Sorry James, perhaps if a tree had morphed into a robot and started blowing things up you might have stayed on a little longer....

I went to see this film last night. It is the first film in years that I have walked out on before it finished. I lasted about 1 hour. Reviewers say the film contains 'horror' but the most horrible part for me was that I had paid good money to see this rubbish. You get the picture of the situation in the first 5 minutes, after that, pretty much no plot. It's just plain boring. Don't waste yout time or money 'The Road'.

Kris #13, Yup. agree- its just a film review. But it reads like one posted by some kid on imdb's user comments- not one published in the 2nd largest newspaper in the country.

I'd like to have read how the film differs from the source material, how the writer solved the problem of the novel's interior monologue, what choices the director made in adapting a 1st -person novel into a visual medium, how the cinematographer visualised the landscape etc, thats what I expect from a film reviewer. Y'know, more insight- less empty gushing praise.

Can't believe some of the comments. 'Incoherent'? Well, I understood every sentence in Graemes review. And Ngakau a 'foreign word'? Not in Aotearoa its not,its a fine word from one of our official languages. (or is Aotearoa a 'foreign' word too?) and it was properly used. Ngakau is heart, guts, soul, everything I think Graeme intended. Good use of the right word I say.

Aroha to the mahi!

An 'assembler of the English language'- lol.

Does this convey praise for an esteemed author? - or is it a job description for a microwave oven factory in China (that needs someone to write an instruction manual)?

Phil #11 and Matt #9

Why don't you both get off you high horse, it's just a film review.

Saw the film last night. I have not read the book. Absolutely chilling movie. Really powerful stuff.

I really liked the way it avoided using obvious metaphors about modern living such as showing big piles of (useless) money or bank vaults of gold - everything was understated because it is obvious that we live in an artificial environment that we create and without that environment we are just animals. So well crafted. Also liked the fact the story didn't fall into the trap of trying to explain itself - what was the cataclysm? Who cares! If you were unlucky enough to survive it then you have more pressing things on your mind - like what to eat, how to stay warm.

Really powerful film. This film is a sobering reality. We exist because of the world we create - if the world creates a different place we're in trouble.

Davo,

Matt Bloom makes a valid point, that you obviously missed, namely that Tuckett can't even string a coherent sentence together.

Its too much to ask that this era's so-called 'film reviewers' might actually educate or inspire their audience (as Pauline Kael did), let alone win a Pulitzer prize for writing (as Roger Ebert did). Nup, all we get is lame attempt at a 'style' i.e. fake mate-iness, presumably to bend the ear of the 'common man'- which ultimately boils down to 'I liked-so its good. Do go!'.

As for using foreign words when writing in English, Perhaps Tuckett should heed George Orwell, one of English literature's greatest essayists' advice- namely, D0N'T. Its a cringe-inducing affectation.

You're right about one thing, in regards to your cleverness. Your closing remark is definitely juvenile and pathetically homophobic...what happened? did you wake up on the wrong side of your kapu- your hand, this morning?

Gee Matt Bloon (#9) I think its a great review. I like Mr Tucketts writing BECAUSE its got a personal voice to it. Its a review mate, not a court report. Nothing wrong with using a Maori word accurately in a New Zealand newspaper, Maori is one of NZ's official languages. And pretty obvious that when Graham writes 'the book has found a new home' that he's talking about on the movie screen. I understood it fine, and I'm not that clever. Whats your problem dude? Did you wake up on the wrong side of your boyfriend this morning?

congratulations to Graeme Tuckett for proving once again that he is a rare and special mangler of the English language. Don't believe me?-just read aloud the opening two sentences of his review of THE ROAD.

Convolution and clunkiness are the stock tools of Graeme's trade, his attempt to forge a personal voice made blunter still by his 'buggering about' with sub-Barry Crumpisms. Add to this the clanging pretension of throwing in a Maori word at random- God knows why?- for a film that has no connection whatsoever to New Zealand, (let alone Maori). Why not drop in the Swahili word for 'heart'?, it'd be as relevant.

Perhaps Monsuier Tuckett wants to impress readers with his intellect, he has read THE ROAD six times. I am particularly impressed by the puzzle presented in the final sentence- what is the wonderful home the book has now found? is it a library? a mantlepiece?

'What is worth surviving for', indeed! Does the Dom Post still employ sub-editors?