South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho is acclaimed for his intense attention to detail, so I’m understandably excited to see how he deals with an entire, apocalyptic world in his upcoming new feature, Snowpiercer. Courtesy of French film site CloneWeb, now we have a sneak peek at just how visually exciting the complex sci-fi thriller may actually be as a film.
Check out the international poster below:
Snowpiercer will explore a future reminiscent of the worst ice ages following a failed attempt to curb global warming. After most of humanity succumbs to the relentless cold, the only survivors live on an enormous train named the Snowpiercer, which travels the world thanks to a perpetual-motion engine. Over time, a strict class system is implemented on the Snowpiercer, with elite passengers at the luxurious front and impoverished civilians crammed into the unsanitary back. Tired of the terrible living conditions, the men and women at the back of the train revolt and spark a civil war between the passengers.
The film will mark Bong’s English debut and the cast will feature a lot of familiar faces. Chris Evans stars, and Snowpiercer‘s large supporting cast includes Ed Harris, Jamie Bell, Alison Pill, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, Octavia Spencer, Ewen Bremner, Kang-ho Song and Luke Pasqualino.
Bong’s previous work has included acclaimed 2003 crime-drama Memories of Murder, 2006 cult horror classic The Host and twisted 2009 family drama Mother. Many of Bong’s fans were up in arms at the news that The Weinstein Company would be editing out almost twenty minutes of the director’s final cut for the US version of the film, but Bong had the following to say at an August press conference in Korea:
I came here after editing for the American version. I’ve never produced a new version for overseas premieres, and this is the first time I’m making a new version. Weinstein is actually being pretty soft toward editing, probably because it’s noticed how critics have praised the film and know how angry movie fans get over new edits. They even asked me which parts I want to include in the film.
Snowpiercer does not yet have a distribution date in the United States, though it received rave revies upon its South Korean debut last month.
I’m definitely anticipating Bong’s take on post-apocalyptic sci-fi, especially given how smartly and creatively he’s dealt with genre conventions in his previous efforts. To me, Snowpiercer looks like a more politically-conscious version of The Day After Tomorrow, though the acting, script and direction will certainly be on a much higher plane than that film. The idea of keeping the movie set entirely on the train is an intriguing one, and I’m keen to see how Bong’s incredible cinematography will be incorporated into such a limited setting.
Are you excited for Snowpiercer? Let us know in the comments section!