Netflix's Snowpiercer Season 1 TV Show Review & Comments

Casimir Harlow

Movies Editor
Joined
Feb 28, 2005
Messages
9,256
Reaction score
18,868
Points
8,059
Age
45
Location
Reading
Thanks for the Review Cas - doesn't sound like a version I would waste my time with, even if I had Netflix.
And even though Jennifer Connelly is someone I love to watch!
By the way
Indeed it's left largely to the ageless Jennifer Connelly (Alita, and the upcoming Tom Gun: Maverick)
I LOVE the "Tom (Cruise) Gun" Combo
Purposely Artful, or Freudian slip? ;)
 
Omg and i like movie a LOT 😓😓😓
 
This is one long impacted train of misery, you definitely want to get out of your tunnel.
 
ive just finished the first episode... enjoyed it for what it was but it does have me itching to re-watch the film.

Also the decision to air episodes weekly is a backwards step for netflix in my opinion.
 
Cheers for the review.

Shame, I was looking forward to this. I'll check it out tonight nonetheless.
 
For sure this will be a "wait till it's all aired'" jobber.

a 6/10 doesn't fill me with confidence either.
 
I watched the first 2 episodes yesterday and thought it was pretty good. Jennifer Connolly is a good watch and as you said the twist at the end of the first is interesting. The Soundtrack was effective and the Atmos effects noticeable. Noticed the comments on IMDB are really polarised between ‘woke’ rubbish and brilliant. Looks like US politics definitely enters the entertainment space in the US - hopefully here we are a little better balanced - so I would be a little more generous and say a 7 and probably keep watching - george
 
its a 7 for me quite enjoyed it although as Cas point out leading man lacks any charisma and no were near as good as the movie, hopefully it will get edgier, or not!
 
What a shame. The social commentary is central and it's been dropped?

Well it's hard to completely drop such an important aspect, especially considering what the train was supposed to represent, but the show has done a pretty good job of stripping it back to just a bunch of people on a train, some in first class, and some stuck in third (or fourth, in this case).

Honestly, I think it would have all been a lot more forgivable if the characters were in the least bit likeable, or people whose fate you cared about; but the only way I'd be on board for another season is if they promised to kill them all at the end of the season and start again. This revolution was not a success.
 
I know it's all in the eye of the beholder but I felt your 9 for the movie and only a 6 for this series is perhaps bias due to your love for the original. For me the movie wasn't good, 4 if it's lucky and I'd give this a 7 or 8 for the first two episodes. It's decent enough and it's keeping things interesting, perhaps not surprising and unique but decent.

Each to their own though. I'd imagine anyone that wasn't very impressed with the movie will probably enjoy this!
 
I never saw the original, but was engrossed with the recent Korean remake with Hollywood actors. It left much to think about, the metaphors, symbols and social commentary worked really well.

Sorry to Bother You was another movie in similar vain that stuck with me. It's nuts, it's marmite: genius Vs crazy abomination?

I can't watch these sorts of movies everyday, often I just want to switch off. But in the right doses they're refreshing.
 
Considering it had so many problems getting made I think theyve done alright.

Plus I lurve Jennifer Connelly so I dont care if its total trash like the Outsider ended up being.
 
I know it's all in the eye of the beholder but I felt your 9 for the movie and only a 6 for this series is perhaps bias due to your love for the original. For me the movie wasn't good, 4 if it's lucky and I'd give this a 7 or 8 for the first two episodes. It's decent enough and it's keeping things interesting, perhaps not surprising and unique but decent.

Each to their own though. I'd imagine anyone that wasn't very impressed with the movie will probably enjoy this!

Yeah, there's no bias other than that I was really looking forward to this because of my love for the movie.

The fact that the show is miscast, has some serious bad acting, trite dialogue, is poorly edited, has shoddy effects and ditches any underlying themes in favour of simpler more standard network channel programming, is probably a key as to why this didn't work for me.

Yes, it pales in comparison, but I don't judge it on that; I also commended that it (cleverly) chooses to go its own way, but whatever way that is just reminded me of Prison Break. Now there are plenty of people who loved Prison Break, but it was just fast food programming for me.

