Seek out "Snowpiercer" while you can (Brattle one week 7/4, Methuen)

With the earth's temperature rising to uninhabitable degrees, scientists deploy the chemical CW-7 into the atmosphere to cool it, but instead the climate is reversed into an ice age which kills all life - except for those who boarded a train whose creator foresaw the catastrophe, designing a self sustaining environment within.  But there is a class structure, and those in the tail section live with little light, questionable food and no freedom, much like Jews being transported to Nazi camps.  Inspired by his mentor, Gilliam (John Hurt, "Only Lovers Left Alive"), after 17 years aboard, Curtis (Chris Evans, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier") plans a revolt to force their way up to the engine of "Snowpiercer."

Having found himself enthralled by the French graphic novel 'Transperceneige,' cowriter (with Kelly Masterson, "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead")/director Bong Joon-ho ("The Host," "Mother"), in his English language debut, has created a masterpiece of action adventure science fiction fueled by a terrific international cast.  The film is clearly a metaphor for today's political climate, where the rich rule by keeping the less fortunate down, a 'self sustaining' economic model.  Its visually inventive production design/art direction (Ondrej Nekvasil and Stefan Kovacik) may recall "Brazil," its story - to a point - "Saw II," a haunted house carnage where each train car reveals something worse than the one before, but Joon-ho has more on his mind than startling imagery and violence and his climax is both breathtaking and an emotional gut punch.

To read the rest of Laura's and Robin's review, click here:
http://www.reelingreviews.com/snowpiercer.htm