Movie with Abe: Snowpiercer

Snowpiercer
Directed by Bong Joon-ho
Released July 11, 2014

Dystopias have a certain quality to them, and the most effective ones are those that seem like they could actually exist in the not-so-distant future. “Snowpiercer” creates its reality by starting with an extremely current and relevant theme, global warming, and demonstrating how one presumed solution to the problem led to the unexpected and irreversible freezing of the planet. Those members of the human race that remain live aboard a train that races around the globe through the ice and snow, and it stands to reason that those herded into the steerage class would be itching for the opportunity to take revenge on those who have long oppressed them at the front of the train.

“Snowpiercer” takes the concept of class inequality and realizes it in a very literal and linear way. The front of the train is seen as a mythological utopia, one where passengers want for nothing and know equally little of the suffering and misery that goes on at the back of the train. The vehicle itself is used to astonishing effect, as those who have never known anything other than the back car charge forward to overtake the front, passing through car after car filled with laboratories, prisons, sushi bars, classrooms, and plenty more. There is tremendous subtext to be found in this story, but its physical setting is just as impactful.

“Snowpiercer” is a dark film, one which sheds little physical light on its characters aside from when a welcome burst of sunshine peeks in from windows passengers have never laid eyes on and which presents a grim vision of what this future looks like. The state of law and order is purely totalitarian, and crime, however minor, is met with the most severe of punishments. As a result, it can only be expected that the revenge those wronged seek is bloodthirsty and brutal, and few passengers if any will survive this revolt unscathed.

This is a strange film in many ways, taking advantage of its dystopian nature to portray truly depraved characters. The eccentric Mason (Tilda Swinton), who metes out justice excitedly and talks down to the rear passengers with pleasure, is the best example of this, giddily fancying herself at the top of this very peculiar world. Swinton is just the right person for this odd role, and she’s the standout of a cast that includes a few other solid turns, including dependable performers Chris Evans, John Hurt, and Jamie Bell in the kind of roles they usually play. The film as a whole is memorable but often hard to latch on to, moving at such a fast but unsteady pace and often prone to stylistic tangents that distract from its storytelling. There are many great ideas presented throughout, and not all of them lead to a coherent and compelling resolution, but those that do are hard to forget.

B

Tuesday’s Top Trailer: Snowpiercer

Welcome back to a weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.

Snowpiercer – Opening June 11, 2014

It’s strange – the entire time I was watching this trailer, I felt that I had seen something like it before. Its premise is similar to “Elysium,” which I never saw, and I also got echoes of “Transsiberian,” even though that was just because it spends so much time on a train. This is an example of what good science fiction looks like, though it might not deliver fully on its potential. The difference between classes has never been more expressly laid out, with some of humanity’s survivors traveling first class in full luxury and the rest stuck in steerage. Setting the entire affair on a train racing through the snow certainly adds to the thrill, and this looks like a dystopian drama that’s going to explode and turn into an action movie halfway through its run. It does have some important things going for it, namely its writer-director, Joon-ho Bong, whose last film, “Mother,” I really liked. Chris Evans has proven himself a very capable star in movies like this, particularly in “Captain America: The First Avenger.” Tilda Swinton adds a wonderful bizarre villainous vibe, and John Hurt has the old mentor role down pat. Jamie Bell also tends to make good movie choices. Weather-wise, this won’t be the first film I’ll rush to see in June, but I do think that it looks great and should be a fun and formidable sci-fi escape that might also be smart at the same time. Hopefully, it should make for a memorable movie experience.