The Story
So the story begins as our bad guy Anton Chigurh is arrested. He quickly disposes of the deputy, in a most gruesome fashion, and finds his way out into the world again. In the meantime, Llewelyn Moss, our anti-hero, is out hunting and spies a drug deal that has gone bad. Not thinking too much of the actual consequences, he finds himself on the scene and, more importantly, he finds himself a large sum of cash ($2 million, I believe). Thinking that he can just walk right out with the cash, he packs his stuff, goes home. Of course, when he somehow makes it back onto the scene again that night, he meets up with the owners of the money. Shot, and fleeing, Llewelyn escapes, but is now being tracked. Tracked by who? Anton Chigurh. Will Llewelyn take down Chigurh before he gets taken down? You’ll have to find out.
There was so much hype behind this film, at least in the recent weeks before the Oscars. I was always a fan of the Coen brothers. Loved Fargo, O’Brother Where Art Thou?, and a few other films of theirs. They always had a unique way of bringing out characters that certainly were memorable. You should never try to argue that point. When I heard about this film from a good friend, I was quite excited to see the Blu-ray. What was obtained from the film was nothing short of disappointment. Sure you’ve got your characters that stand out and are unique. They’re very strongly presented and developed. And while it’s wonderful to see Javier Bardem break into the big-time from this film, and Josh Brolin break away from his Goonie roots, it was very disappointing to see such a lifeless story. I know the Coen brothers were certainly trying to make a statement and trying to do something different from the norm, but quite frankly it was entertaining at all. Bardem’s Anton is scary as hell. That’s probably the only reason I kept watching. The story certainly had a peaking point and had an opportunity to go out blazing, but it burnt out faster than a sparkler on the fourth of july. The ending, which I won’t give away, is just flat. It’s just outright flat. Anti-climatic? Yes, quite. Even if the Coen brother’s where reaching for art, they failed. And for those people who really believe that there isn’t any music in the film, check out the scene at the gas station with the old man. If my ears are serving me correctly, there is an eerily building piece in the background, unless of course the gas station plays dramatic music at the right moments.
With that said, I do appreicate what all the actors brought to the film. They’re memorable, as most Coen characters are. Brolin certainly stepped out his typical realm of acting and into this role as the hero who isn’t a hero. And Anton Chigurh deserved the oscar for his role in the film. Scary as hell, that’s the best way to describe it. When you see him on screen you know there’s going to be trouble, and he didn’t disappoint. As for Tommy Lee Jones, he was just like the Tommy Lee Jones in every other film, and even in his Japanese commercials (look them up on Youtube.com — Boss Coffee). I commend these actors for putting one helluva performance together, it certainly wasn’t their fault that the movie was flat. It was, regretfully, the screenwriter’s fault.
Special Features
The special features on this Blu-ray are good. You get a nice piece about working with the Coens and an even better piece about the Making of the film. For fans of the film, like the Boston Globe, New York Post and L.A. Times, they’ll especially love and appreciate this. Here’s the full list:
– Working with The Coens
– The Making Of No Country For Old Men
– Diary of a Country Sheriff
it doesn’t seem like a lot, but the features are pretty good. I found them a heck of a lot more interesting than the film itself. I don’t mean to be overly critical of the movie, but it was definitely a disappointment.
No Country For this reviewer after this review
I don’t go out trying to trash films, that’s certainly not my style. I give any movie the benefit of the doubt. I can see why people were mesmerized by this film, it certainly had strong characters. I praise the actors for bringing their all to the screen. My only problem with this film is that it seemed more like a series of moments instead of a smooth sailing piece. I still blame the writing and wish that the ending would have been better. When I say better, I mean not rushed. I would have certainly given 30 more minutes of my life for an extended explanation or even an extended scene showing Brolin’s character’s conclusion (not a spolier — just a reference to a conclusion on his story). That aside, I think the Blu-ray format truly brings out another level of intensity to the movie and carries the vision a step further. Rent before you buy.
