MYST 1: Snowpiercer

One of the defining genres of the modern film collective is the post-apocalyptic. Quite a long time ago, this was a foreign concept to the realm of cinema, and the whole concept of science fiction focused more on the mystery and the unknown realms of the outer cosmos, instead of what happened after humanity was challenged for extinction. It takes a lot for any movie within that massive subgenre to really stand out, as it appears that half of the modern sci-fi blockbusters are monopolized, cashed-out CGI-ridden garbage with a 'post-apocalyptic' label strapped onto the back. For every Mad Max: Fury Road and Rise/Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, there's the atrocious After Earth, Day After Tomorrow, and 2012. For any movie within this stereotyped grouping to stand out, it requires a complex storyline, a script with beautiful dialogue, and something new and original to capture the imagination of the audience in a way that no film has before.

Thus, I bring you Bong Joon-ho's 'Snowpiercer.'

I won't lie to you. I went into this movie thinking nothing but 'another cash-grab.' This movie was recommended to me by my brother, who called it 'the best movie he'd seen in a while.' However, he's someone whose cinematic tastes tend to revolve around the Saw films, 'Silence of the Lambs,' and 'The Shining.' So, by nature, I didn't have high hopes.

'Snowpiercer' takes place in 2031 AD, 17 years after the world falls victim to Kurt Vonnegut's 'Cat's Cradle' Ice-9 tragedy. In essence, everything's cold. To maintain the preservation of humanity, a character by the name of Wilford constructed a supertrain known as the 'Rattling Ark,' which in a non-stop circuit carries the remaining survivors of the human race in a never-ending loop around the world. Over the course of 17 years, the train has become it's own Victorian system of government, with people in the 'tail end' treated as the peasantry, and those in the 'front' as the wealthy select few. The story follows one man from the tail end, Curtis Everett, and his quest to start a revolution and change the 'Rattling Ark' forever.

Now, this movie is different than many other post-apocalyptic films I've had the pleasure to endure over the last couple of years. What made the story so interesting was a combination of Chris Evans's engaging performance as Curtis Everett, and the complexity of the government system within the train itself. A lot of apocalyptic movies that have some sort of government implementation get lost within the framework of the system that they're trying to build. In short, the government gets lost within it's own design because the directors and writers try too hard to make the system work perfectly.

What kept 'Snowpiercer' so engaging throughout the film was the simplicity in the structure, a lot of which was due to the idea of the train. Metaphorically, the front was the image of freedom and expression and the idea of no longer carrying a burden, while the back was for those unfortunately separated due to their physical and financial incapability. There's a very Victorian vibe within the society itself, and a lot of the same systems could be found throughout different piece of classical literature, such as the relationship between Royalty and Peasantry in Charles Dickens's 'Tale of Two Cities.' While 'Snowpiercer' is not a literary classic, it shares the same complex world that draws the viewer in and is very difficult to let go of.

'Snowpiercer' also worked because of the quality of the acting for such an unknown film. Chris Evans is known across the world as Captain America, so to see his ability to buckle down and be a social revolutionary fighting for the common good on a post-apocalyptic train was a breath of fresh air. As well, Ed Harris, the mastermind of 'Christof' from 'The Truman Show,' portrays a beautifully sinister and warming Wilford, and the interactions between Evans and Wilford flow so naturally that the story melts into the mind of the reader. Paired with intense and driven confrontation throughout the piece, much of the story is retained and the impressions left by the characters are believable throughout.

However, such in lies the largest problem with 'Snowpiercer:' it's dialogue. Now, most post-apocalyptic storylines aren't known to be the greatest show-stopping pieces of poetry ever recorded in human history. In fact, I'll even argue that the dialogue in 'Cloverfield' could've been babbled by a baby. Now, 'Snowpiercer' carries a deep theme of revolution and representation of the minority throughout it's snow-covered plotline, but it falters during pieces of conversation where the viewer is left wondering 'is that it?' I recall a situation where Everett and Wilford are speaking together over the structure of the train's engine. I understand that a train, especially a global supertrain, is going to have it's share of complexities, but the overbearing reliance on metaphors and direct confrontation leaves the viewer wondering how to build a supertrain instead of how Wilford and Everett are supposed to be involved with one another.

In terms of the CGI, about 90% of 'Snowpiercer' is absolutely gorgeous. The snow-covered wasteland of planet Earth is marveled in spectacular detail, and the tiniest little differences aboard the traincars separating the butchering room from the sushi bar from the boiler room from the 'tail end,' the images and editing run flawlessly and are artistically intrinsic to the eye. However, there are scenes, primarily towards the end, where the CGI loses that little sense of wonder and blares it's muddled visuals onscreen, which, while subtle, are noticeable nonetheless.

For the most part though, the visuals and the script of 'Snowpiecer' work one in the same. Joon-ho's portrayal and metaphor of crossing the train cars was evident throughout the story, and where some action movies, *cough cough* PACIFIC RIM *cough cough* get lost in just how visually stunning they look, 'Snowpiercer' weaves the story and the visual action into the CGI-dominated background, letting the viewer experience the violence and brutality of the world train while still remembering they're in the real world. As a result, it makes the experience more truthful and livable overall.

To summarize, 'Snowpiercer' was a very pleasant surprise. Unlike many of the post-apocalyptic travesties that are being shelled out every two weeks, the film takes a very sophisticated look at the dangers of overpopulation and global warming. While the dialogue isn't perfect and the CGI can be a muddled mess at certain points, the characters are engaging and intellectually diverse and deep, and the Victorian-style message of the film's central system is a refreshing take on a genre that's grown very stale in a very short amount of time. To anyone who's a fan of smart science fiction that isn't trying too hard to be something it isn't, 'Snowpiercer' is a great little flick that will easily keep you on the edge of your seat, all the way from the front-end to the tail end.

I give Bong Joon Ho's 'Snowpiercer' an 8.5/10.