The Road - What it all Meant 

The Basement scene in the cannibals' house is something that will live with you for a very long time.

In the ending, when he look at the dog he understands that they didn't eat him as others do to survive. So he understands they have heart and compassion for others and he can live with them. That's the big lesson his father gave him, recognize good people from bad people

This is the post-apocalyptic movie I've always wanted to see. There's no redemption here. There's no hope of survival. Humanity is breathing its final breath.

I watched this thinking that it'd be some kind of action movie but i was so wrong and just ended up crying.

probably the most realistic portrayal of a post apocalyptic world.

The Road is about trying to protect your children from the world but inevitably being unable to do so.

God damn this movie is so bleak and heartfelt. The Man just wants his son to be able to live as long as possible, but still be a 'human'. Unwilling to eat the flesh of other men, but willing to kill a man just to let them live another day. The first lesson he teaches his own boy is how to kill himself. That spells out the whole movie right there. Live and fight. And if you have to die, do it yourself. That part in the flashback where the wife says she should've killed herself long ago when they had more bullets (and even blamed the Man for using their third bullet to prevent her from committing suicide) is so tragic, because I know if she stuck around and it came to it, the Man would've used the two bullets on her and their boy and then suffered the consequences himself. That devotion to others wellbeing.. She says, "I don't just want to survive [I want to live]", but in order to live, first you must survive. You survive, then you get to live. Overall, it's morality that makes you like and feel for the Man and by extension, the Boy. "There is cannibalism. Cannibalism is the great fear", you can live by eating another man, but that is not living that is only surviving. This movie is so jam-packed full of morality and lessons in 'what is humanity' that it's almost hard to watch. I really wanna check out the book because of this film. "Whoever made humanity will find no humanity here"

I just finished the book and honestly the Road is one of the most inspiring books I’ve ever read. The idea that in full view of such a horrible world a father is still willing to give his last trying to set up his son for the future really hits me. So long as there is still a single human being willing to sacrifice for others, humanity isn’t finished.

Viggo Mortensen is so underrated

"I ain't goin' nowheres" That's such a genius scene, on the base level he's replying to a command and offering resistance, but deeper down it's a comment on his future. That cannibal knows his fate and accepts it, because he really ain't goin' nowheres. No one is.

Are you carrying the fire?

A truly fantastic film, so underrated it is crazy..Vigo gives us a truly believeable insight into the end times.. 10/10..

There are no words to explain what I feel after watching this movie. It is a very important film.

I read this book in two days. And then I had to run out and watch the movie. AmazIng, and so haunting.

I hope mankind never reaches this kind of suffering...

the most terrifying thing about this film is that it could happen so easily if you think about. once basic services shut down and supplies of basic needs are scarce.. the depravity of mankind would be on full blast.. every person for themselves. I truly do not think it would very long to get to that point. think about when hurricane Katrina hit new Orleans.. by like the third day the entire city was completely decimated. now think of something like that on a world wide global scale. chaos at epic levels!

IDK, the scene where he kills the man with the flare gun didn't seem accidental. The man shot first. And obviously he meant to kill them with his bow and arrow. He didn't warn them.. The old man was wrong to think they were following him, but that doesn't change the fact he was fighting for his and his son's life..

“One day you will ask me which is more important? My life or yours? I will say mine and you will walk away not knowing that you are my life.” ― Khalil Gibran

This postapocaliptic movie is far more scarier than any other, with no any zompies and monsters

The scene of the black thief was the most cathartically sad I've ever seen. What about yours?

Thanks for holding in there guys. I took way too long to make a new video. I also changed a few aesthetic things again. Hopefully you like them.

The bond between father and son in this is a rawness you never see in today’s society. A fighting love, a dangerous love. It’s utterly captivating to think that men might not be the fathers they could be without being faced with circumstances such as these. The situation itself created a stronger relationship.

