Saturday 22 March 2014

Snowpiercer (2013)


Snowpiercer is a Korean film based upon a French Graphic Novel. The version I watched had no subtitles, fortunately most of the dialogue is in English and you will see many familiar stars like Chris Evans, John Hurt, Ed Harris and Tilda Swindon.  Jamie Bell who was Chris Elliot and Alison Pill the love interest from Goon also have nice turn here.

When global warming gets out of hand humans try and adjust the temperature, what could go wrong? This movie spin dials the climate back to a world wide ice age. The only human survivors live on a sustainable habitat train created by billionaire prepper with a God complex. In some respects the train is the biggest star in this movie  Bong Joon Ho directes this metaphor for mankind beautifully. Its an above grade morality play. Think of Cloud Atlas crossed with a Clockwork Orange in a Braveheart like story. For sure Bong and supporting actor Sang Kang-Ho will become international superstars.

There has been continuing controversy surrounding this movie. The owners of the US rights wanted to dumb down the movie and remove about forty minutes form this 126 minute film now scheduled to open summer 2014. If you have a chance to buy the original version on Blu Ray do it. This is a movie you will want to hold on to. Destined to be a cult classic on the Bladerunner scale. This movie pulls no punches and neither will I.

Five Stars

5 comments:

  1. A Korean movie based on a French Graphic Novel? And Chris Evans and other English speaking actors start in the movie, it sounds an odd combination, but your review and the plot synopsis makes me very interested to see the movie. Sci-Fi flicks like this, so I will have to check it out. Hopefully the uncut version will make it to the US.

    -James

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  2. Just watched this afternoon. It lived up to all the internet hype, and that is saying something given the hype on, uh, the internet.

    For the record, I watched a downloaded version with an external subtitle file. all links available on a site that rhymes with gyrate may. The film is 90-95% English, though a couple of scenes I was happy to have the subs for some Korean parts (one character in particular)

    This film is really done right. And by that, I mean not "Americanized". The ending is totally not a happy one. Though there is hope maybe, so yes sort of Blade Runner-ish. Phenomenal visuals. Characters very well fleshed out. great action, but done in an "Asian" way (no slight intended, that's a compliment). gives you a ton to think aboot. 9.5 / 10 (just because I can't give a 10)

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    1. cant wait to see it with subtitles

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    2. if fur coats are ever going to make a comeback this is the movie thats going to do it.

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  3. Thanks Steve for putting this movie on my radar earlier in the year! And I agree, this is going to be a cult classic and one of my favorites for years to come. Hopefully Bong Joon Ho will continue to make movies of this quality.

    -James

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