Review of Runaway Train (1985) by Robyn M — 10 Aug 2012

Surprisingly touching, moving action adventure. Jon Voight and Eric Roberts recieved Oscar nominated for their terrific roles. It is notable for being produced by Cannon Films! of all people. Which Cannon Films are best known for producing explotation movies, which they always make quick cash with those kind of movies (Mainly action movies) until the mid 1980's. When the company was slowly going down. Especially when they tried producing bigger budgeted movies to nearly no success.

Critically acclaimed, when it was first released but I think, Cannon Films didn't know what to do with it. It wasn't marketed strongly as it should have been. One of their best produced movies along with Barfly from the 1980's. Director Andrey Konchalovskiy (Tango and Cash) deserves a lot of credit for the movie. It is something of a forgotten movie today, which it is too bad.

Although it does have an cult following, this movie should be re-discovered. I don't think, the audiences, who never seen this movie knows what they are missing. It is hard to find on Region 1 DVD, it is out of print. I do have a region free of this movie on DVD. It has anamorphic Widescreen transfer unlike region 1 DVD. Specit credit also goes to John P. Ryan (It`s Alive) as the sadistic prison warden, who would do anything to get Voight's character back to prison.