I think this is one of the few movies to get bleakness right; it shows bleakness as a long tunnel with a light at the end of the tunnel (the family adopting him) rather than going all out DUDE N I HI LISM AMIRIGHT?

Fires, everything covered in ash, dark sky, earth tremors. I reckon it was a super volcano. Yellowstone type.

So I guess this is what Joel was doing after he lost Sarah, and before he met Ellie. On a sidenote, I love the Man's attitude. He just simply refused to give up. That's the type of attitude that speaks to me! And I think in the end he achieved his goal, he kept his son safe, taught him how to survive, and gave his son a better life, posthumously.

I have been waiting for this one for a long time

I said this in a previous video, but I have to say it again. Thank you so much for the time and effort you put into these videos. They're so beautifully crafted. You're one of my favorite channels.

This was one of the best and the saddest movies I've ever watched

Very happy to see you found a way to keep your video structured by giving titles to each of your talking points without interrupting the monologue. Thank you. Also, great analysis as usual.

When this first came out in the cinema I was really excited to see it. Somehow during those weeks I got really busy but realized that the sunday night I wanted to see it was going to be the last night. I got to the 8:30pm showing. Being the only person in the theatre to view it made it all that more eerie.

God I love this movie

I cry every time I watch this film, and your analysis made it even heavier, thank you.

I contemplated gratification and suicide for a whole week after watching this film I will never watch this again fucks with my head

I've been trying to figure out what the cataclysm is in this movie and I have finally come to the conclusion that it was from a serious nuclear war because they all have radiation sickness and Robert Duvall says he could see this coming a long time ago and Viggo said he saw a bright flash of light coming down from the sky cyndrillical light followed by low concussion sounds the damage everywhere could not have been from a volcano the ash could be from all the fires and impact shock waves could have caused long lasting earthquakes maybe ? It just seems to me it was a nuclear war and radiation sickness and all the damage was done by the explosions from the nukes and the after fires and quakes could have been caused by nukes maybe ? It just doesn't seem like a supervolcano or asteroid or anything else because everyone has or seems to have radiation sickness and the trees and all the animals have died supervolcanoes and asteroids wouldn't cause all the animals to die or radiation sickness !!! By the way they should have stayed in that underground shelter with all the food they had warmth and shelter and food and drink and a place to take showers and safety and shelter !!! Why leave there that was kinda dumb plus I would have let the black guy keep his clothes and shoes and Gave him some food and then left that was kind of harsh leaving that guy with absolutely nothing !!! Plus they left that poor old guy alone (Robert Duvall) that was kinda harsh to !!! But anyway I'm thinking that was either a serious nuclear war or massive asteroid /meteor/ comet ??? Supervolcano like Yellowstone I don't think it would do all that but I guess I could be wrong I suppose ???

Imagine if we could get a video game with a setting as perfect as this movie. A game that actually makes you feel like surviving as a "good" person is nearly impossible.

I worked security when they filmed on location in Oregon and Washington.

This is the scariest movie I’ve ever seen. Not in gore or jump scares, but in how hopeless everything seems to the characters. When suicide seems like the best option in your environment, you know things are truly dire and horrific. That’s why I believe this film is so terrifying to watch.

We all know the mother later became Imperator Furiosa...

I love how this movie doesn’t have a happy ending because it shows that not everything has a happy ending

I watched the movie then read the book. I haven't been able to make myself watch this movie again. Great video. I mostly relate to his wife.

Truly a gut punching, soul wrenching film.

So, this is my theory of what caused the "cataclysmic event". I believe it was the result of a supervolcano, perhaps the eruption of the one in Yellowstone Natl' Park (notice how nearly everything is coated in dust). Also, notice how the father says "the world is growing colder", and never in this movie do you see the sun. This is probably the result of the ash blocking the sun's rays, plunging the world into a sort of nuclear winter. Although you would see similar results with a nuclear war, I do not believe this is the case since you never hear any of the characters mention of radiation or fallout. Note: This is only a THEORY of mine, so don't take it seriously.

