A bleak but brilliant film

Rating: 10/10 (24 June 2013)

When hunter Llewelyn Moss comes across the site of a massacre in West Texas he does something that will make life very dangerous for himself and those around him; he picks up a case containing two million dollars. Soon sinister killer Anton Chigurh is looking for him and wherever Llewelyn goes Anton isn't far behind; leaving a trail of bodies as he goes. Also looking for the pair is Sheriff Ed Tom Bell; a law enforcement officer who understandable has difficulty comprehending the violence he encounters.
This is a contender for the best film made by the Cohen Brothers; the tension is maintained throughout and there are quite a few surprises. These surprises aren't clichéd twists but things one doesn't expect in films of course listing these surprises would spoil the film for first time viewers. There is a bleak feeling to the film; both because of the casual extreme violence and the sun-baked Texas countryside. Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin are great as Sheriff Bell and Llewelyn Moss but it is Javier Bardem who is most memorable; his portrayal of the killer is frighteningly impressive; he isn't a musclebound heavy but still feels almost as unstoppable as Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator. It isn't just the three leads who are on top form; Scottish actress Kelly MacDonald loses her native accent and passes as Texan at least to my English ears. As the film reaches its conclusion the viewer will be left wanting to know what happens next for reasons that I won't spoil but left me quite surprised; so much so that I sat through the credits to see if there was a postscript there isn't.
Overall I'd certainly recommend this to anybody who enjoyed previous films by the Cohens; just don't expect any laughs.