'The Rover' Review Round-Up: Violence, Friendship & Robert Pattinson's US Accent (In Australia?)

Director David Michôd revels in dysfunction and no more so in his highly anticipated film, The Rover. Following the success of Animal Kingdom in 2010, a film which followed the true criminal antics of one family, The Rover takes dystopia a step further. Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson, as Eric and Rey, are forced to survive in a world on the brink of destruction where anarchy rules and weapons are essential for survival.

Guy Pearce as Eric in The Rover.

Pearce's character Eric has left the remnants of Western Civilisation behind and has chosen to live alone in the Australian outback. A criminal gang, including Pattinson's character Rey, steal a car from Eric. In the process Rey is injured and, after persuasion by Eric, the pair set out to find his brother and the stolen object.

It certainly has the plot line. But, after such anticipation from the film industry, audiences and critics, has it lived up to the hype? Here's what the critics have to say:

Violence

One aspect of the film critics have universally commented on is the omnipresence of violence, which is evident throughout the gun shot pitted trailer. Dan Kois (Slate) emphasised the number of deaths present throughout The Rover, but also stated they were importance to the plot as opposed to merely being horrific for the sake of being bloodthirsty. Kois said "Blood is spilled, as is to be expected in a film that explores a world on the brink of ruin, but each death echoes through the story the way the hero's gunshots echo across the Outback."

In The Rover, society has collapsed, is anyone surprised guns not words are the weapon of choice?

Pattinson's Southern US Accent?

Hopefully R-Patz had been told the film was shooting in Australia and that it may have been a logical step to work on his AUSTRALIAN accent. Bizarrely, the former Twilight star has adopted a southern American twang for the role, something which critics - and the rest of us - have been slightly confused by. A.O. Scott (New York Times) wrote how Pattinson's character may not been as "dumb as he first appears" but that Pattinson's use of an accent ("Kentucky? Cajun? Tongue-Tied vampire?) has certainly ensured no one can really tell if the character truly has any depth.

Robert Pattinson The Rover Robert Pattinson stars as Rey in The Rover.

A Buddy Comedy?

Set in a desert, The Rover is certainly atmospheric but there's not a massive amount of props with which the actors can play off. The film ultimately concerns the relationship between Pearce and Pattinson's characters which even includes some humorous asides. This evidently works because the pair are "blazing opposites" (Rolling Stone) but, on another level, "that heart is, when all else fails, a man's best friend." (Little White Lies).

The Rover is released in the US on 20th June and in the UK on 15th August.

The Rover revolves around Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson's characters.