This movie was so powerful ! The scene with the soda was so emotional. I cried so much at the end this movie.

The Road is one of the top five movies in my book. It has all human emotions and the fact that morals can survive in some although the odds are against them. But yes, Papa did make the wrong choices following the road. The Veteran knew how to survive on the long range. Keep off the road!

Hmm I've only seen one comment from another video talking about the credits at the end. While the credits roll, you can hear birds chirping, people conversing, running water, basically meant life which could suggest that the couple was in fact good and they might have had a safe haven of some sort for long term survival. The ending was truly a happy ending imo buuuut that said, the women, the man with shotgun shells, and the thief all had no thumbs... so idk lol

The scene that really hit me, was after they catch up to the thief and then the father makes the thief give them all of his clothes and shoes, I broke down. It really struck me and is something that has stuck with me. The lack of humanity and empathy from both of them with their initial gut reactions. The whole movie was just so bleak and I reached my limit and broke down at that point. But that's what makes this such a great story

I've watched this movie and countless others with the same bleak scenarios. Still can't decide if it's worth it to carry on after the end of civilization or bite the bullet. I know mankind will decend into savage chaos very quickly and nothing or no one will be safe.

The man got an infection when he got hit in the leg with an arrow, thats how he died. And the people at the end might of been the ones following them, you can tell because they have a dog and he left the bunker because he heard a dog barking and he got freaked and left.

If it's something you're interested in, a cool film to analyse would be "Pan's Labyrinth", I'd love to see your interpretation of it

I love these. And your voice is perfect for them. Keep them coming! ✌🏻️

What Happiness (1998) meant?

I liked how nature died with man/civilization. In a lot of post apocalyptic films, it’s painted as “nature fighting back”, but in here, whatever caused the apocalypse(likely an asteroid) just did away with both man and nature, reducing them to nothing but dry, lifeless shells of their former selves.

The element of a mother that leaves a child and a father behind and actually vanishes was pretty cruel too

One of a few films I thought was better than the book

This movie is scary af because the protagonist way of escaping the hell where they are right now is by pulling the trigger

Excellent, sensitive and very thoughtful review. Great work Sir!

This is an amazing film, really brings out the future true events that will actually happen in our earth's apocalypse.

This was great. I think the bug the father and son see near the end, which I took as a sign that life would regenerate, also deserves mention.

I dont give likes to many videos, but i definitely liked your view of this. This movie is one of the most inspirational and depressing movies experiences I've ever had.

Great amount of new production value you have done! Very happy to see progress with your channel. Awesome job!

That's the terrifying thing about The Road; there's no real threat from nature, no huge mutated beasts, no radioactive fallout, just humans. Yet humans are better and worse than all of the above combined; vicious creatures capable of great good and great evil...

I need very .. very long breaks between viewings "I'm scared. You're not the one who has to worry about everything" "Yes I AM, I AM the one" that moment "Man" realizes he will not be around forever, and "Boy" will outlive him, and be alone. to worry about everything... 'Man' lets his guard down just a little bit, and actually listens to 'Boy' this movies so S-Rank hard.... love it, hate it at the same time..

This was an amazing film. Even more amazing now that you opened my eyes to so much I overlooked and took for granted. Great job, I appreciate what you do.

Ooh! We're covering the book in my SF class later this year. I'm using this as a cheat-sheet!

From the child’s birth into a dying world caused the mother’s fire to burn out fast to the father dying with nothing to leave his boy but hope in a dead planet filled with the worst humanity has to offer- had a good cry after I watched this

It all meant the movie didnt do well so they wont make another movie like this with that studio. Badass masterpiece.

Great analysis of the story and what it means. Now I don't feel so at a loss. Thank you!!

Watching this movie, deep inside I know it is only a matter of time, very sad. There will be people that will just give up and lose hope, your best chance is to group with people that you can trust and work together and Above all have GOD and JESUS in your heart, for he will never leave you but will guide you through the valley of death.

