When Robert, an inanimate tire, discovers his destructive telepathic powers, he soon sets his sights on a desert town; in particular, a mysterious woman becomes his obsession.
Review
You didn't ask for it but here it is anyway, the review for Rubber. I've blogged about this movie a couple of times and hinted that this could either be a film you hate or you love to bits. It's a bit of a surprise that, for me, its neither. To me its an opportunity missed. Let me explain why I think this is.
Rubber is a film about a killer tyre, a killer tyre with telepathic powers. That's your premise and that's what you get. To say it doesn't do what it says on the tin is wrong, it does exactly that, what it doesn't do though is surprise you, and that's the magic that's missing.
At the beginning of the film you have a unnamed sheriff talking to a gathered crowd about the movie they're going to see. He explains that in all major motion pictures from ET to The Pianist there is a element running through them of 'No Reason'. There's no reason for this, and there's no reason for that. Rubber is a homage to 'No Reason'. He then turns round, climbs into the boot of a car and is driven away. For no reason. The crowd then turn to watch the film which turns out to be the film that you the viewer are also watching.
So from the outset expectation is set, the events that will take place have no reason, they just happen. So why restrict yourself so much? The major downside to my experience of the movie was that it just wasn't that much fun. For such a ridiculous premise they should have had a riot with the film, pushed boundaries and gone completely bonkers but instead they opt for slow build up with the odd laugh out loud moment here and there.
There doesn't seem to be a reason why Robert (the tyre) kills animals or people, he (or she, who knows with tyres) just does. It seems to be anyone who crosses his path, sometimes literally, will have their heads exploded. The first time its fun, the fourth, fifth time, you start wanting something a little different.
For all the little twists, that again aren't really explained, and the very nice little ending, it just doesn't really work. Again hype may well have gotten in the way of a decent little underground, micro budget film, but I don't think this would have worked either way.
What appeared to be a fun little film, turned into a disappointing and dis-jointed effort that promised so much but failed to deliver.
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