Review of Snowpiercer (2013) by Mike N — 12 Mar 2015

Few countries have established as distinct and definitive a cinematic style in this new millennium than France and South Korea. Films like Holy Motors and the breakout hit Amelie have shown the public persona of French cinema has swapped Godardian self-aware-suave for high energy, high saturation surrealism; meanwhile after decades of emulating American culture seasoned with hints of Oriental ideals, South Korea hit the map with 2003's Oldboy and hasn't left since, establishing a reputation for the kind of balls-out action Hong Kong once delivered in the magical days of John Woo, but with a dark, dank, murky tone that suggests a vile, Lynchian underbelly exists beneath the garish Gangnam streets.

So though both countries exist on the opposite ends of the "crazy, weird shit" spectrum in terms of tone, somebody decided to attach a South Korean team to a French graphic novel adaptation, and we in the audience reaped all the benefits.

What we got was an insanely entertaining blend of the best both countries have to offer in this modern age, anchored by Chris Evans and a delightfully more Wes Anderson-esque Tilda Swinton than she was in the actual Anderson film she appeared in.

Whether you're a Frenchman wanting more films like Nikita, a Korean wishing there was more out there like I'm A Cyborg..., or an American who wants a taste of what Eurasian cinema has to offer without having to read (the film is almost entirely in English, cool as it would be to hear Captain America speak Korean), Snowpiercer is absolutely worth the ride.