Sydney Film Festival 2014 - Film Review - Snowpiercer

The front of train and engine compartment in Snowpiercer

Snowpiercer is a Sci Fi film with a strong social critique built into its theme whilst maintaining a high level of violence which often characterises South Korean films. Director Bong Joon-Ho (who also directed the monster movie The Host) has delivered a visually impacting film with an experienced cast including Tilda Swinton, John Hurt, Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, Ed Harris, Octavia Spencer and Song Kang-Ho. The storyline concerns the last refuge of humanity following an experiment to halt global warming which plunges the world  into a new ice age. The sole survivors on Earth are crammed into a giant multi-level train known as Snowpiercer which perpetually circumnavigates the globe with the poor located in the back of the train while the wealthy live in splendour in the front compartments and carriages. After many years the poor stage a rebellion to take control of the train and share the resources.  As they battle their way forward through various compartments, there are a number of quirky images and social observations which come to light (a carriage with a night club with stoned patrons, while another has a sushi bar are some of the sights).

The film is in multi language format, mainly English but with Korean, Japanese and French using English subtitles. The use of high end CGI is impressive and with extensive sets and a large cast, the film has high production values. It is a quirky film with a mix of images that seem reminiscent of Mad Max, The Road, Soylent Green, and various other end-of-world films and books. This is a film which is more of an acquired taste rather than an immediate winner.