Snowpiercer

Courtesy of The Weinstein Company and CJ Entertainment, as well as Moho Films, Opus Pictures, and Stillking Films

Honestly, this film made me uncomfortable almost throughout its entire runtime. Between the moments of extreme violence against everyone from women and children to the disabled, and the extreme filth, gore, and dystopian politics, it was a lot to take in. It made me queasy, affected, and revolted. This isn't an easy thing for any movie to accomplish nowadays, especially when it's not a horror film.

“Snowpiercer” is the story of the back of a train staging a revolution and its inhabitants making their way to the front. The revolution is led by Curtis Everett (Evans) who has spent the bulk of his life aboard a large locomotive that holds the last living persons onboard. The front of the train (bourgeoisie) hold complete control over the back of the train (proletariat), and torture and dehumanize them, as they live in abject poverty. If they go against their captors they are mauled and disfigured for life, or worse. The head of the train speaks to no one, but has a mouthpiece in the form of Mason (Swinton)

The film has gotten critics excited for more than its bleak setting. The train itself is a thoughtfully chosen idea, but the film's reliance on violence, action scenes, a broad backstory of the train and its inhabitants, magical realism, and overall great cinematography and direction, has made people scramble to congratulate this film for its originality. Most of the film makes thoughtful choices in plot, which often come full circle and say something broader about the conditions aboard the train.

Dystopian films have been a constant, especially lately. They often mask bad plot, caustic acting, and an anemic set of morals. "Snowpiercer" both entertains the audience as an action film, and engages our minds with its complex set of morals. This film looks to show how sacrifice can ensure survival, and shows what the human mind and body can put up with when it comes to that survival, and for that I say that this film is one of the best of 2014.