-Barrett McPhaul
The vast landscapes of west Texas
grace the screen, creating
a somber and mysterious tone. Dry and barren, the desert seemingly
comes to
life with a pulse of its own. The mood and feeling of the movie, now
fully
revealed, will inevitably stay with the viewer.
Chilling, harrowing and violent, the
Coen Brothers’ latest
film adaptation is that of Cormac McCarthy’s No
Country for Old Men.
It exerts its prowess with a force
of
reckless passion and intensity. Utilizing absolutely every minute of
its 122
minute runtime (such utilization allows the movie to feel as if it is
lasting
two and a half hours, not necessarily a bad thing, mind you), No Country has no surplus of unnecessary
additions. Laced with stunning cinematography, the film’s
images convey
meanings inexpressible by words or dialogue. A particular seen
involving a drug
deal gone wrong, leaves the viewer in utter shock, disturbed by the
happenings
that have obviously occurred. Rightfully nominated for “Best
Achievement in
Cinematography,” No
Country’s
illustrative story telling is breathtaking.
Following the mayhem that ensues
after a man comes across a
stash of $2 million dollars in a valley near the Rio Grande, No Country revels in the suspense it
instills upon its audience. Llewelyn Moss, played by a thick mustache
sporting
Josh Brolin, has some new insight on life. After his discovery, he is
certain
he can make a clean getaway. Not so fast. The diabolical portrayal of
Anton
Chigurh, the movie’s obvious antagonist, by Oscar nominated
Javier Bardem, is
as tormenting as the desert sun on a lost soul. Chigurh’s
motives go far beyond
the sole retrieval of the stolen cash, but stretch into his
“moral compass.”
Believing he was wronged, Anton will literally stop at nothing to
ensure not only
the recovery of the money, but the demise to all of those who
inconvenienced
him along the way. Every frame with Anton sends chills running up and
down the
viewer’s spine. The so called “mentor” of
the movie, Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy
Lee Jones), also serves the purpose of narrator as well as a moral
philosopher.
His determination in resolving the conflict reveals startling truths in
the
realm of human nature. Through simple diction (from a simple man),
Each shot is meticulous in its simplicity, exacting in its motives and most importantly entertaining to its core. If there ever was a film to engross an audience in the sole reason of its existence, well, that is No Country for Old Men.