Finally Saw The Road

I finally got to see The Road today, and it was well worth the wait. I won't bother with a full review, just my own quick thoughts.

I started a re-read of the book on Wednesday, and literally finished it sitting in the theater, minutes before the movie started. So, I was able to appreciate how faithful the movie is to the book, and at the same time to notice what they moved around or added. One obvious addition, watching a gang hunt down a fleeing young woman and child, must have been a replacement for the baby scene, since it fell in at about the right spot. But basically, it stuck very close to the book, with much of the dialog straight from the novel.

It was great to be able to really see what I've been visualizing all this time, and it did pretty much jive with the way it looked in my head, but it was even bleaker than I had pictured. I guess I never really realized just how much ash was everywhere and how bare the trees were. From now on, whenever I read the book, I'll definitely be imagining the look from the movie.

One thing seeing it on screen made me realize is that I would have preferred a slightly different ending. Watching the final scene made me think it was a bit contrived. If I had a vote, I would have liked to see The Boy shoulder his pack and continue his trek down the road on his own.

But overall, I loved it. What was straight from the book was done well, and what was added wasn't jarring. I'll definitely be checking it out again in the theater, and can't wait for the blu-ray, and hopefully an extended cut.