Optiluiz here once more with your (not so) weekly movie review. Today's movie is The Midnight Meat Train. I've been only reviewing movies which I think are underrated or just plain unknown to most people so far, and this one is no exception. This little gem is directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, and based on one of Clive Barker's tales from his Books Of Blood series. I have a certain affinity with Clive Barker's stories, even though they pretty much always leave me disturbed at night and slightly confused. I guess he likes it like that.
Honestly, I think this and Candyman are the best adaptations of Clive's work. He directed Hellraiser himself so I don't think it doesn't count. This whole film reeks of style AND substance; Kitamura has woven something that entertains on various levels. The plot revolves around a New York photographer's dive into madness and obsession as he tracks down a serial killer in the city's subway.
It's a crime that this had a limited release in theaters. The cinematography is beautiful, and even the gore has a surrealistic/artistic touch to it. The entire film feels like a dream, or rather, a nightmare.
Bradley Cooper is great in this film, having become one of my favourite actors between this and 'Limitless'. Vinnie Jones also conveys a lot of emotion in his scenes, though very subtly. Everything in this movie, from the soundtrack to the editing, meshes together to form a sterile and menacing atmosphere, making it a consistently interesting spectacle. It does get somewhat corny at times, however, and the exagerrated violence actually makes it more cartoonish than horrifying.
The ending has been criticized for practically coming out of nowhere, but there are many clues hidden throughout the film, and I found it to be a nice twist to the story. Sure a few more clues would have helped, but it really is a great finale. I really liked it, and highly recommend that you give this one a watch if you don't mind the subsequent nightmares (or perhaps even veganism!). Overall, a solid 7.5/10.
That concludes this week's movie review of The Midnight Meat Train. Hope you've enjoyed it. Here's the official trailer:
Chainsaw cheers,
-Optiluiz out...
PS: This one I actually do own! The commentary with Clive and the director is great!
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