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USA
1985 Directed by Andrei Konchalovsky. Starring: Jon Voight,
Eric Roberts, Rebecca De Mornay, Kyle T. Heffner, John P.
Ryan.
Two
convicts, Manny and Buck, escapes from the notorious Stonehaven
prison in Alaska. Manny (Jon Voight) has escaped a couple
of times earlier, and has been a legend in the prison. Buck
(Eric Roberts) comes along mostly to be able to be partner
with his idol. Out there is it almost snowstorm and 35 degrees
centigrade below zero. Stiff with cold they get to a railroad
station where they manage to get warmer clothes. Then they
get into a huge train without passengers.
But
the train which would be the key to freedom becomes instead
a death-trap. Just after it set out, the engineer get a heart
attack and dies. The throttle lever has stucked in the highest
position, and now the train starts to run away in an ever
increasing speed. The convicts realize pretty soon that something
is wrong when the monster train mows down everything in its
way, but then it´s too late. They should kill themselves if
they jumped off in that speed, and it´s too icy to walk to
the engine and stop it. During the horror-filled run observe
Buck that Manny isn´t the hero he imagined. He becomes increasingly
bestial and disagreeable. In the meantime has the warden of
Stonehaven prison Ranken begun a hunt for them. Ranken is
the same bird of a feather as Manny and is obsessed by killing
him.
Brrr.
This is an ice-cold flick with a script taken from a story
by a Japanese (Akira Kurosawa), with a Russian director and
American actors. The result is sensational. A glorious blend
of action, thriller and drama. Though actually is the train
the only action element that exist. But it´s also the meanest
metal beast I´ve seen. When it force one´s way through the
wintry landscape, is it suggestive of a doomsday machine which
let loose from hell.
On
the train it also occur some worth considering incidents and
comments about the human society. Owing to this elements is
"Runaway Train" appeal to a very broad audience. It´s a pity
that it today is a bit forgotten. Because this crack picture
deserves a lot more attention. It can to some extent depend
on that it was released by the littered B-company Cannon.
Kent
Palmgren
Thrilling
Movie Review
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