If you're going to score Snowpiercer the movie 4/10 and then score this series 8/10 then we're just of polar opposite tastes in this regard, nothing to do with bias, but I agree, those who hated the movie may get along better with the TV series predominantly based on the fact that I simply don't understand those that don't like the movie (particularly anyone who only watched a few minutes before coming to that decision) and so perhaps a more generic US TV production will suit better.
 
Yeah, there's no bias other than that I was really looking forward to this because of my love for the movie.

The fact that the show is miscast, has some serious bad acting, trite dialogue, is poorly edited, has shoddy effects and ditches any underlying themes in favour of simpler more standard network channel programming, is probably a key as to why this didn't work for me.

Yes, it pales in comparison, but I don't judge it on that; I also commended that it (cleverly) chooses to go its own way, but whatever way that is just reminded me of Prison Break. Now there are plenty of people who loved Prison Break, but it was just fast food programming for me.

If you're going to score Snowpiercer the movie 4/10 and then score this series 8/10 then we're just of polar opposite tastes in this regard, nothing to do with bias, but I agree, those who hated the movie may get along better with the TV series predominantly based on the fact that I simply don't understand those that don't like the movie (particularly anyone who only watched a few minutes before coming to that decision) and so perhaps a more generic US TV production will suit better.
Yes, that's very fair! I know some people were turned off instantly by the movie and only watched a little of it. I watched the whole thing but .. it just didn't do it for me! We're all different after all! It's probably the prison break side of things I like! Oh and surface deep visuals! I quite liked prison break until they did the usual of running it too long!

I'm hoping that considering they didn't keep up the pretence of Mr W at the end of ep1 that there's something deeper afoot. Of course it could just go no where and then I'll end up agreeing with your score haha
 
Yeah, there's no bias other than that I was really looking forward to this because of my love for the movie.

The fact that the show is miscast, has some serious bad acting, trite dialogue, is poorly edited, has shoddy effects and ditches any underlying themes in favour of simpler more standard network channel programming, is probably a key as to why this didn't work for me.

Yes, it pales in comparison, but I don't judge it on that; I also commended that it (cleverly) chooses to go its own way, but whatever way that is just reminded me of Prison Break. Now there are plenty of people who loved Prison Break, but it was just fast food programming for me.

If you're going to score Snowpiercer the movie 4/10 and then score this series 8/10 then we're just of polar opposite tastes in this regard, nothing to do with bias, but I agree, those who hated the movie may get along better with the TV series predominantly based on the fact that I simply don't understand those that don't like the movie (particularly anyone who only watched a few minutes before coming to that decision) and so perhaps a more generic US TV production will suit better.

I loved the movie (film :)) and I like the series. It's funny that taste is subjective and I try to be objective but it's hard when there is so little decent sci-fi/fantasy around.
To be fair maybe I need to to watch is again as it was at the end of a bank holiday/beer day, but I wonder if you'd have written the same if you weren't already aware of its troubled production?
I didn't like prison break by the way, but I loved The Expanse and BSG. Also, love Black Mirror, liked Tales from the loop.
 
I loved the movie (film :)) and I like the series. It's funny that taste is subjective and I try to be objective but it's hard when there is so little decent sci-fi/fantasy around.
To be fair maybe I need to to watch is again as it was at the end of a bank holiday/beer day, but I wonder if you'd have written the same if you weren't already aware of its troubled production?
I didn't like prison break by the way, but I loved The Expanse and BSG. Also, love Black Mirror, liked Tales from the loop.

I wasn't aware beforehand. I read up on it for the review.

Reshoots and year-long delays don't do movies any favours, shouldn't expect any difference for TV shows and, in my mind, it explains a lot. And with that knowledge now, of course I can't help but want a mythical Snyder Cut, but it didn't prejudice me in advance.

