Robert Pattinson's Underseen Dystopian Western Is A Hidden Gem Streaming On Netflix

One of Robert Pattinson's best movies is just waiting to be unearthed over on Netflix. "The Rover" might be an unremittingly bleak dystopian Western, but it features two standout performances from Pattinson and Guy Pearce and serves as an interesting look at the former during his transition from vampire heartthrob to serious actor.

Back in 2014, director David Michôd spoke to the Sydney Morning Herald about making "The Rover," and recalled meeting with Pattinson for the first time. According to Michôd, he was surprised to find that the actor was ”really smart, and not the sort of pretty boy I was expecting." At that point in Pattinson's career, there was no doubt he was best known for the "Twilight" movies, but he'd been trying to break away from that association even while the vampire flicks were still being made. Roles in Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod's "Bel Ami" and David Cronenberg's "Cosmopolis" had helped in that regard, but "The Rover" was the first time he really became unrecognizable — a promising portent of what was to come.

The Australian film was written and directed by Michôd, who had developed the story with Joel Edgerton. Originally, Edgerton — who recently starred in one of 2025's best films, "Train Dreams" — was supposed to star, but he didn't feel he was right for the project. So, the pair cast Guy Peace, who based on the final result was absolutely the right choice. That just left the other lead role, and while Pattinson might not have seemed ideal at the time, he certainly proved otherwise after Michôd brought him onboard.

"The Rover" is set in a not-too-distant future following the collapse of the Western economy. But the lawless Australian outback depicted in the film isn't a "Mad Max"-style chaotic-yet-colorful dystopia. It's bleak. Really bleak. Through this dreary future trudges Eric (Guy Pearce) a former soldier who lost everything, including his family, when society crumbled, and carries the pain and resentment with him.

After criminals led by Scoot McNairy's Henry steal his truck, Eric sets out to retrieve his last worldly possession, fueled by all that grief and anger. But the criminals left something behind: Henry's brother, Reynolds (Robert Pattinson). Yes, long before "The Batman" and his secret role in "Marty Supreme," Pattinson played a slow-witted southern American youngster who's left for dead by his brother. Unfortunately, Rey is pretty much incapable of looking after himself, and latches onto Eric despite the ex-soldier's brutal and uncaring manner. Still, someone is better than no one in the lawless wasteland, and Eric needs help tracking down his truck. Though the pair's relationship starts off as strained at best, Eric and Rey eventually find connection in a most unlikely place.

"The Rover" was shot on location in the South Australian desert. As such, it's full of suitably haunting landscapes that help heighten the sense of hopelessness that already pervades the movie, making for a palpable atmosphere that stays with you long after watching.

"The Rover" isn't quite "No Country for Old Men," but with its sorrowful tone certainly has elements of the Coen Brothers' film. Sadly, it didn't get anywhere near the same attention. After making just $3.2 million at the global box office, "The Rover" sort of shuffled off into the dystopian desert of the 2010s never to be spoken of again. But hey, when a Brad Pitt Western flopped despite being one of the best movies of the 2000s, what chance did "The Rover" really have?

Critics at the time were mostly impressed, with "The Rover" earning a very solid 67% on Rotten Tomatoes. David Stratton of The Australian commended the "tough, violent and starkly impressive thriller" for succeeding in its aim to "keep the viewer on the edge of the seat." RogerEbert.com's Brian Tallerico was also impressed by the film's focus on the human condition rather than on the post-disaster setting, and praised David Michôd for exploring the question of "how life goes on and what a world without basic commerce or laws does to mankind."

There's no doubt "The Rover" is bleak and brutal throughout, but there's a paradoxical aspect to the film in that the performances are so good that they're actually sort of uplifting in their own way. Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson are so good at playing broken men that it's never anything more than a delight to watch them wallowing away and playing off one another so well. If that's the sort of thing that intrigues you, then why not check out the movie that proved Pattinson was more than just a handsome dude over on Netflix.