The Road (2009)

The Road (2009), an American post-apocalyptic film directed by John Hillcoat and written by Joe Penhall, is based on the 2006 novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy. It follows a father and son as they struggle to survive in a world ravaged by an unspecified catastrophe that wiped out all plant and animal life. Together, they travel along a road towards the coast in search of safety, scrounging for resources and avoiding violent gangs of cannibals armed with guns. Years earlier, the man’s wife gives birth to their son just after the disaster strikes, but her hope slowly fades. When an intruder threatens their lives and the man uses one of their three remaining bullets as a last resort, she accuses him of purposely preventing her from taking her own life. She then walks into the woods without her jacket or hat in bitterly cold weather and is never seen again.

After shooting a member of a gang of cannibals by chance, the man is left with just one bullet. While exploring a mansion, he and his son stumble upon people locked in the basement, intended to be nothing but food for their captors. When the cannibals return, the two hide. With their imminent discovery looming, the man considers using his last bullet to end his son’s life, but they manage to escape when the cannibals become preoccupied with freed prisoners. Continuing on their journey, the pair comes across an underground shelter fully stocked with canned food and supplies. After enjoying a much-needed feast and bath, they hear noises from above, including that of a dog. Concerned for their safety, the man decides it’s best to move on rather than risk being found by the cannibals.