Better late than never to review this elusive import.

What’s It About? In a world ravaged by a man-made Ice Age, a revolutionary named Curtis attempts to take control of a train carrying the last remnants of humanity.

STRAIGHT UP: Not a game-changer, but still very good. 8/10

What I Liked

A new kind of apocalypse – After an attempt to counter global warming ends up freezing the world, the last survivors of humanity find themselves trapped on an Ark-like train, where struggles break out between the haves in first class and the have-nots stowed away in the tail section. Have not heard that one before.

Chris Evans as Curtis Everett – A hell of a performance brings a great character to life. Curtis is a fully-realized character with an incredible backstory.

The action scenes – They’re fewer and farther between than I expected, but each one is distinct and purposeful. Notably, these scenes are presented very starkly, without shaky-cam, rapid cutting, or particle effects; the fighting is fluid and easy to follow. It’s a refreshing change of pace from the usual Hollywood fare.

Late-game revelations – Plot twists come fast and furious in the film’s final act, and all of them are gut-punches. I can’t say much more than that without spoiling things.

What I Didn’t Like

It’s all about Curtis – Evans’ character dominates this story; everyone else is relegated to a supporting role and defined by their relationship to him. Though Curtis is presented as a working-class hero, he seems more like a semi-divine “chosen one” in practice. It doesn’t mix.

The classroom scene – This part was so weird. It felt like something out of a cartoon. I understand the function of a scene like this, but it was way too exaggerated and threw off the tone of the movie.

Strange breaks in the action – At one point, Curtis and his team of stowaways stop to have a sushi dinner, complete with table service, in a fancier section of the train. How do they have time to do this, and why are they receiving service at all? Questions abounded in this scene and in a few other leisurely interludes as well.

A sense of deja vu – While watching Snowpiercer, I was frequently reminded of the Hunger Games movies. There’s a lot of overlap, both thematically and aesthetically, and at times it affected my ability to enjoy this film on its own merits.

CLOSING THOUGHT: By the time I saw this movie – after weeks of searching for a place to see it, and after reading dozens of reviews calling it the best film of the summer – my anticipation was at a fever pitch. I expected nothing short of a masterpiece. Unfortunately, while Snowpiercer is good, I didn’t think it was that good. I was disappointed in spite of myself, a feeling that I suspect might be coming through in this review. Ultimately, while I like this movie and appreciate its lean plot and general grittiness, I can’t say it’s a must-see, especially considering its wholesale similarities to the much more popular (and also generally well done) Hunger Games franchise.