No former glories for old directors.

Rating: 6/10 (13 January 2008)

A huge fan of their early work and pretending that the last few films they made didn't happen I had high expectations for Joel and Ethan Coen's latest project. Based on the Cormac McCarthy novel 'No Country' is a return to form for the sibling filmmakers or at least it is for the first hour and a half. What starts off with some amazing cinematography and a Tommy Lee Jones voice-over boils over into a frenzied chase movie that has genuine tension running through its every pore and then sadly it doesn't really have an ending and all the good things that have come before seem somewhat spoilt. Javier Bardem is amazingly creepy as sociopath Anton Chigurh, his hair nearly as bizarre as his favourite method of killing, every line he delivers is unnerving and yet you hang off his every word. Josh Brolin Is great as Llewelyn Moss the Welder turned wanted man after he stumbles across a drug deal gone wrong and steals a case full of money so he and his wife can start a new life. Cue every man and his dog, literally, after Moss from cops to Mexicans and of course Nutcase extraordinaire Anton. There is very little screen time for either Lee Jones or Harrelson and if you blink you could be forgiven for missing either of their performances. There are some beautiful shots, some great lines and a fitting score but it is by no means perfect which is a shame. But for the most part the Coen's flourishes can be seen and there is nearly as much tension and suspense as there is blood but with such a strange ending and so many loose ends like not actually telling the viewer what happened or why I feel they still have some way to go to regain former glories, but this is at least a start.