Leon Kauffman (Cooper) is a struggling photographer with a supportive relationship. His girlfriend sees his talent and tries to convince him of it, but Kauffman knows her eyes are not the same as the pros, and hers is not the kind of approval he yearns for. A meeting with art critic Susan Hoff confirms what Kauffman has been good enough to know himself all along: his work is missing something. Then one night, he follows a man into the subway and witnesses a brutal murder. After that, his life is never the same.
History of Terror
The Clive Barker short story is 25 years old, and exudes an appealing sort of trashiness that showed up early and often in the horror films of the 1980's, both in North America and abroad. Particularly noticeable is the Grand Guignol style of brutal violence on the blood red canvases of the Italian horror cinema. Midnight Meat Train butts heads with the godfathers of gore, Fulci and Argento, and often comes out on top.
This victory, of course, is thanks to the apt skills of director Ryûhei Kitamura, who basically holds the audience down and forces them to look at some of the most gleefully gory violence put on film.
Vinnie Jones, in a speechless role as "the Subway Butcher," is like a human wrecking ball, ripping everything he comes into contact with limb-from-limb, thanks to a mallet and his own ferocity. He is at his most foreboding in this film, and the growing conflict between him and Kauffman will keep you on the edge of your seat.
But make no mistake.
This is much more than a hero-versus-serial killer film. The film has its share of twists, which do not deviate far from the original Clive Barker short story. Fans of the story should like what Kitamura has done with this adaptation.
Clive Barker's Midnight Meat Train is Too Dark for Some
General audiences, on the other hand, will have a harder time, as they should. After all, Midnight Meat Train goes to some dark places that will typically not appeal to everyone. These places may not even appeal to those with a stomach for it. However, the end result is something wholly original, and the film itself is a virtual smorgasbord of shocking and unforgettable Grand Guignol moments.
If it's horror you want, then it's horror you shall receive.
For more information on the Clive Barker short story, as well as the rest of the master's work, check out the official Clive Barker site.
Aric Mitchell - ABOUT ME I have approximately 7 years of instructional experience -- 5 in the corporate world and 2 in public education. I am also a ...
Join the Conversation