The Rover

"David Michôd is not a warm and fuzzy director. The Animal Kingdom writer-director is more warm and sticky - in the sense of blood, the kind spilled impressively in his films."

"Isn’t exactly something we’ve never seen before, but it has a desolate beauty all its own, and a career-redefining performance by Robert Pattinson."

"Pattinson is suggesting his career post-Twilight will sparkle like Edward Cullen's skin. Michod, meanwhile, confirms he's a filmmaker of considerable talents."

"There's a purity to the utter lack of rationale here; this, combined with Michôd's way with a landscape, makes for a passable guy-picture masquerading as something deep."

"Michôd creates a good deal of ambient menace in The Rover; Pearce has a simmering presence. But I felt there was a bit of muddle..."

"Dark and engaging, with superb use of the heart-stopping landscape around the Flinders Ranges, but it could be accused of mannerism."

"The desolate parable of brooding outback justice plays out as though Cormac McCarthy has reimagined Mad Max 2 for the 21st century, with late-model cars and breathable-fibre costumes."

"Pearce... gives all the cold-hearted remorselessness of a classic Western or film noir anti-hero who refuses to die before exacting vengeance for an unpardonable crime."

"Where Animal Kingdom kept dragging us towards its dark, dead centre - often against our will - The Rover just warns us to keep our distance and leaves it at that."