this film be a dull disappointment at best . i have not read the book nor plan to . it astound me how many people be impress with this unbalanced and relatively lacklustre film . the dismal scenery wouldn not be so much the problem have the material itself be worthwhile . i be not one to be afraid of bleak material . a work of art should never have to explain itself but there have to be structure and variety of theme and idea and coherence and plausibility . the road be a plausible story but tailor to an audience without a sense of humour and people who happen to revel in pessimism and continually find the much abused redemption theme somehow original in an industry saturate with holocaust film and romantic comedy . ( if it isn not the rush to the airport scenario or make up scene and it the release of a prisoner . ) the human character be far more complex than this film would you lead to believe . the acting be good and acceptable but at time it would be nice to see a smile and let alone a nuance a oppose to the three blast emotional tenor of fear and anguish and sorrow . imagine listen to a song with only minor chord and you will understand that there be virtually no spectrum here and let alone a hint of subtlety in the performance . viggo be good but one get the impression he could have amailed it in ( to borrow a much use cliché ) . one thing i continually find difficult be that for a man who be determine to get somewhere like viggo character and wouldn not he have great emotional tool as well a survival skill to get to his goal . we understand he have endure a great deal and a man can only take so much but wouldn not there be evidence of his deeper will in his coping . watch the film i only saw physical reaction to the hostile environment and never human and below the surface one . the viewer have to ask his or herself be watch this film an exercise in spiritual let alone intellectual masochism . without any character development and without a sympathetic lead and the audience be only trudge along miserably with our two suppose hero and for a discerning viewer and one should eventually feel cheat with this film reliance on the visceral to provide sustenance instead of a story . there be nothing really at stake in this movie beyond survival . the post apocalyptic world of the road be empty and colourless and seemingly devoid of relationship . sure the father love his son and there be some tender moment but the unconditional love for the child by the father can not carry a story . but somehow i get the impression that the politics of oscar will somehow keep this film on the clunky pop cultural radar . for me and it be a case of the emperor new clothes and i be tire of see viggo as .