I never give any details in my mini-reviews, but wanted to get a few things off my chest about this film. I know I don't watch films like most of those I know and maybe it's a curse. Who knows? I'm not claiming to be smarter or say my opinion is any better than anyone else's, I'm just saying this movie is too cool for school. Everyone is claiming this film to be brilliant and such a revelation, but anyone who watches a lot of films, especially films heavy in symbolism, metaphors and allegories, realizes that just paying attention gives away a ton. In Snowpiercer, too much was given away.
Spoilers ahead
Stop reading now if you haven't seen it, but I'll just state what ruined the movie for me.
Gilliam - anyone who saw Brazil, know Terry Gilliam directed it and this was an homage to him. That being said, the name, plus the name actor playing him, you knew he wasn't going to be a minor character. You also knew he would not make it.
The Train - forcing the characters (the classes) to look either forward (up) or back (down) depending on their view of their class. Yet, both are only allowed to understand these two directions. Even when given the opportunity, they don't see anything, but death and quickly look away. They have now view of the world but laterally, which is how most capitalistic societies view life.
The entire middle of the train is bright and the characters choose what they learn. The kids, about power, because knowledge (controlled knowledge is power), but then the father teaches the daughter to look, literally outside the box. It's right then when you realize that the father isn't the Key (yes the lock breaker isn't the key, he's the tool). So early on we know she will be humanities savior, but we also get the sense that she needs a mate and Curtis appears to old for her. We know for sure that she is "the one" when he stops her from stabbing the man he's holding down. Keeping her pure, like the soil he explains to her.
The scene in the classroom is a metaphor for our easily brainwashed class system. The middle class, so desperate to avoid the tail section, follows instructions so blindly, that they will do anything they are told. There is the idea they have an opportunity to excel, but really, they are raised simply to become the faceless henchman (which we see the scene earlier wearing masks). Realize that the whole idea of not killing the tail member, was to keep the balance. Just like in today's society, you can't expel the poor, because who will clean the toilets and paint the houses. It's all necessary, because without poor and the middle, there can be no rich. But notice as they closer to Wilford, there are no window. They too live a sheltered life, only socializing with each other in a life of decadence an loneliness. Fur coats and drugs represent the materialistic nature of this class.
I won't go into detail with the eggs and the simplicity of this symbolism.
Remember also the view of the frozen seven. This is taking place while the kids are being fed their propaganda. The kids are learning how the world works, while the father shows her daughter, the statuesque figures of those who came before them. Those who came up short, but who did what others didn't dare. Think of our world and all of the statues and who they represent.
Then there is the passing of the torch, well at least the supposed passing of the torch. It's important to realize that Curtis had to make it. For the only way to keep a society calm is the allure of a better life. That anyone can be the one in charge, no matter your status. It's that false hope that keeps civility in times of chaos. This too was a glaring mistake in the film's attempts to be clever.
Finally, if you paid attention to this common theme of leaving your mark, you know that once Timmy disappears, you are left with the picture of the artist. The two boys are shown a few times in those sketches. Both parents die. One of the children follows the lead and the other, the more cunning of the two, defies the odds. When the two characters make it out, into that bright world, they come across the polar bear. The bear shows no aggressiveness, which tells us literally he is not hungry and spiritually, that this is a sign they are powerful and the snow, rebirth and purity. This tells us they will survive.
There are also a few "ode to" films, directors, etc, which are common in this director's films. I personally didn't like the film, because at no point did I ever feel like I was being challenged mentally. The reality is, after seeing it and reading some of the comments by the actors and director, that this film wasn't meant to be taken literally at any point other than the beginning and the end. The earth is being destroyed, but no matter what it will survive, so we better find a way.
Spoilers ahead
Stop reading now if you haven't seen it, but I'll just state what ruined the movie for me.
Gilliam - anyone who saw Brazil, know Terry Gilliam directed it and this was an homage to him. That being said, the name, plus the name actor playing him, you knew he wasn't going to be a minor character. You also knew he would not make it.
The Train - forcing the characters (the classes) to look either forward (up) or back (down) depending on their view of their class. Yet, both are only allowed to understand these two directions. Even when given the opportunity, they don't see anything, but death and quickly look away. They have now view of the world but laterally, which is how most capitalistic societies view life.
The entire middle of the train is bright and the characters choose what they learn. The kids, about power, because knowledge (controlled knowledge is power), but then the father teaches the daughter to look, literally outside the box. It's right then when you realize that the father isn't the Key (yes the lock breaker isn't the key, he's the tool). So early on we know she will be humanities savior, but we also get the sense that she needs a mate and Curtis appears to old for her. We know for sure that she is "the one" when he stops her from stabbing the man he's holding down. Keeping her pure, like the soil he explains to her.
The scene in the classroom is a metaphor for our easily brainwashed class system. The middle class, so desperate to avoid the tail section, follows instructions so blindly, that they will do anything they are told. There is the idea they have an opportunity to excel, but really, they are raised simply to become the faceless henchman (which we see the scene earlier wearing masks). Realize that the whole idea of not killing the tail member, was to keep the balance. Just like in today's society, you can't expel the poor, because who will clean the toilets and paint the houses. It's all necessary, because without poor and the middle, there can be no rich. But notice as they closer to Wilford, there are no window. They too live a sheltered life, only socializing with each other in a life of decadence an loneliness. Fur coats and drugs represent the materialistic nature of this class.
I won't go into detail with the eggs and the simplicity of this symbolism.
Remember also the view of the frozen seven. This is taking place while the kids are being fed their propaganda. The kids are learning how the world works, while the father shows her daughter, the statuesque figures of those who came before them. Those who came up short, but who did what others didn't dare. Think of our world and all of the statues and who they represent.
Then there is the passing of the torch, well at least the supposed passing of the torch. It's important to realize that Curtis had to make it. For the only way to keep a society calm is the allure of a better life. That anyone can be the one in charge, no matter your status. It's that false hope that keeps civility in times of chaos. This too was a glaring mistake in the film's attempts to be clever.
Finally, if you paid attention to this common theme of leaving your mark, you know that once Timmy disappears, you are left with the picture of the artist. The two boys are shown a few times in those sketches. Both parents die. One of the children follows the lead and the other, the more cunning of the two, defies the odds. When the two characters make it out, into that bright world, they come across the polar bear. The bear shows no aggressiveness, which tells us literally he is not hungry and spiritually, that this is a sign they are powerful and the snow, rebirth and purity. This tells us they will survive.
There are also a few "ode to" films, directors, etc, which are common in this director's films. I personally didn't like the film, because at no point did I ever feel like I was being challenged mentally. The reality is, after seeing it and reading some of the comments by the actors and director, that this film wasn't meant to be taken literally at any point other than the beginning and the end. The earth is being destroyed, but no matter what it will survive, so we better find a way.
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