Written by: Bong Joon-ho & Kelly Masterson
Starring: Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, Ewen Bremner
Rating: [4.5/5]
If history or science fiction have taught us anything over the years, the fact humans will force a hierarchy and segregate themselves by any means necessary certainly stands as one of the more poignant lessons. One that carries truth by simply looking at the way most countries format the lives of their citizens, but in Snowpiercer we get this reality in a cool fast-moving train at the end of the world.
Following planet Earth freezing over due to an attempt to course correct from the impact of global warming, the remaining humans live on this constantly moving train. The cars in the front house the wealthy who could afford a ticket while the tail contains those who could not afford passage but were granted it. With the horrendous mistreatment of those living in the tail, Curtis Everett (Chris Evans) leads a rebellion to take control of the engine.
Just reading the premise of Snowpiercer gave me goosebumps in anticipation of watching the film, as it delivers everything I love about science fiction in how it relates a real-world problem and elevates it to the extreme. In this feature, we have the obvious issue of an environmental apocalypse where humans ignored the issue of climate change for so long that the only option left before them was to intervene through a drastic last-ditch effort only making the situation worse. Something we can laugh about except it most likely predicts what will happen to us if we don’t course correct soon. This leaves all of the remaining humans in one train allowing anger about these arbitrary rules to fester and for revolutions to spark against those who unfairly claimed power in these circumstances.
As straightforward and on-the-nose as the allegories in this feature may be, it very astutely sets the stage for the epic movie we have before us. It accurately sums up why a level of frustration exists with the characters at the tail of the train and the feature wastes absolutely no time in getting us right into the action demonstrating the true evil they come up against. It comes as no surprise even in a situation where so few people still live, humans would find a way to place distinguished few at the top and allow a majority to live in putrid conditions. Definitely tracks if looking at all of human history but the way to the top has never been more accessible as seen in this feature. It just requires some violence and the classic power of organization.
Navigating each car of this train presents a new environment leading up to the engine at the very front allowing the production design to absolutely shine. Each new environment presents something we take for granted in our world but serves as the ultimate luxury within this one. Seriously, sushi never tasted as good to these characters, almost the equivalent of someone dying of thirst in the desert finding a cool bottle of water they chug. It allows for a fun journey toward the top as well as the harsh realization of these characters who’ve had to endure life in the tail for so long they cannot believe others have lived like that for years.
On top of each room providing a new environment, it also presents a new threat they must overcome in order to continue on their voyage to the front. One particular bloody sequence allows for an all-out battle between Curtis’s revolt and the soldiers meant to keep the peace for those who inhabit the front. Even within this particular car, the circumstances change on multiple occasions making for something quite scary in moments and epic in others. This whole sequence delivers such a thrill and exemplifies the difficulties these characters face in trying to make their way to the engine and take it over.
In addition, this feature leans strongly into the idea of idolatry and mythmaking in the obsession with the engine keeping this train running. The creator of it and the engine itself contains its devotees among the rich passengers. We see this expressed in quite an unsettling way when the revolutionaries reach the school car and we witness the nonsense these children learn through this indoctrination to build the idea no one will exist because of the engine and therefore anyone who harms what keeps them alive ultimately represents a threat. While relatively true, the degree to which it gets taught certainly reaches cult-like levels that will give everyone a shiver down their spine.
Bong Joon-ho loves delivering societal messages through his stories in such an entertaining manner and he crafts something wholly unique with this feature. Operating as his first English-language film, he delves into a different genre and unsurprisingly excels in delivering this exhilarating tale. His directorial flourishes certainly appear throughout as he sets the stakes, builds the tension, and delivers incredibly thrilling sequences. He manages to have it all in his feature from action, horror, drama, and even some comedy as well especially with Tilda Swinton’s Minister Mason who’s a complete riot.
Unforgettable in its premise and execution, Snowpiercer stands out in Bong Joon-ho’s mostly grounded style of storytelling. Instead of living in the real world, he presents us with something completely different and intriguing as a result as this world continues to surprise in what it uncovers for these characters. We learn all of this along with the revolutionaries from the tail of the train seeing everything they have missed out on for nearly two decades since the journey on the locomotive began. This feature will have you feel every emotion in a good way as it packs a punch consistently throughout its runtime.
Films with Josh 
