Snowpiercer
directed by Bong Joon-Ho
This 2013 dystopian movie was based on a French graphic novel. The science behind it is hit or miss. Snowpiercer is not concerned with accurate science. When the science needs to make sense for the story to work it does. And when the science must be ridiculous for the story to work, it is.
The movie is more interested in what we think we know about human society and the various class struggles required. Or perhaps it's just certain kinds of societies that necessitate class struggle?
Human activity--which some would argue is inseparable from human population--is responsible for the massive destruction of flora and fauna as well as global climate change.
There is no quick fix because forcing worldwide use of renewable energy, forcing worldwide return to pre-Industrial Revolution living standards, or forcing worldwide population culling to pre-Industrial Revolution population levels are all unlikely or immoral actions.
Snowpiercer imagines that the world 's governments took steps to fix global warming. Their solution didn't work.
Injecting aerosols into the stratosphere to cool the planet was a bad idea. Earth plunged into a new Ice Age. Billions died in days. Survivors died from exposure or starvation. Earth's only living people are those who were able to board the titular train built, designed, and operated by the reclusive billionaire industrialist Wilford (Ed Harris).
A mysterious perpetual motion engine powers Snowpiercer. For eighteen years the train has successfully circumnavigated the planet. Management doesn't provide social/political equality. The richer, healthier people live in the forward train cars. The rich have better food, water and air, entertainment, education, and living conditions. Rear car residents survive on protein bars, live, sleep, and eat in crowded conditions, and must surrender some of their children to Wilford's guards.
Wilford's toothy second in command Minister Mason (Tilda Swinton), gleefully oversees all this. Mason orders brutal sadistic punishments while lecturing people on how society works.
Curtis (Chris Evans) is the tail section's reluctant leader. Curtis has been watching the armed guards' responses. Curtis notices how long it takes to open and close each door and remembers the guards' conversations and routines.
When his friends Andrew (Ewen Bremmer) and Tanya (Octavia Spencer) each lose their children and Andrew is punished for his resistance, Curtis thinks it's time to rebel.
The older leader Gilliam (John Hurt) , a spiritual/intellectual advisor, assists Curtis. Curtis' foster son/second-in-command is the enthusiastic true believer Edgar (Jamie Bell). Gilliam believes if the rebels can free the engineer Namgoong (Song Kang-ho) that Namgoong can open every train door.
Curtis ignites the rebellion. With Namgoong's clairvoyant daughter in tow the good guys make their play for the engine and Wilford. But Mason is not the only or worst obstacle.
Snowpiercer has many inventive battles and striking outdoor shots, though often the latter are too obviously CGI. But those things are not the point. Snowpiercer has a relentless focus on how the rich and powerful are not just satisfied with being rich and powerful but demand their "lessers' " acceptance and worship.
Mason and others are thoroughly convinced that the strong must rule the weak for the benefit of all. If you're among the strong this can be a very seductive belief system. If you're not among the strong this movie details the physical and moral costs of accepting your own degradation. There are a fair number of surprises.
If you are only familiar with Chris Evans from the Captain America/Avengers movies you might be pleased to see a different dramatic range. There is a TNT version of this with Daveed Diggs, Jennifer Connelly, and Sean Bean that I will get around to watching some day.
