Snowpiercer
Snowpiercer
7.194%72%
In a future where a failed global-warming experiment kills off most life on the planet, a class system evolves aboard the Snowpiercer; a train that travels around the globe via a perpetual-motion engine.
rg9400 reviewedNovember 1, 2024
I am shocked that this movie somehow managed to fly under my radar. It has some fairly famous cast members, but for some reason, I never heard much about it, causing me to ignore it. I am very glad I rectified that mistake as I go through Bong Joon-ho's cinematography. It's the most action-driven of the movies I've seen from him (so far), and though you don't necessarily get the stylized action that has become popular from movies like John Wick, you can see flashes of cool cinematography as two sides fight in tight linear hallways, with each car resulting in very different aesthetics. Despite the limited space, Bong Joon-ho manages to keep the action dynamic, changing up the mechanics of each action scene so that it never feels stale. Like any of his movies, there is a ton of sociopolitical commentary, but this time you don't need to look very deep. The world is built similar to something out of The Hunger Games, and as the movie draws to a close, the messaging becomes sharper with its political thought experiment having clear present day parallels. My main criticism is that Chris Evans, as usual, is extremely bland. While I enjoyed Song Kang-ho and Go A-sung (both from The Host!), I found him to be a poor choice for the leading man. Thankfully, his character gets a bit more depth at the ending which makes the actual character arc significantly more interesting, but I still maintain he didn't do a great job. Also, it takes until the ending to get there. The movie can be brutal at times, but it also has a zaniness and comedic undertone to it that is similar to other movies by this director. Overall, I found it highly engaging, entertaining, and compelling, and I'm starting to think Bong Joon-ho is one of my favorite active directors.