Review of The Midnight Meat Train (2008) by Gerardo F — 26 Jul 2011

Dynamic Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura makes his Hollywood debut with an adaptation of one of Clive Barker's better stories and really makes an impression. By the time the film is over, Kitamura has showcased a stylish and gore-filled romp that satisfies on multiple levels.

The theme of the voyeur as an endangered bystander is explored nicely here. Bradley Cooper's obsessive "curiosity killed the cat" photographer is solid and believable as he is thrust into a horrific situation that would seemingly cause any normal person to flee, but Kitamura effectively displays how easy it is to get sucked into something so morbid and inherently dangerous.

Look, but don't look too close, or you'll become another victim. It's all done so well and with a distant and cold efficiency that it's hard for the movie not to get under your skin even in the smallest way.

Vinnie Jones is wonderfully menacing as the killer and Leslie Bibb is also top notch as the girlfirend to Cooper's character who doesn't follow some cliche checklist that movie girlfriends faced with an obsessive boyfriend usually carry around.

The ending is satisfying and haunting all at once, bringing closure to a film that helps bolster the reputation of mainstream horror films in a time when it needs it the most. Skip the remakes and sequels and do whatever you can to check this one out.