Runaway Train

For the life of me I can't understand the glowing reviews people have given this movie. "Masterpiece," "gem," "best action movie ever made,"--oh, please. The only good thing about this movie is the scenery and the stunts, both of which are breathtaking. Otherwise, this is just an expensive version of a '30s B picture, only not as well written and definitely not as well acted. It's the usual "the convicts are poor misunderstood souls and the prison authorities are all foaming-at-the-mouth sadists"--but that's to be expected in a movie written by an ex-convict like Eddie Bunker. Despite the idiocies of the script, Voight tries to put a different spin on his character; sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but at least he tries. Roberts, however, screams, rants and raves and hams it up in his usual off-the-wall self, and it's more annoying and irritating than ever. DeMornay doesn't have much to do, and she doesn't do much with it. Not that it matters; the script is so absolutely idiotic there isn't much the actors can do to get around it. There are plot holes you can drive a truck through, lines that are stupid beyond belief ("Is Jonah alive?" "Yes." "Good, he'll be glad."), character reactions that make absolutely no sense at all, and other idiocies too numerous to mention. Maybe this is a masterpiece by Cannon Films standards, but it's not much of anything by anybody else's standards.

This used to be one of my favorite films until I began getting offended at hearing the Lord's name in vain. This movie is brutal in that regard, but it's still such an interesting story and character portrait that I still look at it but not often. Jon Voight's character is the only reason I would look at it again. Voight, as "Manny," provides about as intense and good an acting performance as you could ask for. He's riveting in here. As tough as he is - a hardened criminal who escapes from prison with "Buck" (Eric Roberts) - he Roberts a little speech during this story which is about as good a parable as Jesus gave in His brief stay on Earth. He lectures his friend about being humble enough to serve, even in the most humiliating circumstances. I've just never forgotten Voight's speech. This is an action-packed, rough film with rough people and very rough language. The language is actually ludicrous at times with over-the-top characters like the ones played by John P. Ryan and Kenneth McMillian, two of the most profane actors of their day. Being a Golan-Globus film of the period ('70s and '80s), this film is overridden by low-life characters, a trademark of those scummy filmmakers. Back on the positive side, the story features great suspense, and a real feel for the bleak, snowy Alaskan terrain. The last 30 minutes is the best, because of less dialog, a pounding music beat and a great, memorable ending. Overall, if you can take the blaspheming assault on your ears, this movie is worth it for the great adventure and atmospheric feel of cold and suffering....and, if for nothing else, Voight's fabulous performance.

This movie is just brilliant. The Oscar Mannheimer character has to be one of the hardest moviecharacters of alltime. I love the way Voight turns mental on numerous occasions, he's doing one hell of a job. Arguably his best ever role. Eric Roberts is almost as brilliant in portraying Buck. I find myself laughing at so many times during the course of this movie. It's not only funny though, it's also a movie of high suspense and some action. 10 out of 10. I say YEAH!

I remember being wowed by "Runaway Train" back in 1985 when it first came out. Seeing it again on DVD in 1999 reminded me of just how excellent a movie this really was. I recommend "Runaway Train" to anyone who wants a large portion of philosophical meat and meaning mixed in with gripping action and a solid story. In the 15 years since "Runaway Train" was first released, I can't think of a movie other than "The Matrix" that has combined so much action, tension, and a strong philosophy so successfully. Chances are you've never heard of "Runaway Train." Amazing too. The movie was even based on a Akira Kurosawa screenplay and it shows. Jon Voight and Eric Roberts were at the top of their craft. In fact, both received well deserved Oscar nominations for very powerful performances. It makes me sad to think that so few have had a chance to actually see this movie due to the sloppy studio backing and licensing turmoil born out of the collapse of the former Golon-Globus production studio. Surprise! Golon-Globus actually made at least one excellent movie outside of the their usual roster of shlock. But their poor reputation might have become so tarnished by that time that audiences didn't get a chance to know what they were missing. As a result, the movie rarely if ever gets airplay or any notice. Since the DVD was one of the very first DVD's to be released when the universe of DVD owners was measured in thousands not millions, it has once again fallen below the radar. Does a tree make a noise if it falls in a forest when there is no one around to hear it happen? Maybe that was how "Runaway Train" became all but forgotten. If the title were to be reissued today in an SE package, I believe that a whole new generation of DVD viewers would be delighted to have this title in their collection. In the meantime it is worth seeking out for rental or purchase, you won't be disappointed.

