Director
Bong Joon-ho
Leading Actors/Actresses
Chris Evans
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Kang-ho Song, Ed Harris, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton
Genre
Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Language
English
Awards
Date of Release
2013
Producer
Tae-sung Jeong, Wonjo Jeong, Miky Lee, Tae-hun Lee
Setting and Context
2031, after a man-made Ice Age, on a constantly-moving train
Narrator and Point of View
Omniscient narrator, but often focused on Curtis
Tone and Mood
Serious, Dramatic, Suspenseful, Violent
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist is Curtis. Antagonist is Wilford
Major Conflict
Wilford is a corrupt leader and Curtis wants to get from the back of the train to the front in order to revolt and overthrow the system that oppresses the passengers on the train.
Climax
Curtis learns the revolt was a plan orchestrated by Wilford in coordination with his mentor, Gilliam. When Wilford offers Curtis the chance to become the new leader of the train, Curtis turns it down and helps and blow the train off the tracks to save the people onboard.
Foreshadowing
Curtis having to sacrifice Edgar foreshadows the depth of sacrifice he will have to make as he advances to the front of the train.
Understatement
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
Allusions
Paradox
Curtis is offered the position of engineer by Wilford, which seems like the best possible outcome of his struggle. Even though Curtis has caused a lot of chaos aboard the train, Wilford admires his grit and offers Curtis the position that Curtis has so resented his entire life.
Parallelism
Curtis giving his arm to save the child at the end parallels Gilliam giving his arm to Curtis to eat in order to save Edgar in the narrative's prehistory.
