I was excited to see this film because 1) it has no set release date in the USA, 2) it was a combined production Korean/American/French and, 3) it has some big name stars.
The general plot is that in the future, to stop global warming, humanity releases a chemical into the atmosphere to cool the Earth. Well, it works much better than expected and drives the planet into another ice age. Almost all life on Earth parishes (including humans) except for the chosen few that board a large train which runs a year long circuit across the frozen terrain. A class system develops over time with the tail end of the train being the lowest class and the front of the train containing the ones much better off. The movie picks up with a plot of the tail end of the train wanting to overthrow the front end inhabitants and take over the engine of the train - which the front end people seem to worship. How does this engine never run out of fuel you ask? Perpetual motion! (Google it ^.^).
Anyway - I met up with 3 of my classmates to see this movie at the Sinchon CGV. A very nice theater, we actually sat in what they call "Veatbox" seats. They actually vibrate during certain parts of the film like if some guy gets punched in the face on screen the seat shakes at the punch's impact. It is a novel concept but overall I could take it or leave it.
*SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT*
The film itself is a great film - the directing, the acting, etc. The one warning I will give to some of the maybe younger viewers (or those with a weak stomach) is that is quite graphic. One of the first scenes is one of the punishments doled out by the front-of-the-train soldiers to the tail-of-the-train peons. The guy has his arm stuck out of the train for a certain amount of time which basically freezes it solid, then they break up his arm over an anvil using a huge hammer. They show pretty much all of it.
I personally really liked the film. It's been a while since I've seen a well put together sci-fi/post-apocalyptic type of movie (*cough cough* Pacific Rim was horrible *cough cough*).
It touches on many things including cannibalism, population control via involuntary euthanasia, slavery/child labor, rolls in society, class systems and their effectiveness, deception/lying for the greater good, etc.
I hear when the movie comes to the USA, they are going to cut out some of the parts that give character backstory. For one, why would you do this? Hollywood claims Americans aren't intelligent enough to wrap our heads around all aspects of the original cut...please...
This would just dumb down an otherwise intelligently put together film. The backstory aspects really help bring the characters to life - as one might imagine. Anyway, I'll still see the USA cut when/if it gets released in the States. In fact I almost tried to see it twice in Korea so I could pick up on all the foreshadowing.
*END OF SPOILERS*
In short, go see the film and make your own judgement. If you want a well assembled post-apocalyptic society on a train film, then Snowpiercer is for you!
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