Snowpiercer is a film I consider an overlooked gem. It is an English-language drama (with a smattering of Korean), shot by Korean director Bong Joon-Ho, based on a French graphic novel first published in 1982. I'll be honest; I found out about this film while reading an Avengers-related interview with its star Chris Evans, the American actor best known for playing Captain America in the Marvel Studios films. In short, I basically stumbled onto it.
Snowpiercer refers to a luxury train that can travel all around the world, and which has to, after attempts to contain global warning have brought about a new ice age which has nearly wiped out the entire population of the earth. The train, powered by a perpetual-motion engine that is described as "sacred" contains what is left of the human race. Apparently the apocalypse hasn't done anything to change human nature, and the community on the train is divided into different social classes, with the upper class living the high life while ensconced near the front of the train and the lower class residing right smack at the tail of the train, subsisting on gelatinous protein bars of somewhat eyebrow-raising origin. A revolution brews, however, with the mysterious Curtis (Evans) a man with a dark--(is there any other kind?)--secret looking to lead his fellow caboose occupants in a bid to take over the engine, the train, and therefore the world. While past revolutions have failed, Curtis is confident in the success of this effort because this time, he and his cohorts, who include his right hand Edgar (Jamie Bell), the vengeful parents of two abducted childrenTanya (Octavia Spencer) and Andrew (Ewen Bremner), and the aged amputee Gilliam (John Hurt), have an ace-in-the-hole: they plan to recruit security specialist Namgoong Minsu (Song Kang-Ho), who designed and knows how to open all of the heavy, electronically sealed gates separating the various sections of the train. They face a considerable force consisting of several armed guards along the way, commanded by the slimy Minister Mason (Tilda Swinton), but such is the determination of the ragtag group of rebels that they will do anything and everything to get to the front of the train, no matter what the cost.
The first thing that really struck me about this film was its stunning production value, notwithstanding that it is, for all intents and purposes, an independent production, made without any studio backing. The film takes place almost entirely on board the train, which is realized through a meticulously-rendered interior that would do any major Hollywood production proud. The computer generated imagery, used mainly to depict the train from the outside and the haunting, frozen wasteland that the earth has become, is up to snuff with that of most Hollywood productions, even if it is more impressionistic at times than realistic.
Perhaps it was the ability to put together a production this impressive that drew, apart from Evans, a passel of highly respected character actors like Swinton, Hurt, Spencer, Bremner, Bell, and one of my very favorite character actors whom I will decline to name lest I spoil a story twist. These actors, between them, have either won or been nominated for various acting awards including the coveted Oscar, with Spencer apparently just coming off her 2011 Oscar win when she signed on to do this film, which has yet to be released in the United States. Song and Ko A-Sung, the actress who plays his daughter in the film, play pivotal roles, and even though only Ko speaks English, with Song's character communicating with the other characters through a translator and with the audience through subtitles, they help infuse the film with a unique sensibility that I sincerely doubt a director preoccupied with selling the movie to Western audiences would have been able to achieve. Due respect, however, must go to Evans, who basically carries this film, for turning in a performance that could very easily have been overcooked but which he plays to near perfection. It's hard to discuss the strength of his performance without spoiling certain secrets, so I'll hold off on that and leave it to the audience to be surprised. I realize that people tend not to take comic book movies very seriously, but Evans immerses himself so completely in this role that I would not be surprised if even people who had seen him in The Avengers did not recognize him right away; my wife didn't realize he was the same guy who had played Captain America until about fifteen minutes into the film.
More than flashy sets or effects, though it is far more likely, that the main attraction for everyone involved was the fantastic script, which, while appearing at first to be yet another hackneyed story of the have-nots challenging the haves is, in fact, a somewhat more unsettling look at human nature at its most atavistic. While I was able to predict some story beats there was one revelation very late into the film that really threw me for a loop. While the production value grabbed my attention, what kept me utterly fascinated with this movie was how startlingly intelligent it managed to be, even with the non-stop action, and how, when the climactic confrontation took place, I found myself surprised and even a little ashamed at how I felt at watching it unfold. I imagine the actors involved were drawn to this production because quite frankly it's the kind of movie that most Hollywood studios wouldn't ever have the courage to make, and the fact that no less than Harvey Weinstein, who holds distributorship rights, is contemplating chopping footage out of this movie to make it more palatable to Western audiences somewhat bolsters my suspicions.
I really have to credit Bong and the cast and crew he assembled for having the vision, balls and prodigious skill to realize this extraordinary film. Considering that there seems to be a distinct possibility that several audiences around the world, including Americans, may not get to see this movie, I now consider myself privileged.
4.5/5
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