There has been more drama surrounding the release of Bong Joon-ho’s Snowpiercer than almost any other film this year. Following months of arguments between the director and the Weinsteins about which cut the U.S. was going to get and when it would be released, we finally have a release date and an assurance that the director’s cut will be the one seen stateside.
Boasting an impressive cast that includes Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer and John Hurt – all inhabitants of a train hurtling through a post-apocalyptic, snow-covered wasteland – the film certainly looks promising. As Earth’s last survivors, the members of the train community have been divided along social and class lines. This unsurprisingly results in a revolt of the lower classes, who aim to take over the engine.
Snowpiercer promises to be one of the more remarkable films of 2014, but if it did not have such good word of mouth already I might be a bit skeptical. The “post-apocalyptic dystopian society” has been done so many times, in so many different formats, that it will take a truly remarkable vision to make it new and effective. While I have no doubt that Bong Joon-ho has such a vision, the latest trailer, which was released today and can be seen below, makes things look just a little rote. This may be more an effect of marketing than anything else though.
In any case, with such a cast and such strong buzz on the film, I’m more than willing to assume that Snowpiercer is as good as everyone says it is.
Snowpiercer will come to theaters in the US on June 27. Until then, you can whet your appetite by watching the trailer below.