After a second ice age broke over the world, the remainder of humanity has retreated to a high speed train. This train is strictly separated by social classes: The rich are in the front, the poor at the tail. While there is comfort and luxury at the front, the proletariat at the back is forced together on the tiniest space. There, in the last train wagon, the revolution begins. With handcrafted weapons the rebels break up towards the only remaining direction: Forward. Wagon by wagon a new world reveals itself to the poor, which becomes more decadent and lush.
With his first international motion picture Bong Joon-ho has created an instant classic. Visually breath-taking he constructs a post apocalyptic parable in one of the most infamous trains of recent cinema history. Unusual stylistic tools underline the game being played with the expectations of the audience. When the train enters a tunnel, everything gets dark – both audience and characters are disoriented. A true Bong Joon-ho, worth a watch on the big screen.
Vanessa Lorentan
