Snowpiercer (2013)
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In a frozen wasteland, the last remnants of humanity survive aboard a massive, self-sustaining train where social status is dictated by one's location on the tracks.
The story
In 2031, following a failed attempt to stop global warming that triggered a new ice age, the last survivors of humanity live aboard the Snowpiercer, a self-sustaining train traveling on a perpetual track. The train is strictly divided: the wealthy elite reside in the front cars, while the poor are confined to the squalid tail sections. When a rebellion is sparked in the tail section, Curtis Everett leads a group of passengers in a desperate uprising against the oppressive regime of the front. They must navigate the train's internal politics and physical barriers to challenge the authority of the train's leadership and uncover the truth of their existence.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following a failed climate engineering project that caused a global freeze, humanity survives on the Snowpiercer, a train where the wealthy front and the poor tail are strictly segregated. Curtis Everett leads a rebellion in the tail section, eventually capturing several key figures, including the security specialist Namgoong Minsoo and his daughter Yona. As they move toward the front, they encounter various obstacles and a series of betrayals. Curtis eventually confronts the train's ruler, Wilford, who reveals that the rebellion was orchestrated to reduce the tail's population to sustainable levels. In the final confrontation, Yona discovers a child being used as a replacement part for the train's machinery. Curtis and Namgoong sacrifice themselves to ensure Yona and the child can escape the train. The film ends with the survivors seeing a polar bear in the distance, suggesting life exists outside the train.
- First release year
- 2013
- Runtime (minutes)
- 126
- Production countries
- South Korea; United States; France; Czech Republic
- Original languages
- English; Korean
- Directors
- Bong Joon Ho
- Writers
- Bong Joon Ho · screenplay; Kelly Masterson · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Chris Evans · Curtis Everett; Song Kang-ho · Namgoong Minsoo; Tilda Swinton · Minister Mason; Jamie Bell · Edgar; Octavia Spencer · Tanya; Ewen Bremner · Andrew; Go Ah-sung · Namgoong Yona; John Hurt · Gilliam
- Genres
- post-apocalyptic; action; thriller
- Themes
- social stratification; revolution; survival; climate change
- Tone and mood
- tense; dystopian
- Premise and plot tags
- train; revolution; survival; class struggle
- Source material / true-story basis
- French climate fiction graphic novel Le Transperceneige by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand and Jean-Marc Rochette.
- Franchise connections
- Snowpiercer
- Content notes
- violence
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim, particularly for its vision, direction, and performances by Chris Evans and Tilda Swinton. It was featured on several critics' top ten lists of 2014.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 84 · scale: 100 · review count: 38
- Production trivia
- The film was one of the most expensive South Korean productions ever.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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