The sci-fi genre has been in resurgence for the last three years or so. After a number of years of falling to the wayside, the genre has begun to reemerge as one of the better ones in filmmaking. While still not what it once was, it has become a good resource for some quality entertainment. Many of today’s sci-fi films don’t focus on the grandiose stories like Star Wars or Star Trek, but they tend to be more rooted in reality and allow a more plausible foundation for tales of the future.
Snowpiercer is an imaginative, fascinating spectacle that induces a fresh perspective on the often used post-apocalyptic approach to science fiction stories. The film infuses a great cast with a clever convergence of sci-fi and sci-fact to breathe life into this creative tale. It debuted in theaters in early 2014 and recently arrived on home video. The film stars Chris Evans (Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Jamie Bell (The Eagle), John Hurt (Hercules 2014), Tilda Swinton (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader), Octavia Spencer (The Help), And Ed Harris (Man on a Ledge).
Based on the French graphic novel, Le Transperceneige by Jacques Lob, that debuted in 1982, Snowpiercer is a captivating feature that debuted in relative anonymity, and slipped beyond the notice of most movie goers during its short stint in theaters. Snowpiercer captures the true essence science fiction, it is a near amazing feature that incorporates a number of the timeless issues that have plagued mankind since the beginning of time with a futuristic post-apocalyptic story. The film bolsters an interesting implementation of issues such as oppression, social segregation, and of course the environmental issues that serve as a basis for the story.
It’s a great convergence of a number of film elements which come together to make this a worthy bit of entertainment. In addition to the good thought provoking subject matter, Snowpiecer has good action that aptly accentuates this tale of oppression. The bulk of the movie occurs inside of the train, but the sets are fantastic. The action is enjoyable and uber-realistic which makes this combination of sci-fi and sci-fact more believable. The best aspect of this film is the assemblage of the great cast that it’s comprised of. Each of the roles is played to perfection, with Chris Evans leading the cast with a strong performance as Curtis, the reluctant leader of the rebellion, which is just one of the many well-depicted performances. Tilda Swinton, John Hurt, and Ed Harris make great additions to the film in spite of limited screen time. Swinton in particular has a standout performance as President Mason, she is creatively concealed in the appearance of her character but she delves in and makes this one among the most memorable in the film.
Snowpiercer is one of the more creative stories to hit the big screen in some time, and a must see for all lovers of science fiction as it is one of the purest and most true to the genre films that you will encounter. Snowpiecer is nearly as good as some of the more highly acclaimed sci-fi stories from the last year. It may not be on the level of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes or Edge of Tomorrow but it can clearly hold its own. Snowpiecer will have casual fans as well as science fiction lovers in awe, you should race to add this to your collection as it’s a must see movie.
Da’Mon is a writer and artist, a graduate of Coppin State University and an avid, life-long lover of film. Da'Mon has been actively writing movie reviews since 2011. Check out more of his work at Examiner.com, where he has published over 400 reviews. Visit his Blog and follow him on Twitter.
