Over winter break, I've been watching a lot of movies. One that has recently caught my eye IS "Snowpiercer." Now originally, I saw this film over a year ago with my boyfriend and some friends, and I really enjoyed it a lot. However, I rewatched it again, and it really struck me how underrated this film is. "Snowpiercer's" background is familiar -- a dystopian post-apocalyptic world -- but it has such intricate and original details that make it so good to watch.
"Snowpiercer" (2014) is based on a 1982 French graphic novel called "Le Transperceneige." The plot revolves around how an attempt to counteract global warming unintentionally transforms the world into an ice age that destroys all living things. The only surviving members of the human race live on a perpetually moving train that circles the globe created by Wilford. The richer classes live fantastically towards the front of the train, while the poor live in the tail end, suffering through disgusting and claustrophobic living conditions.
Curtis (played by Chris Evans) is leading the revolution among the tail section passengers that will lead them to Wilford. As they make their way through the train, they encounter violent guards, a security expert and his clairvoyant daughter and the delightfully creepy Minister Mason (played by Tilda Swinton, who is basically unrecognizable), who serves as Wilford's right-hand man.
The characters are all original and are of all nationalities and ethnic groups, making it a realistic watch. The cast is also incredibly powerful. boasting Tilda Swinton, Octavia Spencer, Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, and Ed Harris to name a few. One of the best scenes in the film is when the group enters a classroom full of children learning about the engine from their slightly nutty teacher (played by Allison Pill). The children delightfully sing a disturbing song about the engine failing, resulting in freezing to death while the group uncomfortably looks on.
Spoiler alert: there is no happy ending, but it works out perfectly in a film like this. "Snowpiercer" is an incredibly original sci-fi film, probably one of the best in years, and you won't regret giving it a chance.
