In a future where a failed global-warming experiment kills off most life on the planet, a class system evolves aboard the Snowpiercer, a train that travels around the globe via a perpetual-motion engine.
Credits: TheMovieDb.
Film Cast:
- Curtis Everett: Chris Evans
- Namgoong Minsu: Song Kang-ho
- Minister Wilford: Ed Harris
- Gilliam: John Hurt
- Minister Mason: Tilda Swinton
- Edgar: Jamie Bell
- Tanya: Octavia Spencer
- Andrew: Ewen Bremner
- Yona: Ko Asung
- Teacher: Alison Pill
- Grey: Luke Pasqualino
- Franco The Elder: Vlad Ivanov
- Franco The Younger: Adnan Hasković
- Claude: Emma Levie
- Fuyu: Steve Park
- Painter: Clark Middleton
- Tim: Marcanthonee Reis
- Paul: Paul Lazar
- Egg-Head: Tómas Lemarquis
- News Reporter: Kenny Doughty
- Gerald: Robert Russell
- Doris: Magda Weigertová
- Soldier 1: Jim High
- Soldier 2: Peter Hallin
- Female Officer: Haruna Honcoopova
- Ylfa: Ana Braun
- Boy: Griffin Seymour
- Young Wilford: Tyler John Williams
- Magdalena: Luna Sophia Bar-Cohen
- Sergio: Sean Connor Renwick
- Andy: Karel Veselý
- Chan: Park Sungtaek
- Soldier A: Brian Foley
- Soldier B: Kendrick Roger Ong
- Old Man: Seisuke Tsukahara
- Dark Voice: Tomáš Dianiška
- Giant: Miroslav Navrátil
- Plan Tender 1: Huh Chan
- Plan Tender 2: Lucie Burianová
- Voice Actor (voice): Jonny Loquasto
- Voice Actor (voice): Parry Shen
- Korean Translator Voice (voice): Eunkyung Song
- Voice Actor (voice): Dana Green
- Voice Actor (voice): Joseph Bertót
Film Crew:
- Casting: Johanna Ray
- Sound Mixer: Mark Holding
- Co-Producer: Robert Bernacchi
- Original Music Composer: Marco Beltrami
- Co-Producer: David Minkowski
- Co-Producer: Matthew Stillman
- Executive Producer: Park Chan-wook
- Hair Designer: Jeremy Woodhead
- Digital Intermediate Editor: Curtis Lindersmith
- Screenstory: Bong Joon-ho
- Producer: Miky Lee
- Executive Producer: Lee Tae-hun
- Screenplay: Kelly Masterson
- Costume Design: Catherine George
- Director of Photography: Hong Kyung-pyo
- Original Story: Benjamin Legrand
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Terry Porter
- Stunt Coordinator: Julian Spencer
- Senior Visual Effects Supervisor: Lee Jeon-hyoung
- Editor: Steve M. Choe
- Visual Effects Coordinator: Dave Kim
- Production Design: Ondrej Nekvasil
- Casting: Jenny Jue
- ADR Mixer: Mitch Dorf
- Producer: Steven Nam
- Producer: Jeong Tae-sung
- Editor: Kim Chang-ju
- Original Story: Jacques Lob
- Original Story: Jean-Marc Rochette
- Art Direction: Stefan Kovacik
- Co-Executive Producer: Kim Hyun-woo
- Costume Supervisor: Hana Kučerová
- Visual Effects Producer: Catherine Duncan
- ADR Mixer: Nick Roberts
- Visual Effects Supervisor: Michel Mielke
- Visual Effects Editor: Timo Rolle
- Visual Effects Coordinator: Jessica Newhouse-Smith
- Sound Designer: Tim Nielsen
- Property Master: Jan Kodera
- Visual Effects Producer: Vít Komrzý
- Unit Manager: Jiri Kotlas
- Steadicam Operator: Bogdan Stanciu
- Visual Effects Supervisor: Mark Breakspear
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Anna Behlmer
- Assistant Art Director: Zuzana Cizmarova
- Stunt Coordinator: Pavel Cajzl
- Sound Designer: Dave Whitehead
- Digital Intermediate Producer: Loan Phan
- Key Hair Stylist: Paula Price
- Visual Effects Production Manager: Jaroslav Matys
- Visual Effects Producer: Viktor Müller
- CGI Supervisor: Park Min-su
- Visual Effects Producer: Joel Román Mendías
- Visual Effects Editor: Steve McLeod
- Gaffer: Václav Čermák
- Visual Effects Designer: Eric Durst
- Co-Producer: Park Tae-joon
- ADR Mixer: Patrick Christensen
- Visual Effects Editor: Scott Janush
- Assistant Director: Jakub Dvorak
- Art Department Manager: Kim Eun-young
- Visual Effects Coordinator: Daniel Matley
- Title Designer: Baik
- Art Department Coordinator: Ján Svoboda
- Set Designer: Petr Bouska
- Rigging Gaffer: Jaroslav Hromádka
- Still Photographer: Lee Jae-hyeok
