“Snowpiercer” is a 2013 science fiction movie adapted from a graphic novel about a frozen world in which the entirety of Earth’s remaining human population lives on a single perpetual motion bullet train traversing the planet. It is a ridiculous and over the top set up, which means it makes for great sci-fi.
Captain America teams up with Patient Zero from “Alien” to lead a rebellion; the poor people who barely made it on to the train to begin with are all corralled into the back, with the train cars set aside for water production and imprisonment separate the poor in the back from the wealthy in the front cars, who are living a totally different lifestyle and existence, despite them all being on the same train, living so incredibly close to each other.
An obvious allegory for classism and inequal wealth distribution, this movie just has to set up the obvious reference and then go ahead with all the action scenes and science fiction-y stuf, without ever having to overtly preach about the differences between the Haves and the Have Nots (an age old problem with there ever was one).
This is an expertly made movie by master South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, and totally works as a $34 million South Korean blockbuster movie. It is commercial enough to draw people in but manages to stick in a nuanced and complex third act that forces us to ask what we would do in similar situations. Fun and thoughtful, exciting and sobering, “Snowpiercer” is dope.
Check it out for yourself right here on the Netflix Instant and dig that monologue from Captain America about the best kind of eating one can have in a free for all situation. Seriously.
As heard in episode 158 of Cinema Crespodiso.
#116 – Not Braised Peaches, Poached Pears
#318 – To A Certain Degree
#118 – Moscow, We Have Problem
#345 – Kidney Stoned
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