A Look into an Abyss

Rating: 10/10 (20 June 2013)

I expect a film like 'No Country for Old Men' to be polarizing for some, especially if they're expecting a big finale with the good guy and the bad guy drawing their guns in the end to settle the score. 'No Country for Old Men' is a film that dabbles more in existentialism, despite all the crime that occurs. Basically, what I'm saying is that the film adapted from the novel is very unconventional not only for its genre, but also in its approach to storytelling. What the Coen brothers do best is combining altogether different elements and creating something with its own unique character. While there are subtle throwbacks to the old wild west, the story takes place in modern society where technology has advanced, society has advanced and unfortunately crime has too.
What are Anton Chigurh's true motives? Does he have a philosophical doctrine that we the audience are unaware of or are just unable to comprehend? What Anton does is create a lot of questions that arise from his actions and his interactions with the other characters. To watch a character as odd as him is fascinating and I cannot give enough credit to Javier Bardem in portraying such a character that is so enigmatic and just his presence alone is able to evoke so much mystery. Even though Anton is very incomprehensive, it is all made up for by being able to be somehow captivated by him.
How every character deals with Anton is interesting, to say the least and as the film progresses, the feeling of despondency increases gradually. The lack of heroes is what gives this film its sense of hopelessness and that feeling of hopelessness is basically set in stone from the first few shots coupled with Tommy Lee Jone's epic voice-over narration in introducing the story. It is the perfect introduction to what we will witness in the story and what it all means for a sheriff like him in comprehending these events. As the events occur, we the audience reflect on these situations just as much as Sheriff Ed Tom Bell. Tommy Lee Jones' performance in this role is impressive and is injected with a great sense of humanity. I commend his portrayal as Bell, in that he is the character who carries the weight of the story.
The acting is a huge fragment in bringing this film to life, but what also does that is how the visuals are executed and it is definitely utilized to a great effect. From its majestic shots to its beautiful lighting and color tones, the Coen brothers set a mood that permeates the whole film. Its barren settings really add a feeling of desolation that is at the same time hypnotic and surreal. While the film can be suspenseful and its suspense is definitely executed perfectly, the film still somehow manages to maintain an air of mystique. The non-existence of a soundtrack really gives the film a feeling of loneliness, all the while adding an even greater sense of sterility to its already barren wasteland.
I can go on and on about the great acting, its memorable shots and its great script, but what makes 'No Country' a great film is that it manages to be truly idiosyncratic in its execution just like how the Coen Brothers' other great films are. Even if a film like this leaves me more questions than answers, if it still manages to captivate me to a point that I'm willing to return to it, then that shows that it doesn't matter if I don't have any answers to my questions. There are only a few films that are able to pull this off naturally and 'No Country for Old Men' is definitely one of those special films that can do just that.