- Animation Supervisor: Christian Kratzert
- Digital Intermediate: Philippe Majdalani
- Digital Intermediate Colorist: Yvan Lucas
- Assistant Costume Designer: Cameron Dale
- Set Decoration: Beatrice Brentnerova
- ADR Mixer: Michael Miller
- First Assistant “B” Camera: Ladislav Hrubý
- Casting Assistant: Krista Husar
- Dolly Grip: Jan Rehanzl
- Second Assistant “B” Camera: Miroslav Pavlík
- Visual Effects Producer: Korey J. Cauchon
- Makeup & Hair Assistant: Linda Eisenhamerová
- Grip: Ivo Červenka
- Boom Operator: Roman Rigo
- First Assistant “A” Camera: Jan Carda
- Video Assist Operator: Michal Chadima
- Visual Effects Coordinator: Katarzyna Zak
- Ager/Dyer: Katalina Iturralde
- CG Supervisor: José Manuel Weil
- Co-Producer: Dooho Choi
- Assistant Editor: Yang Jin-mo
- Makeup & Hair: Gabriela Poláková
- Makeup & Hair Assistant: Růžena Novotná
- Visual Effects Supervisor: Uel Hormann
- Unit Production Manager: Nam Seong-ho
- Production Coordinator: Ludek Vomacka
- ADR Mixer: Judah Getz
- Key Grip: Karel Charvat
- Unit Production Manager: Kateřina Silná
- Set Designer: Pavel Tatar
- Assistant Costume Designer: Courtney McClain
- Set Designer: Adela Háková
- Producer: Jeong Won-jo
- First Assistant Director: Robert Grayson
- Co-Producer: Baek Ji-seon
- Co-Executive Producer: Choi Pyung-ho
- Co-Producer: Francis Chung
- Co-Executive Producer: Kris Ghil
- Associate Producer: Samuel Yeunju Ha
- Co-Executive Producer: Kim Yeong-don
- Associate Producer: Cathy Seok
- Associate Producer: Lee So-rim
- Associate Producer: Huh Soo-young
- Post Production Supervisor: Park Beom-su
- Production Manager: Park Ji-sung
- Unit Production Manager: Gerhard Rupp
- Set Designer: Song Bo-mi
- Set Designer: Bárbara Cruz García
- Set Designer: Darina Hejlová
- Set Designer: Kwon Ju-hee
- Casting Assistant: Sarka Hudeckova
- Location Manager: Armin Popp
- Production Coordinator: Ryu Jae-jun
- Title Designer: Hwang Kyu-young
- Script Supervisor: Park Bo-eun
- First Assistant Director: Park Hyun-cheol
- Assistant Editor: Han Mi-yeon
- Best Boy Grip: Jiri Pospisil
- Best Boy Electric: Zdenek Vodvarka
- Visual Effects Coordinator: Wendy Hulbert
- Visual Effects Editor: Bernardo Rodriguez
- Visual Effects Editor: Markus Hagemeier
- Stunt Double: Jan Petřina
- ADR Recordist: Andreea Stanculeanu
- Visual Effects Production Manager: Misato Shinohara
- Costumer: Jiřina Eisenhamerová
- Sound Supervisor: Choi Tae-young
- Concept Artist: Hin Soo Cho
- Concept Artist: Park Je-chul
- Visual Effects Production Assistant: Courteney Smith
- Sound Designer: Gang Hye-yeong
- Foley Recordist: Park Yong-gi
- Visual Effects Coordinator: Curtis Tsai
- Visual Effects Coordinator: Michelle Cornwall
- Set Dresser: Vladimir Stastny
- Generator Operator: Roland Safr
- 2D Supervisor: Sean Danischevsky
- Set Dresser: Martin Svandrlik
- Standby Art Director: Roman Illovsky
- Modelling Supervisor: Andreas Nehls
- Digital Colorist: Kevin Kang
- Sound Designer: Choi Sung-rok
- 3D Artist: Vladimír Matousek
- 3D Artist: Jaroslava Chalasova
- 3D Artist: Jiri Vycital
- Makeup & Hair: Kim Seo-young
- Set Designer: Kim Byung-han
- ADR Mixer: Tomáš Zůbek
- Colorist: Brano Danis
- Second Assistant “A” Camera: Petr Zavřel
- Art Direction: Lee Nae-kyung
- Assistant Editor: Kim Woo-hyun
- Camera Operator: Juan David Salazar
- ADR Recordist: Vladimír Chorvatovič
- Concept Artist: Jang Hee-chul
- Visual Effects Producer: Sean Lee
- Production Coordinator: Park Min-cheol
- VFX Supervisor: Cho Yong-seok
- Lighting Artist: Kim Mirang
- Visual Effects Supervisor: Jae Hwan Ryu
- Supervising Dialogue Editor: Kim Byung-in
- Stunt Double: Klara Slavikova
- 3D Artist: Zdenek Hrazdira
- Second Assistant “A” Camera: Jan Vojtěch
- Cableman: Stanislav Hubacek
- Electrician: Jiri Horych
- Electrician: Jan Rimský
- Electrician: Josef Valta
- Electrician: Jaroslav Potuzník Jr.
