Directed by:
Joon-ho BongCinematography:
Kyung-pyo HongComposer:
Marco BeltramiCast:
Chris Evans, Kang-ho Song, Jamie Bell, Tilda Swinton, Octavia Spencer, John Hurt, Ewen Bremner, Alison Pill, Ed Harris, Ah-seong Ko, Kenny Doughty (more)Plots(1)
After a failed global-warming experiment, a postapocalyptic Ice Age has killed off nearly all life on the planet. All that remains of humanity are the lucky few survivors that boarded the Snowpiercer, a train that travels around the globe, powered by a sacred perpetual-motion engine. A class system has evolved aboard the train, fiercely dividing its population-but a revolution is brewing. The lower-class passengers in the tail section stage an uprising, moving car-by-car up toward the front of the train, where the train's creator and absolute authority resides in splendor. But unexpected circumstances lie in wait for humanity's tenacious survivors. (Entertainment One)
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Reviews (17)
Mutant, from the same director, was also incredibly hyped abroad, but for me it was an unwatchable, stupid piece of crap, so I went into Snowpiercer with some healthy apprehension. The result, however, blew me away. There are some shortcomings, like the almost video-game like special effects (when we see the train from the outside, or the frozen landscape), or the ending, which I personally would cut three minutes earlier, but I’m willing to forgive them. At first I was afraid that the premise of a post-apocalyptic train riot wouldn’t be enough for a two hour film. But it is. The passage from one car to the next is a little monotonous, but it’s saved by the dirty atmosphere, the sharp action and the excellent performances (especially Tilda Swinton’s, while I felt Octavia Spencer was the weakest link of the ensemble). About half-way through, we start getting a relentless barrage of directorial ideas, plot twists, brutal and unexpected deaths (the film doesn’t go easy on its stars, in this regard Joon-ho Bong is quite uncompromising), brutality and slightly philosophical thoughts, and I was purring in satisfaction. I have a weak spot for dystopian sci-fi and this movie checked all the boxes. And, as a Czech viewer, I was happy to hear that one sentence in Czech, and the Czech names in the credits. The film was made in Barrandov Studios :)
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A co-production pseudo-Hollywood blockbuster with a message? In places, Snowpiercer is OK (exciting, surprising), in
places ridiculous like the later Shyamalan movies (some characters) or this year’s Hollywood flop Transcendence. A
weird science-fiction hybrid with a stellar cast.
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A famous film response to Aldiss's classic Non Stop. How does one conjure an adventurous and unpredictable universe from claustrophobic space? Divide the space into fragments, create each fragment as a closed ecosystem and connect them with Bong's poetics, which oscillate on the edge of cabaret stylization and (post) industrial dystopia. Despite the certain anachronistic nature of the metaphor of the eternal machine that devours the bodies of the proletariat, Snowpiercer is the best possible return to the ethos of classical dystopian sci-fi. A film that holds up where Elysium failed due to excess of theses. Excellent performances by Evans, Harris and of course the clown Song. For me, it is definitely a ride in first class, which is not brought down by the weaker "extruder" effects and the fact that Bong has set the bar in mutating genres so high in the past that it probably won't surpass it any time soon. [85%]
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At first I felt like I was back in Train to Busan (if you like movies on a train, I recommend watching it), and got a little lost in the darkness, but once the director's favorite Kang-ho Song joined in, I started to enjoy the erratic ride. In the second part of the film, the director's favorite theme, the clash between two completely different social classes, comes into play. Bong Joon-ho revels in this and knows how to give it the right contrast. Anyone who has ever walked on a plane from Economy Class to First Class actually has a bit of a trailer for this film. It's just a little more extreme here. 3.5 stars.
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The Metropolis of the new century. Absolutely amazing and unbeatable! From start to finish we follow the evolution of civilization from simple foundations to science, education, quality, luxury and ultimate demise. This film really has style. Every scene has charm and is well thought out. There are breathtaking visuals, amazing action, awesome pacing, perfect acting performances (Tilda Swinton went all out here!) and most importantly lots of plot twists. The unpredictability and originality makes this film an orgasmic experience. Action 8/10, Story 9/10, Gore 6/10, Atmosphere 10/10, Visuals 10/10.
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