GOLD: A Review Of Anthony Hayes’ Dystopian Drama

Cinema Scholars reviews Anthony Hayes’ dystopian drama, Gold, starring Zac Efron. Screen Media will release Gold in theaters on March 11, 2022.

Introduction

Dystopian dramas are not for everyone. Societal breakdown, ramshackle infrastructure, and nature’s inevitable reclamation aren’t exactly uplifting. Yet, audiences seem to gravitate toward the dire subject matter regardless of the imminent bummer. Wondering how you might weather such a predicament without creature comforts is an existential terror all itself. Much less the day-to-day struggle to find basic necessities like shelter, food, and medicine.

There’s just something irresistible about reducing humankind to a state of sheer survival. Especially in the context of some cataclysmic event. In Anthony Hayes’ thriller Gold, a simple tale of desperation and greed feels unique when set within the decline of civilization.

Synopsis

Gold imagines a cruel future “somewhere, sometime not far from here.” Political and civil unrest is forcing major migrations of people away from the cities. Many seek refuge in remote areas of the desert. A lone traveler (Zac Efron) jumps cargo trains to get to a dusty outpost, ironically named Greenview. Aside from a disgusting privy and a makeshift shower, the crumbling station is a sad reminder of better days.

In Greenview, the traveler meets a driver (Hayes) he has arranged to take him to his final destination. He’s heard of a compound in the middle of the desert where he can make a better life. The days-long trek across the desolate, parched terrain proves to be an odyssey itself. While the driver is certainly no friend, the two manage to develop a rapport. Soon, however, both men will be bound by an even greater thread- greed.

During one of their pitstops, the traveler happens upon a glint barely concealed by the rocks and sand. When they determine that the sparkle is no mirage and is indeed precious gold, the duo starts digging. Their discovery is much bigger than they first imagined. The driver heads back to the nearest town to retrieve an extractor.  The traveler is left behind to protect their treasure and fend for himself in the harsh conditions.

Analysis

Gold starts out as a story about desperation and greed. But it ends as a meditation on the survival of the fittest. As the traveler copes with exposure to the relentless sun, he must keep his wits about him at all times. Rationing supplies and finding shelter becomes the prime objective while keeping a close eye on the prize. Sometimes letting his impulses get the best of him, the lonely protagonist ultimately faces his demons while questioning his waning grip on reality.

Gold is one of those films that goes from harrowing to brutal in the blink of an eye. Hayes and his co-scribe Polly Smyth have created a unique tale where the overarching desperation is resolved in a surprisingly vicious way. Shock value aside, Gold also explores the darkest depths of human nature while vividly depicting the mercilessness of actual nature.

Despite everything from flies and scorpions to more savage foes like a wicked sandstorm and a pack of hungry wild dogs, it’s easy to forget that Efron’s is the only visage seen for the majority of the picture. An ode to man vs. nature, most of the film relies almost entirely on Efron’s transformative performance.

Performances

Efron’s subdued take on the road-worn traveler handily carries Gold right down to the grueling finish line. The chiseled features the leading man is known for are soon covered in a mask of sun damage. As the sweltering conditions cause the traveler’s exposed skin to burn, blister, and peel, Efron’s portrayal conveys his agony almost too convincingly. Just when you think he couldn’t possibly get more gruesome in appearance, it’s Efron’s battered physical performance that drives home his character’s gut-wrenching suffering.

A prolific actor in his native Australia as well as Hollywood, Hayes has worn the director’s hat a few times already. In Gold, he does double-duty behind the camera in addition to transforming himself into the grizzled driver. His character is a ruthless opportunist, and Hayes’ careful turn never quite allows the viewer to trust him. Though the driver doesn’t get a ton of screen time, Hayes’ unsettling resonance pervades the film nonetheless.

Further Discussion

The beautiful yet brutal landscape in the film is essentially a supporting character all on its own. Just when the failure of society is posited as the existential culprit of Gold, Mother Nature turns out to be the main villain. Cinematographer Ross Giardina’s sweeping portrayal of the dry and desolate terrain is a powerful force in every scene. The scorched setting accentuates the desperation of the protagonist and aids in the steady build of tension within the simple narrative.

As a director, Hayes keeps a lot of details in Gold close to the vest. Unexplained elements like the traveler’s gnarly facial scar or his obvious limp indicate trauma that is never detailed. Also, any further information regarding the compound they are headed to is limited to a bit of naysaying by the driver.

A mystery woman late in the second act breaks up the monotony and provides the narrative a questionable shred of redemption. Even so, the mysterious character ends up offering little more than an illustration of the traveler’s loss of both his humanity and his sanity. And whatever sociopolitical upheaval that has caused the traveler to flee to a desert oasis remains mostly a mystery. The constant churning of the unknowns helps create a general sense of unrest. But those seeking answers to every question may find themselves unsatisfied.

Conclusion

What is apparent is the fact that Hayes and Efron are not afraid to take their story to the extreme. Not all filmmakers are capable of “going there” without swerving into melodrama, but Hayes’ hardcore sensibilities make the exceedingly harsh story hurt so good in the end.

To say much more is to spoil the grim “fun.” But let it be known that Hayes does not hold back in the jaw-drop department, taking the film to surprisingly dark depths. So if a bleak dystopian drama that goes pitch black sounds like a winner, Gold is what you’re looking for.

Screen Media will release Gold in theaters on March 11, 2022.

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