I don’t understand how anyone wouldn’t understand “what it all meant” it’s right there.

So far, you've covered almost every film in my top favorites, from Jacob's Ladder to Taxi Driver to Fight Club, American Psycho, Donnie Darko and now this video just adds to that list. It'd be interesting to see your take on movies like Requiem For A Dream, Se7en, Harsh Times, Kids, Trainspotting, American History X, Crash or The Machinist in the future.

This book is on so many different levels, but what I took away and what stands out for me is that about Fatherhood.

I couldn't get past the oasis, it felt like a perfect ending with them finally relaxing n in safety lol you make me want to finish it, but the last father n son movie (road to perdition) had me in tears n slight depression xD especially this film since vigo Mortensen was so believable n heartbreaking as a loving father. most fathers would take the easy way out n just kill the son but he held onto a dream. in the end, it got too emotional for me lol

It’s about divorce. One parent preferring to end it rather than fight through and suffer in hope of a better day. Doesn’t matter the circumstances, there are no tales to tell. You just have to keep moving forward. Carry the fire. The man can find no other reason to live than for his son. When the man dies, he becomes the new man- with visible scars earned by surviving. The son finally gets the family the man wanted to provide but was not able to in his previous identity as a divorced single parent or widower who had not yet been able to let go of the past to transform into the future.

the most intense and depressing movie I ever watched...... I wouldn't wish it on my worst friends

Sad sad film, I teared up many times throughout. The mom bring so negative and suicidal was really deep and really felt washed with her hatred for the world in the moment. The end was a punch to the gut when we lose papa after he cries and tells the boy he always had his whole heart. Incredible movie

Please please do Leon The Professional!It has great symbolism and is beautiful in every way

A very nice analysis of one on my favorite films that did great justice to the source material, both the book and the movie were both stark and beautiful.

I've wondered why the part from the book where the hide from the large army that is on the march (not to be confused with the cannibals in the truck) was left out of the movie. That seemed like a pretty important part in the book.

My opinion only, but I think this is one of the best films ever made. Not just because of the content, but because it is some of the best acting out there. All the people responsible for this film did a fantastic job and it came out to be an inspiring film.

Kid to Dad; "You always think bad things are gonna happen." Uh yeah, kid, you're wandering around in a messed up world, your Mom ran off abandoning you and Dad, people are willing to eat you up, you're starving most the time....did you want Daddy act like Mr. Rogers? The son was way too whiney and slow witted. A kid grown up in THAT world would have been a lot tougher, not acting like some kid from the Mall in San Diego. Film put kind of a Happy face on the end after a boring story that dragged on and on.

I was a soon to be father when this movie came out. Immediately I read the book and it (book and movie) became a part of me. I see myself in the father and my children in the son. I broke down and cried when the son spoke of carrying the fire with him always. That he would always have the father with him and would speak with him every day. If I should ever want to cry , I will always be brought back to this

Tbh, this movie as a kid, really gave me the wake up call that I'm gonna die in the end.

After the fires in Maui this book/ movie took on such an appreciative tone and reemerges as a valuable life lesson after hearing what happened to a lot of those people. Some of those people left their homes in order to survive, some didn't have the time they thought they would and succumbed to the dangers of the natural disaster, and finally there were the looters and the ones breaking into homes, holding people at gunpoint in order to steal supplies. I watched a video of a local from Lahaina telling the world through her phone that news was misreporting and leaving out the most important details regarding the tragedy. She spoke of snorkeling tours that had to be cancelled on account of the large amount of bodies floating in and around the areas closest to the coasts. Finally, there was a news article discussing a 14 year old boy who was found burned to death while holding his dog. I still can not believe this is going on and in the same breath the news will speak of vacationing tourists who were attempting to sue venues in Maui for canceling their wedding plans. These natural disasters are only good for showcasing the greatest people in the face of tragedy alongside the very worst and this book does an impeccable job showing the distinction between the two.

