The Rover

The Rover is brutal, lacking every ingredient for lush growth of any kind. An environment blazing with unforgiving sun and dust that is so omnipresent you begin to feel parched just watching. The setting of Australian desert communicates the desolation and isolation of its characters in a very effective, nearly tangible way. Emotions and motivations are as raw and desperate as the climate that Rey (Robert Pattinson) and Eric (Guy Pearce) travel through. 

 

A decade after a global economic collapse finds these two, Rey a needy American youth, and Eric, an Australian ex-soldier and unrepentant killer (disconnected from nearly form of humanity), as unwilling partners. Both in a quest to reclaim Eric’s car stolen by Rey’s brother Henry (Scoot McNairy). In such times, it seems such an odd thing to focus on and Eric’s concentration is all consuming, laser like, unwavering, destroying anyone that gets in his way. 

 

Rey (cringingly described as “slow”) was injured in the robbery and left for dead by his brother, becomes Eric’s guide. Inspite of Henry’s abandonment and knowing Eric’s true desires, Rey is desperate to reconnect with his brother. Rey is the character opposition of Eric, desiring nothing but human, emotional connection. However, like Eric, Rey will go to any lengths to achieve this need. The more disconnected his feels from Henry, the closer he becomes to and becomes more like Eric.

 

Despite the evocative setting and engaging performances in Rover, there just isn’t much there there. The plot is so skeletal, it is easy to believe that there must be more. That Rey and Eric are headed toward more places than just where Henry has escaped to. Disappointingly, this not the case. The thin narrative is meant to reflect the sparseness of the lives in this dystopian reality, however, nothing is fleshed out enough to truly be moving. The viewer is left feeling the brutal hopelessness (undoubetedly a goal of directer David Michôd) but the lack of depth leaves one feeling as disconnected as Eric. Rover’s reach exceeds its grasp.