Sunday, February 2, 2014

Snowpiercer (2013)


Ever wonder what it's like having the entire human race jammed in one cramp, perpetually-running locomotive? Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho shows how crazy it could get in his first English movie, Snowpiercer, a smart thriller set in a dystopian future where an attempt at controlling global warming backfires and freezes life on earth. The few survivors are stuck in a massive train run by the messianic autocrat, Wilford (Ed Harris).

Snowpiercer fuses the sheen and polish of a Hollywood movie with the oddball eccentricities of a Korean film. It's produced by Park Chan-wook (Oldboy), so expect a lot of exotic food fare, mutilation, gunplay, and Korean actor Song Kang-ho (Thirst).

Bong balances his film's indie sensibilities by getting blue-eyed poster boy Chris Evans in the lead role. Evans proves he's more than just brawn and testosterone, displaying a range of emotions the scope of which, seems limitless. He owns the movie, but then there's Tilda Swinton who, as Mason (Wilford's elitist "prime minister"), steals every scene she's in. Snowpiercer is supposed to be set in the distant future, but there's nothing futuristic about Mason. Everything about her is screaming retro. She's a living, walking fossil from the '70s, and Swinton has everything down pat in a spontaneous, dynamic display of acting not even Meryl Streep could match.

4 comments:

The Scud said...

This movie is awesome!

Visual Velocity said...

The Scud, I rarely watch action movies, but I ended up liking this one! I guess that says a lot! I love Song Kang-ho! :D

Mr. Tripster said...

I hope you get back to blogging soon. Bakiy ngayon mo na lang ulit na activate ang comment box? Tagal ko na gusto mag comment! Hehehe!

I've seen the film director personally during the Korean fiom fest here in Florence. He's an awesome dude and real genius. Watched many of his movies during yhe festival.

So this is the movie project they were talking about. Swinton and Song Kang-ho in a Bong Joon-ho movie. I wanna go crazy, like fan-girling crazy. Hahaha!

Visual Velocity said...

Mr. Tripster: Nice to hear from a fellow Bong fan! Love this guy!

Haven't visited my blog in a long time, hehe. Don't even remember when was the last I did. Kamusta? Happy New Year by the way! :D