Prime Video has added a Western thriller that is now top of the streaming charts

A modern cult favourite, Quentin Tarantino called it 'a mesmerising, visionary achievement'.

Since being added to Prime Video, the Australian film has climbed to the top of the JustWatch movie streaming chart in Ireland.

In the wake of this, the Australian outback has become a lawless wasteland where crime and poverty are common, and small military units patrol the area attempting to maintain what little law and order is left.

The movie focuses on a hardened drifter named Eric (Pearce), as he wanders across this dangerous and desolate landscape.

When a gang of thieves steal Eric's car - as well as his only remaining possession hidden within it - they leave behind a wounded comrade, a naive young man named Rey (Pattinson).

"Eric forces Rey to help him hunt down the gang in an unrelenting quest to take back the one thing that matters to him," the plot synopsis reads.

Co-starring Scoot McNairy (Killing Them Softly) as Rey's brother and fellow gang member, The Rover feels like a bleaker and more realistic cousin to the Mad Max saga.

There is not a lot of hope or humour in the 2014 flick, and no conventional heroes or villains. It's just about various different people trying to survive in a disintegrating world where life is cheap.

Perhaps it's The Rover's downbeat tone that led to the muted commercial and critical response to it upon release. That said, we'd argue that the movie is nevertheless an utterly thrilling watch, thanks to its electric lead performances from Pattinson and Pearce; its stripped-down, almost primal plotting; and its darkly beautiful sun-scorched landscapes.

JOE is not alone in this assessment as acclaimed writer-director Quentin Tarantino once praised the film. He called it “a mesmerising, visionary achievement," and "the best post-apocalyptic movie since the original Mad Max". High praise, indeed.

How to watch The Rover

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission on any sales generated from it.

The Rover is streaming in Ireland and the UK on Prime Video.