'Gold' Review: Zac Efron Survives in the Wild
A post-apocalyptic thriller with a lot of sand and Zac Efron, and almost nothing else.
In an uncertain future, people are forced to survive in conditions of scarcity of resources. A man (Zac Efron) needs a job and is on his way to a construction site where, according to a flyer, "in just four months, you can become a different person." He finds a fellow traveler, with whom he gets stuck in the endless desert. Here, the heroes stumble upon a huge piece of gold - the chance of a lifetime to finally get rich. However, to pick up the find, you need an excavator. While an experienced hard worker leaves to fetch machinery, a young man is left to protect his newfound wealth.
The director of the film Anthony Hayes and part-time performer of the second main role carefully builds the arid world of the future. Ignoring the scenario rush, he does not skimp on timing to create a general background for the story. It is not entirely clear what happened to humanity and what year it is. Dirty clothes, deserted streets, snippets of news on the radio are the few clues that give a sense of the recent cataclysm. At such a slow pace, you need a character that can hold the audience's attention. They, of course, become the hero of Zac Efron, who instead of an emotional swing gives out a quiet performance, where half-dead eyes are more eloquent than cries for help.
In many paintings of this kind, the plot revolves around the confrontation between man and the forces of nature. The nameless man finds himself face to face with the unforgiving heat of the desert, which again and again attacks his body and mind. Under the scorching sun, an exhausted survivor loses a grain of sanity and humanity - there are only liters of flowing sweat and a thirst to save a treasure, a tangible hope for a better life. The battle with sand cannot end in a draw: the gradual extinction of a person (and maybe humanity) and his last strength resistance is entirely Efron's acting merit, demonstrating one of the most dramatic works in filmography.
As for the solid piece of gold, since the film is not an adventure, it does not matter who ends up taking the valuable cargo. The treasure in the plot plays the role of a symbol of temptation, towering over the vast space. The hero of Efron, left alone with gold, turns into the embodiment of obsession and destructive passion, which will inevitably be followed by suffering. It is curious that Hayes does not give his heroes names - they are faceless creatures roaming the world and sliding down to the bottom of morality.
“Gold” is pure genre cinema, which, of course, has metaphorical layers, but it is hardly capable of plunging into the depths of reflection. A kind of meaningless canvas, which you can’t seem to find fault with, but it’s almost impossible to fall in love with the silent emptiness.
This article was sponsored by Amy Jones
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