I heard the buzz about Snowpiercer quite some time ago. It was making the festival and comic/sci fi convention rounds and getting a lot of praise thrown at it. I made a note to see it and forgot about it until it came up on my list. My only regret is not seeing it sooner.  Full of great ideas and execution, Snowpiercer is one to remember.

A climate change experiment goes horribly wrong sending Earth into an ice age. A man named Wilson knew it was going to happen and spent his time and resources on an elaborate train system designed to keep its passengers alive. Not many people make it onto the train (around 1000, I think. The train is about 60 cars long,) and a class system is in place to keep order. It’s broken up between First Class, Economy and what could only be called “cargo”. The closer to the front of the train you are, they better off you are.

Snowpiercer is a really great sci-fi/thriller/action hybrid that rolls up social, economic and environmental issues all into one thought provoking, narrow ecosystem. We join the people in the back of the train on the cusp of the 18th year anniversary of the great freeze. This train has been running on it’s expansive global track for that long and it’s a really rough existence. Through out the movies’ two hour run time we learn how everything works and why the systems are in place. Curtis, who got on the train when he was 17, is the leader of the revolution. The back of the train has had enough of being treated like cattle and come up with a plan to get to the engine to take over train.

To say anymore would really give away the great moments and reveals of this fascinating world. There is a great international cast of characters that make this movie work so well. The production is fantastic with amazing car designs that range from ghettos to factories to luxury businesses, living quarters and entertainment areas. They really sell this unique world through its design. It’s a wonder to see how the only people on the planet left alive live in a segregated and physically narrow (maybe 30 feet across?) existence. There’s some truly great action scenes as well and great care in the  direction (I tip my hat to Joon-ho Bong) make it a pleasure to watch. There is  a remarkable sense of claustrophobic expanse (that might make more sense after you see the movie) from beginning to end.

Clearly you can tell I loved Snowpiercer. It asks you to suspend your disbelief quite a bit though, so a lot could bother some people. While a good amount of detail and answers are given by the end, it doesn’t spell out everything for you. There’s no mention on how this thing was built, where it started and how anyone even got on it. How does this train stay in perpetual motion and where do all the resources come from? The ending is rather divisive as well. Personally, I think it works and really fits with what was going on. The movie really just gives you enough to go on and hopes that you go along for the ride.  I was on board pretty much from the start so it worked for me.

The more I think about it, the more parallels I see between Snowpiercer and the first Matrix movie. If you are up for jumping down a rabbit hole like that again, by all means follow my lead and go ahead feet first and with eyes wide open.