Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Chris Evans | ... | Curtis | |
Song Kang-Ho | ... | Namgoong Minsoo (as Song Kang Ho) | |
Ed Harris | ... | Wilford | |
John Hurt | ... | Gilliam | |
Tilda Swinton | ... | Mason | |
Jamie Bell | ... | Edgar | |
Octavia Spencer | ... | Tanya | |
Ewen Bremner | ... | Andrew | |
Ko Asung | ... | Yona | |
Alison Pill | ... | Teacher | |
Luke Pasqualino | ... | Grey | |
Vlad Ivanov | ... | Franco the Elder | |
Adnan Haskovic | ... | Franco the Younger | |
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Emma Levie | ... | Claude |
Steve Park | ... | Fuyu (as Stephen Park) |
Set in 2031, the entire world is frozen except for those aboard the Snowpiercer. For seventeen years, the world's survivors are on a train hurtling around the globe creating their own economy and class system. Led by Curtis (Chris Evans), a group of lower-class citizens living in squalor at the back of the train are determined to get to the front of the train and spread the wealth around. Each section of the train holds new surprises for the group who have to battle their way through. A revolution is underway. Written by Anne Campbell
I noticed that people seemed to rate this film either quite high or extremely low and reading the reviews, I can see that those who rated high and those who rated low were watching completely different movies.
A huge part of the negative criticisms for this movie is the prevalence of plot holes. These are absolutely undeniable. The concept is far-fetched, the execution bizarre, and the upper class characters quite comical. The key to appreciating this film is understanding its purpose. Snowpiercer is clearly a social commentary, but going into it expecting a Hunger Games sort of dystopian social commentary, you are absolutely going to find it ridiculous.
Instead, a much better genre match to this film would be Brazil. Its absurdity makes it even more horrifying. The fact that there is no true logic, the contrast between the dingy tail section and the bright colors and extravagance of the front, and the utter hopelessness of the plot make this movie, yes, bizarre to watch and difficult to relate to. However, the alienation of this world from ours brings out the social commentary and the cautionary tale within.
Another up-side was the diversity presented in the train and the framing of women WITHOUT the male gaze! All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by this film and my only real criticism is that it was way too long.