The Gist:
In the future, water has become scarce. Ernest (Michael Shannon) is a farmer convinced his soil is fertile enough to grow crops. He wants to convince a local gang who runs the water supply to water his crops. On the other hand a young man named Flem (Nicholas Hoult) is trying to worm his way into Ernest’s family with his own intentions.
The Review:
Ok let’s get this out of the way, this has nothing to do with the upcoming Mad Max: Fury Road except that both of them are starring Nicholas Hoult, and they both take place in post apocalyptic wastelands but that’s it. So why the name change from The Young Ones? Well why not? Although the central theme is about the younger generation taking up the mantle from the old, the newer title has some weight to it. Now with that out of the way, how does the movie hold up?
Pretty good actually. Directed by Jake Paltrow (Yes Gwyneth’s bro) Bad Land: Road To Fury is split into three chapters, each one individually focusing on Ernest (Shannon), Flem (Hoult) and Jerome (McPhee). Shannon plays the role of Ernest, a father struggling to convince everyone that his soil is fertile. He makes his way by selling booze to a bunch of grunts (not the military type) who control the water supply. He has a loving son Jerome (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and a daughter Mary (Elle Fanning) who is a moody cow to say the least. Why? It’s never fully explained, only hinted. Aimee Mullins plays the mother who is paralysed and is living in a treatment facility where she can walk with the aid of a suit.
When Ernest’s donkey breaks his legs, he goes to the local auction house and wins a four legged carrier robot called Sim who actually becomes central to the plot especially since Flem originally had his eye on him for his own devious needs. Soon he begins to work his way into the family’s business. And that is where the script falls a bit flat, the characters don’t have much per se but are only saved by the actors themselves. As usual Shannon is a joy to watch as the troubled Ernest, Hoult could have been given more but he plays the part well. McPhee’s Jerome is forced to grow up too soon, one of the strongest written characters. As for Fanning’s Mary, she could have been written out half way for she is only there to wash dishes with dirt and fret about other things rather than the fact there’s a goddamned drought!
The film’s main saving grace beside the cast, are Paltrow and cinematographer Giles Nuttgen. They make use of their limited budget, capturing the vast desert landscapes and their performers under the scorching sun. One thing you will get from this film is the sense of heat for sure. Kudos also goes to the props department with the fancy phones, Sim and the ever so cool to look at assault rifle flip shotgun hybrid thingy that Ernest uses.
The Verdict:
A well executed Sci-Fi western drama. With a script not too heavy on characters, this could have drifted into oblivion given the wrong cast. That is simply not the case here.
Certificate: 15
Director: Jake Paltrow
Starring: Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, Elle Fanning
Running Time: 100 minutes
Release Date: Cinema 1st May , DVD & Digital HD 4th May
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