Now playing in select theaters, as well as On Demand services such as Amazon Prime and Apple TV, is the gritty (literally) drama, Gold.
The film stars Zac Efron, Anthony Hayes and Susie Porter. Hayes is also the film’s director.
This film has very few cast members, and very few lines. Most of the movie is about the landscape and the action.
A no named man (Efon) arrives at a middle-of-no-where shanty town (or at least that is how it looks) in the middle of the desert. I’m not sure where the location is suppose to be, but I have a feeling it might be Australia, basedon “Man two’s” accent. Then again, I could be wrong.
I’m not even sure if the film is meant to take place in current times, or some time in the future (post apocalyptic?).
The unnamed drifter needs a ride to a far off camp. He’s able to secure a ride with another unnamed man in a beat up, run down truck with no working AC. Not exactly what I want to drive across the dessert in.
Where ever they need to go is days away across the harsh desert.
One stopped to repair the truck, man one (Efron) happens across a piece of gold. He tries to dig it up, but it’s not coming out. He then enlists man number two to help him. The pair discover that the piece of gold is massive – too big for two men to pull out. They will need heavy equipment.
Man two takes off to the nearest town to get the equipment (days away), leaving man one (Efron) behind to watch the gold boulder. There is just one problem – it’s the dessert. He doesn’t have enough food or water to help him last for a couple of days, let alone a few days. He also has to deal with other things, like the elements and wild dogs. To make matter worse, another drifter happens upon him and he’s afraid she might discover what he’s protecting.
Will he be able to survive long enough to unearth the riches he’s protecting, or will nature get the best of him? To find out, check out Gold. Look for it at a theater near you or On Demand.
This is not Efron’s finest work. I think he’s a talented actor (especially in comedies), but this film just seemed very out of his element. He barely looks like the Zac Efron I’ve come to enjoy as an actor either. He just looks worn out and haggard, which is fitting for this role, but not for him.
I found this film to be long and tedious. I kept waiting for something exciting to happen, only to be disappointed. Yes, he’s in a desert by himself. Yes, he is running out of food and water. But couldn’t something above and beyond that happen? Even when the other drifter shows up, the scene is not even monumental.
The lack of words (lines) and even the names of the characters also took away from this film.
This film relies heavily on the scenery (desert). Kudos to the cinematographers. They are the true stars of this film. But that is about where the accolades stop. The acting. The script. The plot… it’s all about a dry as the desert it’s self.
Below is the film’s trailer.
Kimberly
*I received a free screener in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