- Grip: Jaroslav Ungr
- Loader: Vratislav Novotný
- Makeup Artist: Tereza Mala
- Costume Coordinator: Karolina Morrison
- Costumer: Eliska Kosinová
- Seamstress: Alena Hrebejuova
- Seamstress: Romana Martinkova
- Seamstress: Lenka Syobodova
- 3D Artist: Martin Kindl
- 3D Artist: Péter Obornik
- 3D Artist: Pavel Ocovaj
- 3D Artist: Frantisek Vaclavek
- 3D Artist: Jakub Velcl
- Lead Animator: Tai-keun Yoo
- Lighting Artist: So Hee Jung
- Lighting Artist: Jung Wook Lee
- Lighting Artist: Jae-sung Chun
- Lighting Artist: Oh Hyun A
- Visual Effects Coordinator: Petr Mentberger
- Visual Effects Producer: Jae Woo Lee
- Visual Effects Producer: Matthias Winter
- Visual Effects Production Assistant: Lenka Velingerová
- Visual Effects Supervisor: Hyung Ju Sung
- Visual Effects Supervisor: Kee-Won Kim
- Assistant Editor: Park Sung-won
- Digital Intermediate: Sun Jin Chung
- Digital Intermediate: Ha-Na Jo
- Digital Intermediate: Kyoung Ho Lee
- Digital Intermediate: Kimin-Seok
- Digital Intermediate: Angie Alavez
- Digital Intermediate: Andy Chung
- Digital Intermediate: Kim Baek-cheol
- Digital Intermediate: Im-Sik Ok
- Digital Intermediate: Young-hyun Yoo
- Digital Intermediate: Se Hyeung Cho
- Digital Intermediate: Seon Sik Kim
- Digital Intermediate: Young Gook Lee
- Digital Intermediate: Dong Won Seo
- Digital Intermediate Producer: Ryu Yeon
- ADR Mixer: Al George
- ADR Mixer: Craig Noble
- ADR Recordist: Michael Morrison
- Dialogue Editor: Hyun Jee-yoon
- Foley Artist: Lee Chung-gyu
- Sound Effects Editor: Park Jin-hye
- Sound Recordist: Felix Diekhake
- Sound Recordist: David Osternacher
- Sound Recordist: David Philipp
- Sound Recordist: Julius Selbach
- Graphic Designer: Jelinek Radovan
- Set Dresser: Libor Datel
- Set Dresser: Jan Hejzlar
- Set Dresser: Jannis Katakalidis
- Set Dresser: Jakub Vlcek
- Standby Painter: Jan Palcr
- Stunts: Jack Kingsley
Movie Reviews:
- Gimly: Original IP Post-Apocalyptia as well as the 21st century can possibly dish it out.
_Final rating:★★★★ – Very strong appeal. A personal favourite._
- MSB: If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog @
https://www.msbreviews.comSnowpiercer is getting a TV adaptation soon, so now it’s the best moment to rewatch one of the best movies in 2014. At the time, Bong Joon-ho wasn’t exactly a famous director that everyone knew about. Therefore, the cast led by Captain America himself, Chris Evans, and the intriguing premise did all the work in creating the cult following it got. Ironically, I haven’t watched this film since its release, so this is only my second time boarding its train. I’m going to start with the best thing that this movie possesses: its screenplay.
This is one of the most shocking films I’ve seen when it comes to delivering jaw-dropping twists, one after the other, exclusively through dialogue. As it would become a staple in Bong Joon-ho’s filmography, his writing is so incredibly complex and multi-layered that it’s truly a miracle that his movies end up making any sense. Snowpiercer (which is co-written by Kelly Masterson) has literally dozens of logical questions that any other film would not only fail to explain, they wouldn’t even try to. With any other screenwriters, this movie would feel too far-fetched and hard to believe. But it’s far from that.