In fact I had really high hopes for this, it had all the right ingredients on paper. I might not like his character and I might think he's woefully miscast here but I loved Blindspotting (reviewed the BD a while back) and really rate Diggs, he's just not an ex-cop turned revolutionary in any way, shape, or future form. And the entire tail cart could have been blown away in a landslide and I wouldn't have given a damn. Just leave me the carriage with Connelly and I'll be happy.
 
I wasn't aware beforehand. I read up on it for the review.

Reshoots and year-long delays don't do movies any favours, shouldn't expect any difference for TV shows and, in my mind, it explains a lot. And with that knowledge now, of course I can't help but want a mythical Snyder Cut, but it didn't prejudice me in advance.

In fact I had really high hopes for this, it had all the right ingredients on paper. I might not like his character and I might think he's woefully miscast here but I loved Blindspotting (reviewed the BD a while back) and really rate Diggs, he's just not an ex-cop turned revolutionary in any way, shape, or future form. And the entire tail cart could have been blown away in a landslide and I wouldn't have given a damn. Just leave me the carriage with Connelly and I'll be happy.

Thanks for the reply. I know what you mean, the "what could have been" is a familiar and disappointing feeling.
If you'd already come to that conclusion before reading up on the history, then fair enough, it's just the fact that you (probably) researched the history to write the review that made me think about it.
 
Thanks for the reply. I know what you mean, the "what could have been" is a familiar and disappointing feeling.
If you'd already come to that conclusion before reading up on the history, then fair enough, it's just the fact that you (probably) researched the history to write the review that made me think about it.

I'd heard about the show a long time ago and, if I thought about it, the delays in getting to our screens should have set off warning bells, but I'd always assumed it was a bit like Mr Mercedes, or Costner's Yellowstone - one of those odd (quality) productions that's just plain hard to see in the UK without signing up for some kind of niche sub (or catching it whenever it randomly airs on Ch.5).

Reading up in the history was a bit of a surprise, but does (for me) explain a lot.
 
Just leave me the carriage with Connelly and I'll be happy
Always been a fan. I applaud Paul Bettany for winning the heart of that very independant Woman.
 
ive just finished the first episode... enjoyed it for what it was but it does have me itching to re-watch the film.

Also the decision to air episodes weekly is a backwards step for netflix in my opinion.

Disagree with that. Reintroducing the concept of actually waiting for an episode is something that we've lost touch with these days. Yes, its 'frustrating' but that's kind of the point. The cliffhanger ending, the realisation you've to wait a week to find out. Its how it always was until recently and for good reason...

Only reason it stopped is so that consumers 'eat more and more'. (Cant decide if you want to watch another? Well here's autoplay, next episode is starting, c'mon eat up!).

'Patience' isn't something we embrace these days & that sucks. Everything is about efficiently, speed, choice...& there's too much of ALL of that. How many times do you sit down to watch something.on netflix/prime and end up spending most of your down-time scrolling left to right, over and over and over.. ?)

This 'binge' mentality is really not healthy. Slowing everything down a little bit can't be a bad thing...
 
Disagree with that. Reintroducing the concept of actually waiting for an episode is something that we've lost touch with these days. Yes, its 'frustrating' but that's kind of the point. The cliffhanger ending, the realisation you've to wait a week to find out. Its how it always was until recently and for good reason...

Only reason it stopped is so that consumers 'eat more and more'. (Cant decide if you want to watch another? Well here's autoplay, next episode is starting, c'mon eat up!).

'Patience' isn't something we embrace these days & that sucks. Everything is about efficiently, speed, choice...& there's too much of ALL of that. How many times do you sit down to watch something.on netflix/prime and end up spending most of your down-time scrolling left to right, over and over and over.. ?)

This 'binge' mentality is really not healthy. Slowing everything down a little bit can't be a bad thing...

yeah thing is...thats just your opinion... the beauty of having all the episodes up is so people can pick and choose how many to watch if they want. For example i havent watched ep.2 yet but will likely tonight or tomorrow. The point of the entire series up is to give the individual a choice on how many to watch... its all about personal choice and what works for you - not what the company wants.

Taking choice away IS a backwards step... you can still choose to only watch on a Friday (or whichever day they come out) if you wish.
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom