Snowpiercer

Released: July 2013

Directed by: Joon-Ho Bong

Movie Trailer

Cast:

Chris Evans: Curtis

One of science fictions most popular sub-genres is post-apocalypse.  What is that, you ask?  Post-apocalyptic movies take place in world that has been ruined by any number of events: Natural disasters, nuclear war, lack of natural resources, alien invasions or supernatural events.  Some of the most popular films including Mad Max take place in a world where humanity caused the end of the world.  As a result, the remnants of mankind are left wandering the world scavenging for whatever resources remain.  While most films take place in a desolate and desert-like world, few have the audacity to use an ice age as the backdrop of a world-shattering event.

In the year 2031, the world has been devastated by the onset of a new Ice Age as a result of humanity’s attempt to turn back global warming.  Using a special chemical, they covered the globe with this chemical in an attempt to bring the planet’s temperature back to more manageable levels.  Unfortunately, this attempt left the world in a frozen state, wiping out all forms of life.  In an attempt to salvage what’s left of humanity, a special train was constructed.  Humanity now survives on the move on a train that travels the world on a single track.  The sections of the train are divided: The elite upper class are housed towards the front of the train, the working middle-class is situated in the middle, and the poor and destitute are forced to huddle in the tail-end of the train.  A revolt has broken out in the tail-end of the train with a man named Curtis(Chris Evans)in the lead.  Followed by Edgar(Jamie Bell) and Tanya(Octavia Spencer), they attempt to take over the train after following 18 years of oppression.

The post-apocalyptic genre doesn’t really leave a lot of room for optimism.  It features humanity on the brink of extinction hoping for some kind of miracle that may never come.  While most films in the genre take place out in the wastelands, Snowpiercer takes a risk by placing the majority of the picture inside a 3-mile long steel tube, essentially.  The rear of the train is claustrophobic because we have a lot of people that are wall-to-wall inside an iron box and are forced to eat protein bars while the rest of the train gets better treatment.  There is a level of social commentary about how the elite treat the downtrodden and the destitute.  It’s done in a way that’s not heavy-handed, but on the same token it shows how cruel the elite can be.  You learn later in the movie that during the first few months on the train, the people at the rear-end of the train have had to do some…horrific things in order to survive.  The story and setting in the film are pretty unique.  The train is divided into visually unique sections.  The further in the train you go, the cleaner and more spectacular it gets.  Through the windows, you get to see what’s left of the outside world.

Chris Evans has come a long way from his stint in the Fantastic Four comic book movies.  While he was one of the sole highlights of those films, they were less than……good.  His first real breakthrough was the science fiction film: Sunshine.  That is a fantastic film in its own right, but I’ll review that one at a later date.  Evans didn’t really make waves until he was cast as Captain Steven Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger.  His performance in that film allowed him to take more risks with other kinds of roles.  Snowpiercer really allows him a greater range to express himself as one of his characters.  Curtis is the leader of a rebellion intent on liberating the rest of the train from the upper-class citizens.  During one of the scenes he talks about his experiences during the first few months on the train and you can see the pain and the disgust in his face.  I’m not entirely sure that anyone else could have pulled that off the way he did.  Evans is a fantastic actor.  Legendary actor John Hurt plays Curtis’s mentor.  John Hurt is well….John Hurt.  There’s a reason he is an amazing actor, and not just for his role as Kane in Alien.  He’s a very elegant and well-spoken actor that really shines through with whatever he does.  Tilda Swinton chews the scenery as Mason, the minister of the train.  Swinton’s great at playing hammy villains and Mason is no exception.  Ed Harris plays Wilford, the man who created the train and claims to have saved humanity through some very questionable means.  Harris is one of the most incredible actors that I have ever seen.  His filmography is extremely impressive.  From The Abyss to The Rock and beyond, Ed Harris is very dedicated to his craft and it shows, because he gives his all during his performances.  Whether it’s a villain or a good guy, you get the impression that whatever character Harris is playing, he makes the character as believable as possible.

The action in the film is extraordinarily intense because it’s so close-quarters.  There’s not really a whole lot of room for flashy fighting, so it’s very direct with blunt objects and axes.  It gets pretty brutal.  Once everything hits the fan, it doesn’t really slow down a whole lot except to show off each section of the train.  There are a few interesting twists and turns in this film which I won’t mention, but let’s just say it all comes together very well.  The direction by South Korean director Joon-Ho Bong is extraordinary.  While a lot of the action is punctuated by slow motion, he still manages to get the performances of his actors to come through the chaos.

Visual effects-wise, we do get to see the train from the outside periodically, but it’s mostly CG.  It’s surprisingly well-done for a low-budget thriller.  Seeing the train moving at high speeds crashing through obstacles is something to see and it really adds to the precariousness of the people’s situation.  This is a very solid and exciting science fiction thriller that manages to tell a compelling story while shining a light on the differences between social classes in a confined space and how we react to those differences.  Snowpiercer didn’t get as much attention as it deserved, I think.  I think people are rightfully wary of the Weinstein Bros cutting up another movie, which apparently they did.  They’re notorious for doing for a lot of movies, and in certain cases, it actually ruins the movie.  Snowpiercer, despite some cuts, still manages to be one of the most underrated and exciting movies released last year.  I seriously recommend checking this one out.  It’s awesome.  I’m giving it a solid 9/10.  Snowpiercer is rated R for violence, language and drug use.  Feel free to leave a comment or suggestion.