The Midnight Meat Train (2008)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Ryuhei Kitamura

Writers (WGA):

Jeff Buhler (screenplay)
Clive Barker (short story "The Midnight Meat Train")

Release Date:

7 August 2008 (Russia)

Genre:

Crime | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The most terrifying ride you'll ever take

Plot:

A New York photographer hunts down a serial killer. Based on Clive Barker's short story "Midnight Meat Train" |

Plot Keywords:

Meat Locker | Corpse | Based On Short Story | Video Surveillance | Cannibalism

Awards:

1 win

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Bradley Cooper	...	Leon Kauffman
Leslie Bibb	...	Maya
Brooke Shields	...	Susan Hoff
Vinnie Jones	...	Mahogany
Roger Bart	...	Jurgis
Tony Curran	...	Driver
Barbara Eve Harris	...	Detective Lynn Hadley
Peter Jacobson	...	Otto
Stephanie Mace	...	Leigh Cooper
Ted Raimi	...	Randle Cooper
Nora	...	Erika Sakaki
Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson	...	Guardian Angel
Dan Callahan	...	Troy Taleveski
Don Smith	...	Station Cop
Earl Carroll	...	Jack Franks

Also Known As:

Clive Barker's Midnight Meat Train (USA) (promotional title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sequences of strong bloody gruesome violence, grisly images involving nudity, sexual content and language.

Runtime:

98 min | USA:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | South Korea:18 | Singapore:R21 | Netherlands:16 | Singapore:M18 (edited version) | UK:18 | Ireland:18

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Company:

GreeneStreet Films

Trivia:

On its official North American release to cinemas, the film opened in 102 discount theatres, also called "dollar theatres" for their very low admission prices, rather than at regular first-run cinemas with normal ticket prices, which was a factor in its poor opening weekend box-office earnings.

Quotes:

Driver: [pointing a gun] Stand away from the meat.

Movie Connections:

References Forrest Gump (1994)

Best Clive Barker Movie since Hellraiser

I knew this would be worth seeing after hearing that Kitamura was directing this movie. And my hopes were up because although I loved most Clive Barker stories I think the movies mostly were unsatisfying to say he least. I can't remember having seen a decent Clive Barker Movie since Hellraiser.... until Midnight Meat Train came along.

Actually I don't get why so many people put this movie down. The cinematography is awesome and the shots of the subway are as impressive and stylish as the city shots. Sure some of the CGI Gore FX looked a bit cheap and also the train FX were easy to spot... still this is a Horror movie and for that the Effects were far above average. I mean come on... the decapitation scene from point of view was a classic and the hammer bashings were raw. I usually hate CGI Blood but here the fountains were pretty impressive and except the real cheap scene where he sees his face in his own puddle of blood I liked it.

This movie is as well for gore maniacs as for fans of stylish imagery and he Clive Barker fans also won't be let down. I can't quite remember the story but I think they should have explained the whole background more in-depth because the end leaves many questions unanswered.

Maybe they should not have spent so much time introducing the photographer, his work and his girlfriend although I think also this part of the movie was done with suspense. After all the movie is about a photographer taking shots of New York at night which draws him to the subway where he gets fascinated by a tall guy he thinks is a murderer. He follows him and tries to uncover where he works and goes at night just to be drawn in too deep in a story that involves trains, butchers and human cattle for evil overlords.

I think the typical cynicism of Clive Barker came across very well with the butcher dressing up for work, following his time schedule by the minute and pretty much just doing his job.

So even with the flaws of a script focusing too much on suspense and gore and forgetting to unfold the whole back story to the viewer I think this one is definitely watchable. So don't focus on some worn off one-liners and too tight budget in the FX. After all I think the decapitation scene is destined to be a classic and I haven't seen such a raw and gory, yet kind of funny scene since the opening of the by far inferior "Wrong turn 2". Well done Mr. Kitamura, thumbs down Lionsgate. People should throw tons of money at this guy to make more movies like this and Versus.