Earlier this week, I reviewed The Purge: Anarchy, a near-future dystopian allegory for the
dangers of classism. Today, I review Snowpiercer, a near-future dystopian
allegory for the dangers of classism.
However, whereas Anarchy was
an above-average look at what is essentially modern society with one tweak to
emphasize where modern trends are leading us, Snowpiercer is a scathing look at modern class structure as framed
in a sci-fi scenario that perfectly encapsulates the inherent flaws and horrors
of a class-based society. And it is
brilliant!
In order to halt global warming, scientists in the
not-so-distant future released a chemical into the air in order to cool down
the atmosphere. However, this backfired
to create a global ice age, killing the entirety of the Earth’s population
except for the passengers on a perpetually powered train built by an eccentric
billionaire who predicted this strange turn of events. Flash forward eighteen years later, and
Curtis is a resident of the tail car, where the poorest passengers lived and
are now the underclass in the microcosm of train society. Curtis mounts and leads a revolt of the
underclass so as to reach the front of the train to confront their billionaire
overlord and seize control of the train themselves. This plot is in no ways subtle, but its
execution is superb.
See, where Snowpiercer
differs substantially from Anarchy is
that not only is its premise highly allegorical, but everything about the damn
script is allegorical. The eclectic cast
of characters spanning all walks of life, as represented by different train
cars, all play their role in what becomes a very compelling analysis of how
class intersects with such things as policing, the education system, the
distribution and quality of food supplies, drug addiction, and the excesses of
the upper and middle classes, just to name a few. Since all is told from Curtis’s perspective,
the film is cynical and oozes with disgust for such gross inequality, an
incredibly resonant message in light of not only American inequalities, but
global ones as well.
And all of this is built into a beautifully directed
film. Director Bong Joon-ho really knows
how to frame a shot, as every scene ends up looking like a well-composed
painting. The use of color, lighting,
and object placement really makes every little thing pop out at the viewer, and
none of that is diminished even in the incredibly well-executed action
sequences. One would think that the
limitations of a scene taking place aboard a train car would make action
constrained and hence dull, but Bong turns that supposed weakness into a
strength, playing with the crowded nature of the train car to create a catalog
of memorable action scenes.
I’ve heard grumblings that the ending was polarizing (heh,
cold pun) to some viewers, but I felt that it fit perfectly with the film’s
anti-classist message. Without spoiling
what it is, let’s just say that it is the bow on top of a masterfully wrapped
present. Between its intellectual
message, strong storytelling chops, frantic action, and beautiful
cinematography, Snowpiercer is a film
that deserves your attention, and absolutely should not be overlooked. If you haven’t already, watch this
movie. You won’t regret it.
What are your leaning in the class inequality debate? Leave your flame war in the comments below.
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