Pay
attention Hollywood, because this is the type of movie you should be copying.
Epic in scale, high on concept, but still just down-to-earth enough to make you
root for it, Snowpiercer has to be one of the best action films of the year
yet, I’d say the best but I have yet to watch the Raid 2 (I’m waiting for a
non-dubbed copy).
The film
definitely has an excellent cast, boasting Chris Evans of Captain America fame
as the lead, with co-stars Jaime Bell, Octavia Spencer (turning in a very
satisfying role), Ed Harris, John Hurt, and wonderfully wicked (as always) Tilda
Swinton, and Kang-Ho Song (his lines are completely without subtitles and
somehow that makes his character all the better); however, it isn’t the cast
necessarily that makes the film, nor is it really even the story, which is a
simple enough apocalypse tale, albeit with a unique twist; rather, it is simply
the way the movie flows seamlessly, as if it truly believes and revels in
itself, and it’s inviting us to join the fun.
Honestly, I
can’t remember the last time I truly just enjoyed the ride while watching a
film like this, I literally cried out in dismay as characters died, and some
moments that could have easily had my eyes rolling on the floor had they been
under different direction, instead had me nodding and grinning with giddiness.
All of that
aside, this movie actually presents a very interesting dystopian world and
within the space of one absurdly giant train they manage to pack in more to
this universe than the Hunger Games and Divergent combined. It seems that each
train car holds something new and interesting, whether it’s the answer to where
the food supply for the less fortunate comes from (it’s not pretty) or an
eerily brainwashed classroom full of kids.
I suppose
the real praise here should go to director Joon-Ho Bong, he has taken what
could have easily been another overblown, over-budgeted action film and turned
it into something with heart and soul. That’s not to say that the movie doesn't have a wealthy amount of kick ass moments (it certainly does), and it definitely hits all the right
beats that a film of this sort is supposed to do, but the way in which it does
is unique and is what makes this movie memorable.
Seriously, if you love
action, see this movie; if you love unique dystopian apocalyptic universes, see
this movie; hell, if you love movies, see this movie. You could definitely do a
lot worse (I’m looking at you, Transformers).
-Ryan Maples
Rating: 9.
Great review, will definitely see
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