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Screenplay by Based on a story by Clive Barker Starring Presented by 100 minutes |
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THE
MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN Review
By now, the story behind the film version of THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN has been laid in infamy to the controversial decision to release the film in bargain discount theaters after promising a wide summer release. With the film now on DVD in an unrated director’s cut, THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN proves the fallacy that Lionsgate made in not properly promoting the film, as it is not only one of the best adaptations of a Clive Barker story, it’s one of the best horror films in recent memory. THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN tells the story of Leon Kauffman (Bradley Cooper, who looks eerily like Clive around the time he filmed HELLRAISER), a struggling photographer in New York City who specializes in photographing the deprived and damned. Although his loyal girlfriend (Leslie Bibb) supports him, she fears that his obsession into his subject matter will be the death of him. His work gets the attention of a successful art gallery owner (Brooke Shields) who wants to showcase some of his photos in her gallery. Things seem to be looking up for Leon but after a confrontation with street thugs leads to the disappearance of a young woman, he is drawn into the bloody world of Mahogany (Vinnie Jones), a suit wearing serial killer who kills his victims on the subway by means of a mallet, leaving an extremely bloody trail behind him. When Kauffman realizes who Mahogany really is, he follows him to witness first hand the carnage that Mahogany inflicts, putting his life and those around him in danger. THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN was one of Barker’s most popular stories in his BOOKS OF BLOOD collection and the film version is one of the better adaptations of a story put to screen. Director Ryuhei Kitamura really has a keen eye for horror, and this film has some of the most brutal and gruesome scenes you will see in a North American horror film. Some of the CGI in the film isn’t the best, but the camera angles mixed in with the carnage really add to the terror. The script by Jeff Buhler differs from the story slightly and adds some nice twists to make the film really work. There’s a lot more to the film than its advertising and just when you think the final act is going into familiar territory, it takes a completely shocking turn that packs a huge wallop Where the film benefits most is from the silent, commanding, terrifying performance by Vinnie Jones as Mahogany, bringing one of the most memorable and frightening killers on screen. His monotone expression turns quickly to ferocity as he uses his mallet with extreme force. Bradley Cooper is a fine lead as Kauffman, taking his obsession to the limit and creating a good character to balance Mahogany in the fact that nobody will plausibly believe him due to the measures he goes in getting his photos. Leslie Bibb is solid as Maya, Kauffman’s long suffering girlfriend who does more than just play the token blonde girlfriend. She also does the most realistic thing I’ve ever seen anyone do in a horror film when she realizes the terror might be for real. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson provides a great cameo as one of Mahogany’s victims who doesn’t go down easily. Roger Bart and Brooke Shields have little more than extended cameos, though both are good in their roles, particularly Shields as a stuck up gallery owner. The film’s special effects are done very well, despite as stated before some CGI shots that take away some of the realism. The practical effects are splendid, some of the best seen in a horror film to date. The blood really does flow freely in a dark, rich texture. Mahogany’s brutal scenes are amongst the most effective, with a highlight being the murders of three socialites (one being Ted Raimi) in the film’s first act. The cinematography by Jonathan Sela is splendid, with some true jumps and shocks thrown at you in every possible way. I can’t understand for the life of me how this didn’t get a wide theatrical release. Lionsgate truly dropped the ball on this as this was made for the theater. Seeing it on my big screen High Definition TV helped in its presentation, but this was born for the theater and should’ve stayed there. In all, THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN is the best horror film of 2008 bar none. Its bloody, scary as hell, and the best adaptation of a Clive Barker story that Barker himself did not direct. I hope with its DVD release that this will be heralded as the horror classic it deserves to be. Fuck you Lionsgate. Fuck you very much. THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN: 10 Out Of 10 Maggots
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