SNOWPIERCER
STARRING: John Hurt, Chris Evans,
Jamie Bell, Tilda Swinton, Ed Harris
2013, 126 Minutes, Directed by: Joon-ho Bong
 Just
when you think there are no more surprises in life, or at least in the world of
low- to medium-budget science fiction movies, along comes this South Korean
movie with an international cast which features the likes of John Hurt, Ed
Harris and an almost unrecognizable Chris Evans (you know, Captain America)
amongst others.
(In case you hate
subtitles, then don’t worry: rest assured that most of the film has English
spoken dialogue.)
Coming short on the heels
of the similarly themed, but very different, The
Colony, Snowpiercer is set in a future in which efforts to
reverse the effects of global warming have backfired and resulted in a new
ice age that killed off most of humanity. The only survivors are the
passengers on a high-tech, self-sustaining train (the titular Snowpiercer)
which constantly travels around the globe without ever stopping.
Why are the only survivors
on a train? It is never entirely made clear, except for that the mastermind
behind the science that allows them to survive happened to have a thing for
trains. When one thinks about it, there is no reason why they couldn’t
employ the same technology in, let’s say, a huge block of apartments. (Then
you don’t have to worry about snow on the tracks all the time for instance.)
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"One of the best SF actioners we’ve seen in a very long time!" |
There are more plot holes, but this is the biggest one though. Setting the
action on a train however offers more dramatic possibilities and makes for a
more colorful metaphor. You see, life on the train has evolved (devolved?)
into a stringent class system in which the passengers at the back of the
train has been reduced to abject poverty while the lot at the front lives
like the literal one-percenters one always hear about nowadays but never get
to meet (well, we don’t).
Well, the passengers in the back aren’t going to take it anymore and plan
a revolt. But how to overcome vicious guards armed to the teeth with
machineguns when you’re unarmed? There are some surprises in store in case
you thinking that Snowpiercer is a simple
underdog-versus-sadistic-oppressors movie with Marxist undertones. Unlike
most sci-fi action flicks, Snowpiercer doesn’t present its
fictional world in simple good vs. evil terms. You’ll have lots to talk
about and discuss afterwards.
If you’re worried that
Snowpiercer might be too cerebral and dull, be assured that the movie
works as both science fiction drama and action movie. Not only will you have
protagonists to root for, but some of the best action sequences we’ve seen
in quite a while. Unlike many other science fiction movies, the action
scenes are never gratuitously violent (see: The Colony) or lapse
into uninvolving videogame-style action (see that unnecessary 300
sequel and about 80% of all Hollywood action movies made nowadays).
Plot holes aside,
Snowpiercer is one of the best SF actioners we’ve seen in a very long
time. It is simply thrilling, exciting and thought-provoking and a whole lot
of other adjectives. Check it today if you can.
- James
O'Ehley
Watch trailer / clip:
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