The Rover (2014)

200) The Rover (2014)

10 years after a global economic collapse, a hardened loner pursues the men who stole his only possession, his car. Along the way, he captures one of the thieves’ brother, and the duo form an uneasy bond during the dangerous journey.

8/10 – Written and directed by David Michôd who created the excellent Animal Kingdom, comes this weirdly sparse outback thriller. The dialogue is limited, the violence is frequent but quick, and the story is largely unexplained but simple. It’s an effective film, heightened by great performances from Guy Pearce – who plays a slightly disturbed and intense character, hell bent on getting his car back, and the barely recognisable Robert Pattinson whose simple redneck character soon becomes one of the most interesting aspects of the film.

It doesn’t pack as much of a punch as Animal Kingdom, it’s much more subdued. Similar to films like The Road, this sort of post-apocalyptic thriller relies on uncertainty and unpredictability to create suspense, the emptiness of the outback combined with the downfall of society is enough to create a certain uneasiness as it meanders to the finale.

Highly recommended, should still be available in some cinemas but it did only see a limited release.