Based around a screenplay written by the legendary Akira Kurosawa, Runaway Train simultaneously follows three threads. The escape of two prisoners, Manny & Buck, who jump on a train only to find that the driver has a heart attack, thus it speeds out of control. Then there is the efforts of the train dispatching office to try and safely stop the out-of-control train. And also there's the hunt by the sadistic prison warden who is hellbent on recapturing the fleeing convicts. Relentless and engrossing action film from start to finish, Runaway Train boasts two Oscar nominated performances from John Voight {Manny} and Eric Roberts {Buck} and no little intelligence with its well scripted characters. The opening quarter is pretty stock routine prison fare, these guys are tough, the warden is a bastard and we just know they are going to escape. But once the guys board the train the whole film shifts in gear and tone. The dynamic that exists between Manny & Buck, partners but very different in life approach, is riveting stuff courtesy of the nifty dialogue exchanges. Things are further enhanced by the appearance of Rebecca DeMornay's also stranded railway worker, Sara, who far from being a shoe-horned token female character, is the crucial piece of the emotional jigsaw. He presence gives the guys room to exorcise their demons and pour out their feelings of anger, bravado and mistrust. The action scenes are very well handled by director Andrei Konchalovsky and his crew. As the train hurtles thru the snowy Alaskan wilderness we are treated to a number of crash bang wallops involving the train itself; derring-do from our boys on the icy outside of the locomotive, and a helicopter pursuit chartered by the obsessed John P. Ryan as Warden Ranken particularly stand out. Bona fide action sequences that are executed skilfully. Then we get to the finale, a finale pumped up for emotional impact, both visually and orally it closes the film justly. We even get time for a bit of Will Shakespeare as we go about reflecting on what we have just witnessed. A fine movie it be. 7.5/10

Runaway Train

As far as I know, this terrific action movie, among the ever best from the eighties, is the over the top films produced by Cannon Group industries; as I called crap factory, most of them action features that deserved no more than the garbage can. The equivalent of what Europacorp is in our days. And Luc Bessons's own crap factory also gave us some masterpieces such as Tommy Lee Jones's two films: THREE BURIALS and HOMESMAN. Yes, RUNAWAY TRAIN is an absolute powerful film, definitely an outstanding piece of work, bleak, brutal, very clever too, with an unforgettable symphony of performances. One of the best prison films ever. I still can't believe, thirty years later, that Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus - Cannon Group executives - produced such a movie. I won't add more to what had already been told in the other amazing comments, far better than mine. A pure gem.

RUNAWAY TRAIN is one of only a few films which are so great that you'll like the people involved in it for the rest of their career regardless in which movies they appear in the future. Walter Hill's underrated STREETS OF FIRE did this to Willem Dafoe, Diane Lane and even Michael Pare while RUNAWAY TRAIN did the same to John Voight, Rebecca DeMornay and even Eric Roberts. I find it interesting that a film written by a Japanese (Akira Kurosawa!) and directed by a Russian (Andrej Konchalowsky) which features American actors can be such a coherent masterpiece. Although the story is very simple there are deeper layers of meaning which have a lot to say about the human condition and which are so universal that everyone can read the metaphors. Truly an existential action-film! RUNAWAY TRAIN is not only one of my favorite action-movies of all times but one of the greatest films ever in my opinion. And the famous "gold"-monologue by Manny is just so true!

I remember watching this as a kid and thinking it was an incredibly powerful film, but i forgot how strong the performances are, particularly Voight's. Roberts is good, but he's basically playing second fiddle to Voight's hulking, frightening, feral, almost mythical Manny, a con so dangerous the warden has kept him in solitary confinement for three years straight. Roberts is a younger convict who idolizes Manny and helps him escape from the Alaskan prison where they both reside. they end up on a train barrelling down the tracks at 90mph with no conductor and no way to stop it. The film is based on a screenplay by the legendary Akira Kurasawa. Great action scenes. Muscular film-making. It just seems they don't make films like this anymore. Films that aren't trying to pander to a certain demographic. This is lean, mean action all the way. And that "little biddy spot" monologue Voight has halfway through the film is really breathtaking. He should have won an Oscar for that alone.