"Rubber" is a deliberately offbeat concoction, one in which we're always reminded that we're watching a movie, that none of this is real. It was described to me as a feature length exercise in the breaking of the fourth wall. Writer / director Quentin Dupieux is clearly having a ball with his outrageous premise, while making commentary on the very aspect of movie watching. At the very least, he delivers a fairly fresh variation on the standard "monster on the loose" theme.
After being addressed directly by a sheriff (Stephen Spinella) who climbs out of a car trunk to lecture us on the idea of things happening "for no reason", we're taken into the story proper - one that seemingly has no reason to exist - about an abandoned tire that's become a sentient being, embarking on an odyssey across the American South, blowing up stuff REAL good, and fixating on a mystery woman (Roxane Mesquida). And while all of this good stuff happens, an eager audience gazing through binoculars gets to witness everything.
This is the kind of film that could generate very personal reactions, and either charm or annoy the viewer. Admittedly, its pace is on the slow side, but it's got enough amusing bits and doses of gore to keep it a decent diversion. One good thing: it's not predictable. One won't know where it's going from scene to scene. It's just too surreal to see this tire barge its way into hotel rooms and watch TV. A fair bit of the acting is underwhelming, but what is truly awesome is seeing veteran movie bad guy Wings Hauser in one of the biggest roles that he's had in a while. The scenery and cinematography are beautiful, and the score by Dupieux and Gaspard Auge perfectly fits the off kilter tone of the picture. The special effects are impressive, especially the way that the filmmakers get the tire to keep moving.
All in all, this is just weird enough and ambitious enough to make for interesting viewing. Cinema lovers looking for any movie to do something different with old formulas just might find it to their liking. After all, we don't exactly see tales about killer tires every day.
Seven out of 10.
After being addressed directly by a sheriff (Stephen Spinella) who climbs out of a car trunk to lecture us on the idea of things happening "for no reason", we're taken into the story proper - one that seemingly has no reason to exist - about an abandoned tire that's become a sentient being, embarking on an odyssey across the American South, blowing up stuff REAL good, and fixating on a mystery woman (Roxane Mesquida). And while all of this good stuff happens, an eager audience gazing through binoculars gets to witness everything.
This is the kind of film that could generate very personal reactions, and either charm or annoy the viewer. Admittedly, its pace is on the slow side, but it's got enough amusing bits and doses of gore to keep it a decent diversion. One good thing: it's not predictable. One won't know where it's going from scene to scene. It's just too surreal to see this tire barge its way into hotel rooms and watch TV. A fair bit of the acting is underwhelming, but what is truly awesome is seeing veteran movie bad guy Wings Hauser in one of the biggest roles that he's had in a while. The scenery and cinematography are beautiful, and the score by Dupieux and Gaspard Auge perfectly fits the off kilter tone of the picture. The special effects are impressive, especially the way that the filmmakers get the tire to keep moving.
All in all, this is just weird enough and ambitious enough to make for interesting viewing. Cinema lovers looking for any movie to do something different with old formulas just might find it to their liking. After all, we don't exactly see tales about killer tires every day.
Seven out of 10.