The Rover [Film Review]

"You should never stop thinking about a life you've taken. That's the price you pay for taking it."

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we've got another Blue Ruin on our hands. Though it's not quite as good as that brilliant film, it is nonetheless a riveting and absorbing film of revenge.

The Rover is something of a western, though it's far more evasive than your average film from that genre. The moral scale of the characters in the film tips back and forth so often it's hard to keep track of who you're really rooting for. The film begins with a man's car being stolen by a group of thieves. This man being Guy Pearce, you know he's going to do something about this.

The majority of the film he is constantly pushing forward, eager and desperate to get his car back by any means necessary. He employs the help of one of the thieves that were left behind, played by Robert Pattinson, to help him find the group. The question of why the car is so important is the primary thing that drives the film forward. That, and several tremendous action sequences and some stunningly stupendous cinematography (I actually find good cinematography to be entertaining all on its own, which is one of the reasons why I find The Master and The Life Aquatic entertaining while my friends consider them boring).

Guy Pearce takes center stage with ease as he has before. He plays a strong, mysterious character with little described history. He seems to be the classic western immortal character, heartlessly executing people and then later stating that you pay a price for each head. He's a dark and persistent man with unknown motives, and its so perplexing it helps keep the film afloat.

It's an odd revenge thriller with an emotional punch near the end, with some spectacular music and terrific acting from the entire crew. If you understand its messages, please comment! I'd love to hear some interpretations.