The Midnight Meat Train (2008)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Ryûhei Kitamura

Writers (WGA):

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

Release Date:

7 August 2008 (Russia)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The most terrifying ride you'll ever take

Plot:

A New York photographer hunts down a serial killer.

Plot Keywords:

Subway Station | Photographer | Subway | Art Gallery | Waitress

Awards:

4 wins

Cast

Bradley Cooper	...	Leon
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 (as NorA)
Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson	...	Guardian Angel
Dan Callahan	...	Troy Taleveski
Don Smith	...	Station Cop (as Donnie Smith)
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 | France:85 min | USA:103 min (unrated version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (NO. 44086) | South Korea:18 | Singapore:R21 | Netherlands:16 | Singapore:M18 (edited for re-rating) | UK:18 | Ireland:18 | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | France:-16 | Argentina:16 | Canada:18A (Canadian Home Video rating) (director's cut) | New Zealand:R18

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Lakeshore Entertainment

Trivia:

Clive Barker provided some of the paintings seen in Susan Hoff's art gallery.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the subway car at the opening of the film (approx 00:02:20), a ladder is visible through the left window, highlighting the use of a set and studio.

Quotes:

Leon Kauffman: She didn't like my work.
Jurgis: She gave you three minutes. People whose work she doesn't like, she usually gives one.

Movie Connections:

References Forrest Gump (1994)

Soundtrack:

Catching Up To You

An Entertaining Thriller

I would like to start off saying, it is a bit upsetting that this movie has been undersold. I went into this movie know a it was based on a short story, but I had not read it nor heard anything about it.

The acting was very good Overall from a semi-star cast. Bradley Cooper did a great job, as did Leslie Bibb. Vinnie Jones did a good job by pulling off the Sphynx-like roll from Gone in 60 Seconds. He was a calm, quiet collected man who just looks like a natural born killer. I was wondering why Brooke Shields name did not come up or was used to sell this movie, but found out she is just a minor roll in the movie. Peter Jacobson (one of the new members of Dr. House) has a small roll in the movie as a bit of comic relief.

The plot line, I am saying this without reading the book, was decent, but there were times I feel the viewer had to make jumps with what was going on. I won't give away anything in the movie, but it just seemed like there were times that a whole scene took place that was a bit unnecessary, though they may have been thrown in as red herons. The movie is rather straight forward and basic, but it is still able to keep you pulled in. I was kept excited throughout the whole movie until the end and the plot twist occurs.

The violence/blood did not seem over the top for what was occurring. Never was there a part that someone spurted massive amount of blood out of a paper cut. The violence was a bit disturbing, and there were a couple dismemberment/decapitation scenes.

After watching this movie, I felt that this could become another gore cult classic with such as Dead or Alive. Also, if this was well publicized and launched in more theaters, I think it would have easily outsold The Happening and The Strangers, the biggest horror flicks of the summer.