Snowpiercer: The Complete First Season Blu Ray Review (Warner Bros)
Snowpiercer is an 2020 post-apocalyptic thriller television drama series developed by Josh Friedman (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Emerald City, War of the Worlds, and The Black Dahlia) and Graeme Manson (Orphan Black, Cube, The Bridge, and Rent-a-Goalie). It’s based on 1982 French graphic novel Le Transperceneige and the 2013 film of the same name. It was directed by James Hawes (Penny Dreadful), Sam Miller (Daredevil), Everardo Gout (Luke Cage), Helen Shaver (Lovecraft Country), and Frederick E.O. Toye (Watchmen). It’s produced by filmmaker Bong Joon Ho (Snowpiercer, Parasite, Okja, The Host, and Mother). It premiered on TNT on May 17th 2020. The 2nd season is currently on television right now and it’s already renewed for a 3rd one!!!!
Snowpiercer is set in 2021, seven years after the world becomes a frozen wasteland, and follows the remnants of humanity who have taken shelter on a perpetually moving luxury train. Designed and built by the eccentric mysterious billionaire Mr. Wilford, the train consists of 1,001 carriages and circles the globe 2.7 times per year. The constant motion of the train provides energy and prevents the passengers from freezing as well. It’s ran by the ambitious Melanie Cavill (played by: Jennifer Connelly from Higher Learning, Requiem for a Dream, A Beautiful Mind, Labyrinth, and Phenomena) with the help of Sam Roche (played by: Mike O’Malley from Glee, Sully, Justified, and Yes, Dear), Bess Till (played by: Mickey Sumner from Marriage Story, American Made, Battle of the Sexes, and Girl Most Likely), and Ruth Wardell (played by: Alison Wright from Castle Rock, Sneaky Pete, The Americans, and The Accountant). They ask former detective Andre Layton (played by: Daveed Diggs from Hamilton, Central Park, Black-ish, and Undone) to help them out with a situation on the train. Since the catastrophe, the train’s population has become rigidly separated by class, caught up in a revolutionary struggle against the strictly imposed social hierarchy and unbalanced allocation of limited resources. Snowpiercer explores issues of class warfare, social injustice, and the politics of survival.
I love the original 2013 film so I was excited when this TV show was first announced. I will say that it starts out very slow and it takes it’s time on character development. It’s definitely worth the wait when things pick up and the chaos starts happening. The writing here is really good and all the characters are very unique in this world. I enjoy the play on the Wizard of Oz with the mysterious man behind the curtain the whole time for this original season. The 10 episodes have a nice build up to them and it leaves you wanting more when it’s over. It’s really one of them shows that gets better with each episode, you have be patient with the first few here. The struggle between the high class and the common people is interesting here, so many ambitious people in the same location which makes things interesting on the train. Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly is amazing as the powerful woman that only talks to the mysterious Mr. Wilford and runs the community. Grammy winner Daveed Diggs is the weakest thing when it comes to the talented cast and it’s unfortunate because he is basically the lead role here. He gets a little better as time goes on but honestly Snowpiercer would have been way better with a different actor in that important role. Luckily, there’s a great supporting cast that includes Mike O’Malley, Mickey Sumner, Alison Wright, Iddo Goldberg (Peaky Blinders), Lena Hall (Becks), Annalise Basso (Slender Man), Sheila Vand (24: Legacy), Miranda Edwards (Arrow), Karin Konoval (The Good Doctor), and Steven Ogg (The Walking Dead) that make up for his lack of talent. It has some nice twists and turns towards the end. I am looking forward to the future of this original universe on television, RECOMMENDED!!!!
Let’s talk about the high definition presentation from Warner Bros! This 1080p (1.78:1) transfer looks fantastic on it’s 1- episodes for the complete first season. The production design and chaotic atmosphere really stands out here when it comes to television. The English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is very impressive on this home video release. All of the dialogue is crystal clear, all the madness is elevated, and the music has a nice boost to it. It also has English SDH subtitles.
Let’s discuss the special features from Warner Bros! “Overview ” is a little over 3 minutes. It has interviews with show runner Graeme Manson, director James Hawes, actors Jennifer Connelly, Daveed Diggs, Alison Wright, and others from the production. This is a quick promotional piece to let viewers know about the show. “Class Warfare” is a little over 3 minutes. It has interviews with the same people as the previous extra. It goes over the differences between class on the train for Snowpiercer. “Jennifer & Daveed Behind the Scenes Interview” is a little over 2 minutes. This is a short interview with both leads of the show. They chat about their characters and roles on the train. They talk about the different ways they both handle things there. “The Train” is almost 6 minutes. It has interviews with the cast and crew. This is a very detailed inside look into the train for Snowpiercer. It goes over the high quality production design for the series. They break down each section and space for the train. “Behind the Curtain: Art of the Frozen World” is a little over 4 minutes. It has interviews with the cast and crew. It has behind the scenes footage. It shows how they put together this cold setting for the snow with all it’s snow and wind. It goes over the production and costume design for this first season. It also has a slipbox and a digital code. Season Two is currently on TNT. If you are a fan of the original movie then it’s worth looking into. This is one of the better science fiction shows on TV at the moment. It’s available everywhere right now, CHECK IT OUT!!!!!
