Runaway Train (I) (1985)
10/10
Simply magnificent - and that perfect ending too ...
4 May 2002
NO SPOILERS

Has Jon Voight ever been better? No. Or Eric Roberts? No. And have you ever seen a more perfect, perfect ending ...?

No.

Runaway Train's scene is set in a rather average prison sequence. But as soon as the guys break out, the fun begins - Eric Roberts' accent, the incredible feeling of cold, Manny's animal-like grunting (I think he was laughing) - and the pumping, spot-on soundtrack, raising goose-bumps beautifully as the train majestically appears through a thick flurry of snow like a ghost ...

One scene - Jon Voight's ".. and you gonna RUB that little biddy spot ..." monologue - is right out of the top drawer. And the rest is as efficient and nerve-shredding as you could ever want. Action (train crashes!!), blood (fingers!!), surprises, satisfying revenge - and an ending that, I'm sorry but I've got to go on about it a bit, is just simply breathtaking.

How I wanted the movie to end on that final shot, and how wonderful that it did, with the choir and everything. Superb - a gem. Just a gem. And what a surprise - from the marketing, the hype, even the video and DVD sleeve, you couldn't pick this out from 1000 other bottom shelf dwellers in the video shop. Just give yourself a treat and watch it.
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