Review of Snowpiercer (2013) by Brett B — 04 Jan 2015

SNOWPIERCER represents a return to the kind of socially conscious and thought-provoking science fiction films of the 1970s; it's not perfect, but it's completely enthralling from beginning to end.

First, the good stuff: the acting - across the board - is terrific. Chris Evans both uses and subverts his movie star charisma and natural charm to deliver a brooding, intense performance that demonstrates he has far greater range than some might have thought.

As good as Evans is, he's really second fiddle to Tilda Swinton who is flat-out wonderful and delightfully kooky; hers is truly THE performance of the film, even if she's not in it as much as one might like.

The world building on display is superb, in no small measure due to the absolutely phenomenal, Oscar-worthy production design, which presents dozens of distinct identities for the many train cars we visit (in addition to having sets that jostle and move just like one might find on real trains).

The costumes and makeup are also great, and they greatly enhance the nature of the story. The movie's social commentary occasionally runs the risk of being a bit too on-the-nose, although there's some surprising shading added to the proceedings late in the game that makes everything a bit more complex, which is welcome, as it keeps the movie from feeling like it's shoving a message down your throat.

The movie stumbles somewhat in the logic area (DO NOT think too much about why the elite would even bother to keep the underclass on the train at all, or how the layout of the train cars makes any logistical sense), but with all that said, SNOWPIERCER is filled with eclectic and colorful characters, effective action beats, and big, cerebral ideas.

Coupled with the very strong technical filmmaking on display, there are plenty of things to enjoy.