With their customary wit and impeccable craftsmanship, Joel and Ethan Coen bring to the screen a bleak and coherent adaptation of Cormac McCarthy 's bracing novel.

In the parched and rugged landscape of West Texas, three characters play cat-and-mouse.

First, there's Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) - a heartless killer - who wanders the plains of Texas, killing pretty much everyone he encounters except those lucky enough to win a coin toss in his presence.

Then, there's Moss (Josh Brolin) who, while on a hunting trip, stumbles across a drug deal gone wrong and then makes a misguided attempt to take off with the ill-gotten gains.

And finally, there's local county sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) who must confront the carnage and mayhem in his territory.

The audacious performance from Javier Bardem makes for one of cinema's most memorable villains in recent history.

The indelible imagery and precision framing from long-time Coen collaborator Roger Deakins, combines with Carter Burwell's discreet score to bring this beautiful and brutal landscape to life.

With a sense of foreboding building from the outset, and expertly judged pacing, the story, which is full of unexpected twists that jettison conventional rules and expectations, plays out with the stature of a modern myth.

Michael Open will be introducing the film with a talk on Friday January 18 at 9.15pm.

For further information or to book tickets log onto www.queensfilmstheatre.com