Each character receives extraordinarily elaborate development, filled with mind-blowing revelations and eye-opening twists. Every line of dialogue, every picture, every camera movement, every shot, every scene matters. Everything the viewer sees or hears either means something or foreshadows an eventual payoff. Snowpiercer is the definition of “every shot counts”. Don’t you dare go to the bathroom without stopping the film first. You’ll undoubtedly miss something significant. Absolutely brilliant screenplay and astonishing, well-written characters.
It’s indisputably a narrative-driven story. Snowpiercer is a lesson in exposition. Even though there’s plenty of action (I’ll get there), it’s a movie that relies on the viewer’s ability to be captivated by dialogue. The concept is definitely unique, and the story is extremely captivating, but only if the viewer can understand the value of entertainment in listening to these characters while they go through their revolution… in learning who these characters were, are and will be. Just as an example, there’s a third act’s monologue performed by Chris Evans that not only delivers tons of information about his character, but it’s also emotionally compelling to watch. If someone doesn’t *feel* anything during this scene, then maybe Snowpiercer might not be the movie for you.
I find The Platform to have a similar concept. Instead of a train, it’s a vertical prison, but the allegory of how society works is evident in both films. How politics, religion, and early education can control Humanity. The top/front people not only receive more than what they need, but they still overuse everything, completely ignoring the bottom/tail humans that need to fight for scraps. These films take entirely different paths, but Snowpiercer owns a much more complex narrative than The Platform. However, it’s still interesting to see the comparisons between these two distinct approaches on a similar theme.
Nevertheless, for everyone that needs some sort of dynamic entertainment, this flick is also packed with action set pieces. There’s a tiny bit of too much shaky cam for my taste, but overall, it accomplishes the mission of delivering the chaotic, energetic, claustrophobic environment that the action sequences need. It’s a train, after all. It’s not like they could produce massive battles in such a small space. In fact, the screenplay allows the crew to show some really creative, innovative techniques. The use of slow-motion (not only during the action scenes) elevates the movie, generating great suspense/tension, and it’s perfectly timed (including a fantastic one-take sequence with Chris Evans).
Since I just mentioned him, might as well address his impressive performance. People might not remember this, but at the time of the film’s release, Evans was interested in pursuing a directing career, setting his acting as a secondary role. While I do believe he’s going to make a great director, I’m beyond happy that he continued to use his acting abilities. As with most of MCU’s actors, I feel like he’s pretty underrated considering what he has demonstrated throughout his career. Snowpiercer is just the tip of the iceberg. Chris Evans is a remarkable actor and much more than “just” a version of Captain America.
Tilda Swinton (Mason) also offers a quite interesting display, Octavia Spencer (Tanya) is fascinating, while the legend Ed Harris (Wilford) takes his short but effective screentime to prove how gifted he is, especially concerning plot exposition. He’s always able to be captivating by merely opening his mouth. Marco Beltrami’s score is riveting and memorable. The editing (Steve M. Choe, Changju Kim) is not only seamless, but it definitely helps the viewer better understand the story. Finally, the production and set design are impeccable, offering the “one-location”, claustrophobic vibe that a train unavoidably has.
My only major issue involves the ending. It’s quite impactful but also underwhelming and morally divisive. A particular decision that affects everyone in the train (basically, the entire Humanity) doesn’t quite convince me that it’s the best conclusion. It sort of diminishes some of the characters’ efforts to get where they do, as well as the story’s initial purpose. On one hand, it’s an ending that raises a few questions in a movie that does a terrific job in explaining every little detail until this last moment. On the other hand, the train is far from giving a fair life to everyone…
In the end, Snowpiercer is not only one of 2014’s best films but also one of the best of the respective decade. With a brilliant screenplay, Bong Joon-ho delivers an extremely complex narrative, filled with emotionally shocking character development, and featuring excellent stunt work. The underlying theme of how Humanity is controlled by how its society works (from politics to religion to education) cleverly accompanies the already twistful story. Snowpiercer is a phenomenal lesson in “exposition”, and the definition of “every shot matters”. Boasting jaw-dropping performances from everyone, especially from Chris Evans, every dialogue is remarkably captivating, packed with mind-blowing revelations, and an unbelievable effort in explaining every little detail regarding the train’s functionality. This would undoubtedly be at the top of the decade’s best movies if not for a morally divisive and somewhat underwhelming/questionable ending. Technically, an addictive score, amazing editing, and impressive production/set design put the final stamp of quality in a brightly original, unique piece of cinema.
Rating: A