Review of The Midnight Meat Train (2008) by Roxanne R — 29 Dec 2010

This is one hell of ride into the deep end, flying off the rails thriller based on Clive Barker's short story of the same name, which can be found in Volume One of Barker's collection Books of Blood.

Clive Barker is the creator of Pinhead- the Hellraiser series so for any Barker fans out there then this film is one of his best works but I must WARN you that its not for the weak nor squamish...I have definitely crossed over the line of gruesome, BRUTAL and violent! I don't recall seeing anything quite as disturbing or graphic as this motion picture so again WARNING its not for the masses.

The story is about a struggling NY photographer (Leon Kauffman) played by Bradley Cooper whose obsessive pursuit of dark subject matter leads him into the path of a serial killer known as "Mahogany", the subway murderer who stalks late-night commuters.

But thankfully unlike your typical horror movie, this one is methodical, it has a purpose. Mahogany has a purpose that we don't know about until you watch the film. This movie flows like a good scary novel, and the main character becomes so relentless in catching the perfect photograph to depict the misery and darkness of the city that he finally finds it in Mahogany.

As he continues pursuing him, he is spiralling down into a dark abyss, a dangerous, sinister world with a big conspiracy! Towards the end I was completely shocked because I did not see that curve coming.

.If you think you can handle this movie then its a MUST to watch the special feature of "Clive Barker: the Man behind the myth"!! I knew of Clive Barker since I have seen all the Hellraiser films but I was not aware that he is a talented painter.

The feature showcases his paintings (most of them are dark, uneasy, strange in my personal opinion) and I thought he was a very eloquent and smart person. He also admits that being a gay man, he will not have children so his paintings are like his "children" and the legacy he leaves behind along with the movies and stories he wrote.

My one comment about Mr. Barker is that his world is so dark, gloomy, sullen...every painting shown is depressing. Maybe that's his trademark..afterall it takes an unusual mind to create Pinhead and the Cenobytes! But I give credit where credit is due and this movie is unique.

.plus let's give big kudos to the director Ryuhei Kitamura for the task at hand. Again if you decide to watch this motion picture you will embark on a dark, lugubrious journey yet it is one of Barker's finest works.

. It reminds me of two well known sayings that go: "when you play with fire you get burned" and "curiosity killed the cat"...Watch at your own risk!