Better known for his intense stare and inaudible grunts as Khal Drogo on the original Game of Thrones series, Jason Momoa proves there’s more to him than meets the eye with his work in Road To Paloma. As the film’s lead he provides his most emotive performance yet, as the director he displays his strength at filmmaking, and as both a writer and producer his passion for the craft is inspiring.
Story-wise this is not breaking any new ground admittedly as Momoa’s rough-and-tough Wolf finds himself on the run from the FBI following his deadly attack on the man that raped and killed his mother. Angry and justified in his actions, Wolf sets out on his motorcycle intent on spreading his mother’s ashes along the Teton Range. A self-destructive musician, Cash (Robert Mollohan), coming to terms with the dissolution of his marriage becomes Wolf’s unlikely companion along the way, with the duo forging their own individual paths to redemption as they manage to stay one step ahead of their pursuers.
Whilst the plot outline isn’t wholly original, Momoa deserves points for highlighting the violent epidemic there is against Native American women, a topic rarely acknowledged, and this sombre subject matter is mirrored in his approach to flavouring the film as it’s a particularly grim and uncompromising affair. Momoa clearly had a distinct vision with ‘Road To Paloma’ and his dark articulation as such will potentially divide audiences. Road movies like Easy Rider and Five Easy Pieces are the likeliest comparisons, and fans of those films should appreciate what Momoa has gone for with the harsh, desolate beauty of the American West showcased to the point where they too deserve their own acting credit.
As to be expected this is Momoa’s film through and through, and if there’s one thing that audiences can take away from here it’s that underneath all the macho bravado lays a serious thespian – one who has an Eastwood-ian presence about him with his deep eyes and body language providing more communication than the script allows. Mollohan, though working with a lesser developed character, has some equally impressive moments and the chemistry between the two helps the film stay afloat when its harsh mentality becomes too much for the viewer to handle.
As an actor and director, it’s hard not to be impressed by Momoa’s capabilities here, especially when his work on Game of Thrones or an outing like ‘Conan the Barbarian’ are the only other main projects he’s predominantly known for, and though Road To Paloma defies the norm with its refusal to “play nice”, his magnetic screen presence is enough to recommend audiences to go on the ride with him.
Review Score: THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Road to Paloma releases in Australia on DVD and Blu-Ray on 10th September 2014 through Anchor Bay Entertainment.
———-
