Postman, The (1997)

reviewed by
Homer Yen


"The Postman" Doesn't Deliver
by Homer Yen
(c) 1997

It's funny - ironic really, how we take for granted one of our most established and tried and true forms of communications. I'm not talking about phones or faxes or e-mail. I'm referring to that great system that we call the postal service. In the mid-1800s, the brave riders of the Pony Express helped to bring the population of the United States closer together through mail routes that were both long and treacherous. A lot can be said of these intrepid riders, these tireless couriers, these postmen. We can easily romanticize an era when the postmen and the delivery of mail helped individuals embrace an entire nation.

Oddly, there seems to be less of an imagination at work here in Kevin Costner's epic fable. Set in the not-so-distant future, after a great war that has decimated America's infrastructure and dissolved the American government, survivors are caught in a loose feudal system where the strong prey on the weak and take the spoils of their victory. Will Patton plays the evil warlord. As General Bethlehem, he leads his army, raids towns and demands tribute in the form of goods and men, whom he will train to become soldiers under his command. Costner, after being unwillingly conscripted into Bethlehem's army, soon escapes, stumbles upon a mail truck, and devises a plan to ensure that he survives as he continues to drift from town to town. Using his flimsy Shakespearean acting background, he conjures a fictional tale of how the US government has been restored, and how he is delivering the mail. The first town that he comes upon embraces him. "You're a Godsend," says an old woman. Amid the ruins of civilization, the Postman takes on a symbol of hope and renewal, something so desperately needed to counterbalance the tyranny unleashed by Gen. Bethlehem.

Although the Postman is just an act, it touches, in particular, Ford Lincoln Mercury (Lorenz Tate) who wants to help usher in a new era of hope by being a Postman as well. His presence also attracts towngirl Abby (Olivia Adams). Through the rest of the movie, the legacy of the Postman grows, primarily through the efforts of FLM. The wandering Costner frequently tells townspeople that "things are getting better all the time," but is really only interested in a free meal. However, the growing illusion of a restored United States not only begins to slowly move Costner's eccentric and loner character, but also threatens the viability of Bethlehem's feudal principles. Bethlehem wants the Postman dead and mercilessly tries to hunt him down.

The biggest problem with The Postman is that it brings to us another chapter of a loner who allies himself with a loose band of people that, against overwhelming odds, must defeat the enemies that symbolize oppression. We saw this eloquently done in the superior Dances With Wolves, and once again in Waterworld. The Postman doesn't stack up to either of these two. There are some good scenes that epitomize the slim threads of hope that the townspeople have. For example, just before men are brutally murdered in a firing line for not disclosing the whereabouts of Costner, one of them, who has always been cynical of Costner's intent, shouts, "Ride, Postman, ride!"

But this is a 3-hour marathon that doesn't give us enough to believe in to sustain our attention for so long a period of time. There are shots of the post-apocalyptic wilderness; there is a slowly developing bond between Costner and Abby, who turns out to be a strong frontierswoman; and there are lots of scenes where Costner stares out into the horizon (probably thinking to himself that this is really a long movie). The final confrontation between the Postman and Bethlehem has 2nd Class stamped all over it. Throughout the movie, there seemed to be many times when greatness was just aching to come out, but ultimately the story was not nearly as rich (or as short) as it could have been. I give credit to the filmmakers for trying to give us something deep and moving. Unfortunately, the Postman left me feeling a little disgruntled.

Grade: C 

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