Movie Review - The Postman

Set in 2013 some 16 or so years after a major apocolyptic event (most likely a war judging by the after effects) we follow the fortunes of a nameless character played by Kevin Costner. He starts out as a simple traveller and entertainer using his talents to get food and shelter.

He is press ganged into slavery in the Holn Army (who it seems are in some way responsible for the war so it may have been a civil uprising to overthrow the US Government), a local brigade run by the fanatical General Bethlehem who was nothing but a simple copier salesman before the war.

He manages to eventually escape and during a storm seeks shelter inside a postal van where he steals the clothes and mail of a long dead US Postal worker and decides to use old mail to trick his way into towns for food and shelter so he is nothing but a con artist playing on the feelings of those without hope.

By sheer luck he manages to get into a city called Pineview where he tells them lies of a newly reformed US Government run by a Richard Starkey (is he so stupid to assume there will be no-one old enough to remember The Beatles?) but the local Sheriff sees through him and makes him leave.

Not long after he goes Bethlehems troops visit and impose their own laws and rules on the citizens again, you see that his troops are nothing more than looters, thugs & cold hearted murderers. You see Bethlehem is nothing more than a modern day Viking, pillaging and taking slaves.

The Postman continues to travel to towns giving false hope but is caught in the next town (Benning, Oregan) & gives further details on the restored US saying the new capital is in Minneapolis with the new seat of Government in the Metrodome (fortunately for Costner as of 2008 they do still play there).

As Bethelehems troops attack Benning for resisting, The Postman is saved from execution by a women they had captured in Pineview (Abby played by Olivia Williams who I thought was Lena Heady), he manages to return the favour by saving her and they flee into the great American wilderness.

Abby manages to evade the troops persuing her and The Postman and treks through snow to a cabin where they seek shelter, whilst trying to treat his wounds she discovers his Holn brand which he explains, they weather out a winter there and then leave by foot (having been forced to eat their horse to survive but I still don't understand why they never took the horse of the guy Abby killed) after Abby burns down the cabin so they have to return to society. Whilst trekking back they encounter a rider who turns out to be a Postal Carrier and she takes them back to their camp which is being run by Ford Lincoln Mercury who The Postman had sworn in back at Pineview.

It turns out Ford has been feeding his Post workers a few lies of his own to maintain morale. A Postal Carrier is captured by Bethlehems men and they embank on a campaign to stop the Postal Service, The Postman even manages to return to Pineview like he promised. Postal Carriers start to go missing as they are captured & killed by Bethlehem forcing The Postman to use guerilla tactics to retaliate against the Holnist troops.

As a new batch of Postmen are sworn in one comes to meet The Postman who thinks he's seen him before (this man eventually turns out to a spy for Bethlehem) and Bethlehem embarks on a campaign of terror against all towns who give or receive mail executing people in every town including Pineview.

The Postman reads a letter to his staff and tells them the Postal Service is disbanded and explains to Abby the true story behind The Postman. Bethelhems spy reveals himself but does not assassinate The Postman which it appears was his mission. Ford delivers the final letter to Bethlehem explaining the truth about The Postman and the fake "restored" Government.

Facing execution Ford meets a carrier from the restored republic of California and Bethlehem discovers he isn't just fighting The Postman, he's fighting an idea (which he refers to as "a ghost").

The Postman & Abby ride West and reach Bridge City (a bit of a misnomer as its built across a dam) which is run by rock star Tom Petty (playing a future version of himself) where they seek shelter as Bethlehems troops ride out to hunt down the remnants of the Postal service to end the conflict.

After being asked by a child what a postman is one of his ex carriers returns his cap (a darn good trick considering you actually saw him burning it earlier in the movie!) and Tom Petty tells him he's famous (its quite a funny scene, I always get a giggle out of it).

The Postman then sets out to raise an army of his own (where did that uniform come from, didn't he burn that as well?) and they ride to finally face General Bethlehem & his troops. Bethlehems spy rejoins the Postmans army and The Postman rides out under a flag of truce to speak with Bethlehem and invokes law 7 of the Holnist clan, the right to fight for leadership. Obviously he wins (in possibly the worst on screen fight ever made even worse by being shown in slow motion) but theres a couple of slight twists which I wont reveal.

The Postman returns to Abby & his baby daughter Hope and we then flash forward to 2043 and St Rose, Oregon and his adult daughter unveils a statue to his memory. It's a feelgood ending leaving you feeling The Postman did bring hope and reunite the people. Like Waterworld this isn't considered a good movie which is a shame as its well shot and based on a very good idea, it only annoys me that you never see Nathan Holn ever in the movie, he is just refered to at times. Like Dances With Wolves this is a bit of an epic as its almost 3 hours long in duration, it probably could do with a major bit of cutting which if done properly could easily remove about 40 minutes of the movie without ruining it.

It's still a good movie and I'd recommend it to anyone.