Post-apocalyptic movies fascinate me, as films as recent as X-Men: Days of Future Past have landscapes set in that time period that can just tickle the mind with creative possibilities. Joon-ho Bong (who wrote and directed this film) uses an inhabitable icy environment as the backdrop for the films primary setting; a train where the remnants of humanity survive. The smaller setting allows for the films cast to really make an impact, since there's really only a small amount of people that could fit in these train cars. I felt for each individual person trapped at the very back of this maddening mode of transportation, including the films protagonist, the shady and intelligent Curtis, played by Chris Evans.
I love how Curtis is a tweak of conventional sci-fi film protagonists; white male, just old enough to command presence, but just young enough to be a "geezer" for teens. He's good with kids, nice to his comrades, has a father-figure guiding him (played by John Hurt, and damn is it good to see him in a movie!), but in this brutal world he lives in, extremely difficult choices must be made, and Evans makes sure every move that should be purely confidence also has shades of regret in them. I loved seeing him throughout the film, but when Evans has to really deliver the emotion in the third act, he brings it. You'll know what moment I'm talking about the second you see it, and believe you me, it's wondrous to see.
The supporting cast displays Bong's affection for quality cinema, as not only do characters get their names from famous directors (Edgar Wright and Terry Gilliam for instance), but also the actors portraying them are a whose-who of terrific faces. Jamie Bell (our Thing from next years Fantastic Four movie!) makes for a delightful companion for Curtis, John Hurt and Octavia Spencer make for splendid representations of the terrible conditions they must live in and while I 'd never seen him prior to this movie, I do hope I see Kang-ho Song in more movies in the future. He has this rascally charm about him that contrasts perfectly with Curtis's personality, but Song manages to also make sure he can bring gravitas when necessary.
Ah, but the true star of this movie is Tilda Swinton as Mason, an antagonistic person in a position of high power on this train. The first time she pops on screen, wearing an outfit that seems like it was ripped off a fan-made Hunger Games character drawn up on DeviantArt, she shows off her most powerful weapon; condescension. She looks down at those in the back of the train, who are the most mistreated folks of all the people on this thing, and belittles them and their entire existence. Fiendishly evil, I loved to hate Mason, a character who becomes one of the years best cinematic villains simply by the power of a shoe.
As the stakes get higher in the story, so does the violence and thoughtfulness, which may be my favorite part of this amazing movie. Even more than the intricately designed sets and fantastic acting, it's the scripts unending devotion to keeping one surprised. Nothing is as it seems in this universe, but none of the plot points feel sloppily shoehorned in solely to keep things engaging. They're organic to the story, to the character and to this riveting world. I'm sorry Harvey Weinstein can't see what kind of terrific movie he has on his hands here; if garbage like Transformers: Age of Extinction can get a release on over 4000 theaters, surely Snowpiercer should get a release worthy of its spectacular quality.
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