The ending was sweet like you know i lost hope in humanity until i saw this movie my opinion changed during the final scene it shows not all people are corruptible maybe there are good people in this cruel world

The sad thing about this is that we are getting close to this situation every day .....

This was a great movie even though the boy found a family at the end meens very little the world is dying theres hardly anything left i would think the boy would have taken them back to the bunker and got all of that food first!!

The black thief was missing both of his thumbs, also at the end of the movie guy Pearce was missing the thumb on his left hand. does anyone know what the significants is. perhaps the answer is in a deleted scene, I don't know.

The book is great. I just finished it and suggest that any fan of the movie to check it out

The movie was great. One thing I loved the film for, was the sense of hopelessness and trepidation. Papa is constantly on edge and is cautious for whatever evil may come. I loved the intro, he explains the Apocalypse with a description that is scientifically correct. Followed by a reality that is their world now. The acting sells, the writing is great (it's based on a book I know). You feel that Papa isn't a stonewall, he's scared just like Boy. Papa, against his better judgement, chooses to survive and protect Boy no matter how scared or helpless or weak he is. Anyone can run him through and just rape and eat Boy if they wanted to but Papa tried his best to be his protector. One thing I hated most about the film was Boy. He was at least 12 in the movie. Why is he such a pansy and a weakling? You'd figure he'd be cold hearted as Papa's become but he isn't. The ending was great. At the end of the day, the world is still shit, but it's who you're with that make the world worth living. Like Trivium's song off The sin and the sentence. Find "beauty in the sorrow".

In structural terms, I think you took a step back with this one. It's good writing when you give some brief context in the beginning about whatever themes you'll be exploring, combined with establishing the setting of the narrative. You excell at that. But once you get going, it gets really hard to distinguish what aspects are you exploring individually. For instance, you went from speaking about character antithesis to personal morality without any segue. And the use of chapter distinction is applicable to your form of discourse. You seem to value structure and coherence. Why not add a useful tool to your rhetorical arsenal? The thematic context in the beginning with the setting stuff is great, but why not follow that with--- Part one: genuine hope vs pessimism Part two: morality and accountability Part three: clarity vs ambiguity Conclusion I'm a beginning screenwriter, so I'm just drawing from what I know. Scripts rarely work effectively without a specific structure in mind, combined with distinctive sections. Can't imagine a character's turning point to have any appeal if there's not a significant amount of ground work laid down in a distinguished part. Just my thoughts

The only movie that manages to make me cry every single time.

one of my favorite movies thanks for this.

One of the most depressing but yet best movies I've seen in quite sometime.

I just watched this yesterday in class lol this would've really helped for the mini quiz

This movie forever made an impression on me as it left the reality of a civilization that has fallen and morality is a word that doesn't exist as humanity has turned into a scattered race of animals hopeless, untrusting, angry, scared and deranged from constant punishment of living in a world that is itself unstable and dying.

I absolutely love every one of your videos and I can't wait to see more!

It's definitely the scariest post apocalyptic movie I've ever seen.

i agree that the man dies due to the fact he had gone agianst his own morals so his son wouldnt have to do the same thing, he had to compromise his morals that he believed in deeply before the disaster for such a long time after the disaster that it literally killed him or put out "his fire" ,all the dark deeds eventually put out his morality/fire and he dies from it,

I for one am always confused as to why the tone of the novel and this vid says that when the man shot his flare gun it was an accident, that shit was self defense

The whole book is about faith and god. The father believes in god and that it is duty from God to protect the child. In the book he calls it "carrying the fire" throughout the book he teaches his son to persist against all obstacles and against all odds even if it doesn't make rational sense. It's his faith in a higher power that keeps them from succombing into cannabalism or suicide. Basically the book makes a case for someone to remain faithful and believe in a higher power and that there is true non objective good in the world even in the face of immeasurable evil and suffering. Also to accept the duty to pass that knowledge down to the next generation. The road itself is a metaphor for life, with all the pain and suffering found in a regular life but amplified by 100