Movie Breakdown: Snowpiercer

People are doing traditional-style reviews all over the web, so we decided to try something different.  In each “breakdown” we’ll take a look at what a film’s marketing led us to believe, how the movie actually played, and then what we learned from it all.  Read on!

The Impression:

The US finally gets a chance to watch Captain America participate in the train-centric version of The Hunger Games.  Bong Joon Ho (The Host) directs.

The Reality:

The world is frozen and a huge train houses humanity’s last survivors.  The poor reside in terrible conditions in the tail section while the rich live it up in the front cars, and the only person that can end this injustice is CHRIS EVANS.  If that has you jazzed up, then prepare to be disappointed, as Snowpiercer is not the latest summer spectacle.  Sure, it has a variety of slick moments, but the movie never really shifts into some big sci-fi adventure.  Director Bong Joon Ho keeps everything tightly packed inside of the Snowpiercer and instead focuses on letting the actors shine (Evans and Tilda Swinton are particularly great) and slowly unveiling exactly what is going on throughout the train.  I personally loved the way that the action takes a backseat to an actual story, but I can see how it would be a downer for anyone looking for an adrenaline-fueled time at the theater.  See Snowpiercer if you’re open to an experience hat’s a little more cerebral than shiny.

The Lesson:

I’m Team Bong Joon Ho.