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| Tilda Swinton is a highlight in "Snowpiercer" (The Weinstein Company) |
Snowpiercer
is violent, dirty and bleak – but never less than compelling. Bong Joon-Ho’s
allegorical thriller imagines post-apocalyptic Earth as frozen, with the survivors
of the human race sorted by class on an endlessly-running train. Chris Evans’
protagonist, among those at the back-end of the train, leads a revolt to upend rigid
class structure and overthrow the status quo. For as many times as filmmakers,
painters, novelists and even poets have imagined similar fates of the human
race, Joon-Ho’s visually-innovative approach allows Snowpiercer to stand out. And for as many stock heroes in the vein
of Evans’ have come along, Kelly Masterson’s script transcends cliché by
infusing terrific doses of oddity via Tilda Swinton’s timid and heartless press
secretary, and Alison Pill’s unhinged school teacher. Fittingly, Ed Harris’
film-closing monologue is far too on the nose, and yet, it perfectly puts into
perspective the film’s many big, fascinating ideas. B+