Superb Adaptation of a Master Storyteller

Rating: 10/10 (10 February 2008)

For years Cormac McCarthy has been a literary sensation. While never achieving the massive success of Stephen King or Tom Clancy when he first began writing novels in the mid 1960's (perhaps because he churns out so few- NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN is only his 9th novel) he has been hailed as the literary successor to William Faulkner. I have read only two of his novels so far: the Appalachian Gothic horror novel OUTER DARK and his seminal masterpiece, the revisionist western BLOOD MERIDIAN. His novels sear into your very soul- they are not easily forgotten- and only the best writers can do that.
If there are any common themes in all of McCarthy's novels, they all point to a message of social Darwinism. His books are regularly downbeat, representing a world full of violence and despair, peopled by the most evil of men and the intertwining of ordinary folks who try their best to live their lives despite the bleak, unrelenting landscape (McCarthy is the only author I know who makes the land feel like a living, breathing person, just like his characters) that surrounds them.
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN is the second adaptation of his works (the first was the pedestrian and forgettable ALL THE PRETTY HORSES which starred Matt Damon) and this time directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, two brothers who have become fixtures in the cult scene (one of their other movies is MILLER'S CROSSING, my favorite gangster movie next to the GODFATHER). While many literary critics regard NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN as one of McCarthy's lesser works, even a lesser McCarthy novel is still light years ahead of most other books in terms of quality. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN is a purely straightforward thriller and in the hands of a lesser director (or in this case, directors) would have been just another movie that would have quietly gone on to the DVD rack (like Matt Damon's movie), but due to the fact that the Coens are great admirers of McCarthy's works, they were able to stay true to the spirit of the book and in a sense, made a masterpiece- this movie should be studied in film schools as to "How To Make A Proper Book Adaptation To Film And Not Muck It Up 101".
The plot is exceedingly simple: set in the southwest circa 1980, redneck loser Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin in his best role ever) stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal gone bad. He decides to take the drug money, but in a moment of conscience, gets identified by both sides who want the money back. In comes the deadly killer Anton Chigurh (ironically pronounced "sugar" and is played to perfection by Xavier Bardem) who goes on an interstate rampage (one of his most inventive weapons is a compressed air canister) as he sets his sights on the fleeing Moss to get the money back, whatever the cost. Not since Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter has there been a superb and deadly villain to ever come on screen, Bardem can scare you just by looking at you, he doesn't even need to utter a word; and if he doesn't win the Oscar it will be a travesty. The cat and mouse game between Moss and Chigurh is further complicated by the investigations of a local sheriff portrayed by Tommy Lee Jones in his usual stoic attire who tries to make some sense amidst all of the mayhem (but ultimately fails). The movie starts haphazardly and ends abruptly, which is just like McCarthy's books (and just like real life)- if you are looking for a formulaic Hollywood movie with a clear beginning and ending then its best to watch a Disney, a Michael Bay movie or ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS- this one's not for you.
The Coen brothers perfectly captures the unrelenting harshness of Cormac McCarthy's world- a world in which the big fish eat the little fish and the bad sleep well at night- McCarthy may be a bit of a downer, but in my view he is right. In the last few years McCarthy has now finally gotten the attention he deserves, his newest novel THE ROAD won the Pulitzer prize and a movie adaptation of it is heading to the big screen soon- let us hope that they get it right just like this one and not make it end up like Matt Damon's movie. Now if only they would also make a faithful literary adaptation of BLOOD MERIDIAN- now that would indeed be a miracle