Snowpiercer

On a Scale of 1 to 10, with 10 Being the Best

8

Plot: Due to the fear of global warming, it is decided to put a chemical in the atmosphere that will cool down the Earth. The problem is that the plan worked too well and the entire globe is now a winter wasteland. To survive, people buy tickets onto a train or others beg to be let on to live. A class system is soon implemented and the poorest of travelers are tired of being treated so horribly; after 17 years of bad treatment they decide to fight their way to the front of the train. This is based off of a graphic novel Le Transperceneige by Jean-Marc Rochette and Jacques Lob. It strays significantly from the graphic novel so keep that in mind. 

Characters/Actors of Note:

Chris Evans playing Curtis: It took me a second to realize Chris Evans was in this film, as in The Avengers and Fantastic Four, Chris Evans. I have to admit that I thought Mr. Evans was a superficial actor but this movie completely changed my mind. The character of Curtis is the leader of the charge to get to the front of the train but often states he does not want to be the leader. I thought this character was going to be flat but the last monologue that Mr. Evans performed could make anyone stomach churn and jaw drop. The performance that Mr. Evans gave was stunning and I apologize for ever thinking that he was just acting for the money. Excellent, excellent acting. 

Ah-sung Ko playing Yona: Ms. Ko plays a teenager, Yona, who is intelligent and telepathic. Due to her foresight she can help the team of lower-class citizens get to the front of the train. Yona is a bit bizarre but not over the top. Ms. Ko did a great job with this character as she was innocent, curious, and determined. I thought this was by far one of the most interesting characters I have watched in a long time. I applaud both the writing and the acting for this character. 

Octavia Spencer playing Tanya: It can't be denied that the passion that was put into this character was powerful. Tanya is a mother who is looking for her son and even though she wasn't the only one doing this, her performance was the most gripping. Ms. Spencer may have had more of a "minimal" character but she gave it her all. Ms. Spencer adds so much heart in her characters that it is impossible to look away. Amazing performance. 

Tilda Swinton playing Mason: Mason is supposed to maintain order among the lower-class and often gives out harsh punishments. She also has a cult-like love for the train conductor and believes that all the orders given by the conductor are like sacred law. Ms. Swinton has been known to play villains that are rather frightening but this character was bizarre and also naive. It was interesting to see this character accept everything she was told and would be so harsh to others because of that. Ms. Swinton gave the film a different vibe and also caused tension. Nice job. 

Music: Not a big fan of this aspect. The sound of the film is brash and techno-like. There were violins, bells, and cellos that made a deep and menacing tone. I suppose that the film is supposed dark and perhaps introspective but when I listen to the music, it sounds like it is trying to be sarcastic or ironic. I didn't like the mood that the music was trying to portray. Overall, I thought the music was done rather poorly. 

Camera Work/Cinematography: I wish that this movie could have been done in high-definition but the work done in this film was really good. The effects of snow, bullets, and frostbite were excellent. I loved the transition from orange and black in the back of the train, to white and colorful in the middle of the train, back to the darkness in the front of the train. The colors in the film were representational, which is hardly used in film, and I love it that they director chose to do that. Some annoyances were the translators, a cool idea but the captions were inconsistent. The camera angles were also odd. The shots varied from fast cuts, to slow motion, to a strange zooming feature. It wasn't distracting from the film but I felt that it was out of place. 

RECAP:

The acting was GREAT for this film along with the writing. The camera work could have been improved but the colors were well-used. The music was not fitting of the film and the biggest downfall of the film. This movie would appeal to those that love watching relationships, apocalypse films, or psychological thrillers. 

Courtesy of ChickFlix

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