toonyjakes
The Midnight Meat Train is purely disgusting. Don't get me wrong, there are elements to admire and enjoy, but wow. Eyes popping out in slow motion, first person deaths, detailed mutilation, meat hooks- the movie earns it's odd title. Plot- This is about a vegan photographer (Cooper) who wants to capture the darker side of the city, and ends up uncovering a secret train that people "disappear" on. The plot from there on is pretty interesting for a gore fest, often times seeming illogical, then solving itself naturally. It has a very interesting ending I actually liked, but there were about two things that I think weren't explained, or were serious goofs.Writing- The writing isn't very bad in this movie at all. Doesn't have too many quotable lines, but its not cookie cutter either. The main characters seemed to have a weird sexual tension that I felt was going to be part of the story, but ended up just being...weird. There were definitely scenes where I asked "why did they say that in that way?" or "why aren't they speaking to each other at this moment?" But it was good considerably. Characters/Acting- The characters are moderately intriguing, all being performed very well. I'd say that the main characters girlfriend wasn't to great at being emotional, hence making some scenes a little melodramatic. The main villain could become iconic over time if he hasn't already, just something about how unique yet simply he is portrayed. Quality- One of the reasons I downgraded it is because of aesthetical reasons. The film is shot with style and precision, certainly. The effects, however, are about 60% CGI that doesn't look very convincing at some parts. The eyeballs popping out was less gross because of how animated it looked. Anytime they show the train zipping down the tunnel, it is animated. But the gore was still effective, very cringy stuff. Overall I would give this movie a 7 if it wasn't so tacky looking in between genuinely crafted scenes, and if some things were explained. As to why the main character has dreams of murder before meeting the train, I dont know. He can sense his destiny? Regardless, definitely a good horror flick to put on, actually has a solid ending that will catch you off guard (dont read the spoilers on here)
coolhandluke-47071
It says "Horror Mystery", but the only mystery here is, how the hell did they get Bradley Cooper and Brooke Shields to play in it. This could be easily the beginning of an ending of his career. The only one who fits in that movie, is Vinnie Jones. Especially because there are no lines for him to speak. The real horror is the acting of Leslie Bibb, but it could be the script forcing her to act slow and dumb. If you know you will miss on 20 feet, you don't go hunting, right?! It's simply a slasher movie of strong bloody gruesome unnecessary violence. Slow motion is really not helping and you will ask yourself "Who is cleaning up that mess?" Because the trains are definitely not usable anymore. And that ain't a spoiler, because it happens in the first couple minutes. Towards the end it is just a nauseating blood bath and I feel sorry for the people who enjoy detail views of extreme torture. This is not horror, this is just disgusting. Horror is subtle and gives you goosebumps and plays with your imagination. Because the special effects department can do it to make it look real, doesn't mean they should. And it definitely leaves no room for imagination. Every-time when they can't explain the disaster anymore and can't give you any reasonable answers of "why" and "what", - they come up with a lousy excuse for an ending. It will leave you with the head shaking and you will come to the conclusion that the excessive unnecessary sadistic part in it does not make any sense at all. The rating has to be a 1, only because there are no lower numbers.
emmett_the_crab
I've always been fascinated and disturbed by the underground subway train systems. It's a subterranean world that holds many mysteries, dark secrets, and legends. Clive Barker's short story, The Midnight Meat Train (from his Books of Blood collection) is a brutal and unflinching look into such a world.What I loved about the original story was the ending and how Barker went from telling a pretty straight forward slasher tale (ala Jack the Ripper) to something that was otherworldly (ala H.P. Lovecraft). It was such a cool twist that you didn't see coming.Read the rest of this review at http://www.clivebarkercast.com/2015/10/07/retro-review-the- midnight-meat-train/.
