fine detail readily apparent in the stars' faces and a nicely burnished accounting of the almost alien looking Australian countryside. Colors are accurate looking if not especially vivid (by design). Contrast is also strong and stable, and the transfer suffers from no encoding anomalies.
The Rover 's lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track provides consistent if sometimes subtle immersion, courtesy of a wealth of well placed ambient environmental effects. There are sudden bursts of LFE in scenes like the riotous crash of the bad guys' car or some gunfire that erupts as the film progresses. Dialogue is cleanly and clearly presented and the film's interesting score, by Antony Partos, also sounds great and spills through the surrounds quite nicely.
There is frankly not that much in the destination in The Rover, and so the film, unlike its obsessive anti-hero, often seems a bit aimless and undercooked. But the basic storyline is incredibly compelling and Pearce and Pattinson offer really fascinating interpretations of two rather bizarre characters. Michôd has a fine eye for the unusual Australian landscape, and the film, while at times dramatically inert, is lyrical and horrifying in almost equal measure. Technical merits here are very strong, and The Rover comes Recommended.
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