Snowpiercer
A fresh take on the clichéd
Science fiction is, in many respects, a grab-bag of quality that can range from the hilariously incompetent B-movie (Robot Monster), the pointless grouping of big-budget jargon (Event Horizon), and even the mind-numbing blockbuster (Transformers). And yet, there is room for the original and innovative film in the genre, as seen in Metropolis, Alien, and Star Wars to name a few. When we look to the annals of cinematic excellence, especially in this genre, I have no doubt that the English-language South Korean film Snowpiercer will become one of these revered films.
Snowpiercer, a film about a post-apocalyptic class struggle between the last surviving members of humanity, is an experience I feel gratified in taking part in. Despite the plot, on the surface level, sounding like a million other films, the ultimate story is a unique take on these often tired story elements. The film looks beautiful, sounds good, and has quite a bit of depth. The performances by Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton, and Jamie Bell allow the audience to connect with their characters and are memorable long after watching the film for the first time.
So how is the plot of Snowpiercer? By all rights, this film should be the most simplistic and overdone concept for a science fiction film in its base elements. The world has been plunged into a new Ice Age due to manmade chemicals and the last members of humanity are able to survive on a train. However, the lower-class members of the tail section tire of their poor living conditions after eighteen years and rebel against their oppressors. Folly of man? Check. Classist uprising? Check. Ridiculous means of transport? Check and check. So what separates this film from the countless other films utilizing these basic elements? Plainly put, it’s the use of world-building in order to move the plot forward. A train doesn’t seem as though it could be all that complex a location, let alone a location thriving with history and culture all its own. The film presents this setting as a world, rich with a past that you actually learn about. If you watch the film picking it apart, odds are your questions will be answered. Even questions of logic you may not have considered will be answered. Without getting into spoiler territory, they will tell you of the history of the train as well as the tail car. You will learn how they came to be aboard the perpetually-moving train and the traditions kept aboard it. Want to know how everyone remains fed? Just sit back and they’ll tell you. Likewise, the fact that this film, despite having a mostly English-speaking cast, is Korean is clear through the pacing. Director Bong Joon-ho does not go at the typical pace of American cinema, instead taking long breaks from the action to set up the world. The action scenes, while sometimes long, never feel too drawn out. The beauty of the environment is emphasized by the characters as well as the moments of pause that allows the audience to enjoy a few falling snowflakes. In terms of story structure, Snowpiercer offers a lot in comparison to the typical science fiction tale.
The visuals of Snowpiercer are a great mix of contrast and blending between the natural environment and the metallic train. The divide between the two is clear, with the snowy wasteland always feeling very open and desolate against the mechanical inner-workings of the train. The clear split between the toned-down colors of the train cars and the pure white of the outside is clean and beautiful. And yet, there is a certain blending of the environments as well. In the beginning of the film, a scene transitions between the tail car and the outside world. The tail is dingy, a disheartening and dark environment in which the slums survive. The outside mirrors this atmosphere, the cold night wind howling as almost grey flakes fly by the camera in a threatening environment. Likewise, a later scene filled with glass walls shows a clear blending of environment as two warm and naturally-lit cars cut between almost invitingly white landscapes with grand and sweeping camera movements, recalling the excitement of a snow day from one’s childhood. There is one area in this regard where I am slightly shaky: I want to love the visual of the train's exterior. I want to look at this train making its way through a very natural landscape and feel sucked in. The train is, as of now, a lovely thing to behold from the outside. It is not, however, top of the line CGI. When I say “as of now,” I worry about the way this train will look in ten to fifteen years. I worry that it will look the way that The Scorpion King looks in The Mummy Returns by then, degrading in audience’s minds as the technology improves. I want this movie to hold up visually. All the other vibrant colors and shots will continue to look gorgeous as time goes by, the story never losing its edge. This detail, however, is the folly of relying on CGI as we move forward as a cinematic community.
The sound of Snowpiercer... When I tell you I wish I could skip over this, I mean it whole-heartedly. This is not to say, of course, that the sound in the film is bad. Regarding sound effects and speech mixing, the audio is actually fantastic. It is, however, sad to say that the music did not live up to the other details of the film. For most films, I can at least hum a few songs from the score of the film. For this movie, however, I can barely remember even a moment from the score. The only song that truly hit me, that honestly got stuck in my head for days, is a diegetic song performed by a teacher in one of the cars. The song, in context, is hilarious in an uncomfortable manner. It makes you laugh, but it also causes you to shift slightly in discomfort from the lyrics. It’s disappointing that the film missed this mark, but I cannot say that ruins the experience for me. Instead, it merely falters slightly.
Regarding value of re-watching Snowpiercer, I think there’s quite a bit to credit the film with. I have seen the film four or five times now and, while I enjoyed every viewing, I found additional clues as to the final act in each viewing. Throughout the film, a few incredibly vague, single-word messages are found by our protagonist to lead him on his quest. However, they are never quite clear on their intention. The words are incredibly vague as to their meaning, even when somewhat explained in the protagonist’s motivations. However, I continually find further meaning in these messages each time I watch. Additionally, I find myself reading more into the way the sets are framed with each viewing. On the first viewing, all cars beyond the tail look similar when coming from such destitute conditions. By the fifth viewing, however, I had found myself shocked at how each train was unique in socio-economic details. The luxury only got better, but this does not mean all trains beyond the tail are equal. While its depth does not seem to be endless, I feel Snowpiercer deserves multiple viewings to fully appreciate it.
Snowpiercer is a gorgeous example of how to take clichés in science fiction and make them fresh once again. The plot, for how typical of the genre it is, never feels too familiar. The value of re-watching the film warrants deep analysis of the more difficult aspects. The world is vibrant and alive with history all its own, blending nature with technology in a manner that feels effortless. While the soundtrack is somewhat lacking, it is forgivable. Additionally, I still worry about how the CGI train will look in the coming years. Despite its flaws, this is a film worth watching. If you have Netflix, you can stream it there and enjoy the glorious ride. If not, it’s a cheap DVD or Blu-ray and worth every penny. While not a must-see, I’d certainly call it a should-see. Happy viewing.