Snowpiercer

Dir. Bong Joon-ho · Czech Republic, Japan · English, French

Our take by Akshay Goyal

Snowpiercer is an under-the-rader post-apocalyptic thriller that offers the grittiness that many times only Asian cinema may achieve. South Korean director Joon-ho Bong forces audiences to forget that Chris Evans was ever a Marvel superhero, as he leads a revolt of his fellow “low-class” citizens against the self-appointed gentry in a train that contains all remaining members of the planet. With immersive environments and a layered script, this film melds together social commentary and moral discourse in a visually arresting and vastly entertaining package.

What happens

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.

What the critics said

Notable Critics

"Violent, often absurd, but full of brilliant surprises."

— David Denby

"A genuinely spectacular project that has the imaginative and philosophical dimensions that most blockbusters would never dream of venturing into."

— Jonathan Romney

Awards

Nat. Board of Review

1 win

Won: Top 10 Independent Films

LAFCA

1 nom

Nominated: Best Production Design

Comments

MrDyll

October 6, 2017 at 1:55 am

Wow, what a big train. The movie left me asking questions like “Where do the gardeners sleep?” and “Why a train, could they not have just made bunkers?”. The train is a beautiful object to discuss social class and oppression, allowing Joon-ho Bong to delve into the stark differences in reality experienced by humanity. This film plays tricks with tension, breaking from it’s serious tone to highlight the absurdity of the reality faced by the people on the train. A great movie that will keep you hooked as you need to see what happens next.