CANNES: No Country for Old Men. Cannes critics have hailed it as the film with the highest chances of winning the prestigious competition. And it has been labelled as the Brothers Coen (Ethan and Joel) - remember Fargo - best work to date. And with some of amount of justification.

Adapted from Pulitzer Prize winning Cormac McCarthy's novel, No Country for Old Men makes for gripping viewing, ensuring that the adaptation works.

The film is a thriller par excellence. It is tightpaced, has superlative performances from Tommy Lee Jones as law enforcer getting disillusioned with his job, Josh Brolin as Llewellyn Moss, Kelly Mcdonald as his wife and Javier Bardem as the bad guy Chigura. The film throws up striking visuals of the American wilds (Texas and Mexican landscape) thanks to cinematographer Roger Deakin.

But where it lacks is that it has a speeded up ending - the film's protagonists meet their fate in almost super quick time - which leads to the film's balance being lost.

Ethan & Joel Coen

Set sometime in the eighties, the film begins with a focus on Tommy Lee Jones who is the sheriff of a town in the US just like his father was earlier. It then quickly moves to the psychopathic killer Javier Bardem, who uses custom built arms (like a gas cylinder which fires extra large double bullets) and goes around decimating common people. He is shown as a man who does not need a reason to kill. He kills because he has to, he wants to, it is something he must do.

It then moves to welder turned wild game hunter Moss who comes across a stash of cash following his chancing upon the carcasses of Mexicans left behind from a gun battle between drug runners. He comes across a survivor who asks him for water, but since he does not have any he cannot do anything. He leaves with the cash hoard only to wake up in the middle of the night determined to help the survivor.

He goes back to the spot only to find himself being hounded by the Mexican drug runners and their dogs. He manages to escape and sends his partner (Scottish actress Mcdonald putting up an impeccable performance) away while going on the run himself. Javier is put on the job to recover the money and kill Brolin.

A large part of the film has Moss on the run, trying to escape the drug mafia horde's hired assasin Chigurha. Javier dominates the film with his portrayal of evil. And Josh Brolin does his bit as the man on the run.

He finally however does not make it and gets killed either by the Mexican mafia or Chigurha. His wife also gets eliminated. And Sheriff Jones realises the world is changing, America is changing and there is no place for him in law enforcement. Especially, an ageing crime fighter such as him.

The film has its moments of sardonic humour, from all the protagonists, whether it is Tommy Lee Jones or Josh Brolin or even Bardem. Humour - the Coen brothers trademark - abound making it for entertaining and engaging viewing.

A film that will find its way into main screen cinemas in Mumbai and Delhi (if the censors allow it), it is worth a watch more than once. Not only for the fact that it is beautifully crafted, audiences may find Tommy Lee Jones' accent a little hard to follow the first time.