‘The Midnight Meat Train’ is a Brutal Descent into Darkness [Watch]
Welcome to The Overlooked Motel, a place where under-seen and unappreciated films are given their moment in the spotlight. I hope you enjoy your stay here and find the accommodations suitable. Now, please take a seat and make yourself comfortable, I have some misbehaving guests to ‘correct’.
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Today’s selection is a standout effort from the late ‘00s that wasn’t really given a fair chance at success upon its initial release in 2008. The Midnight Meat Train, which is based on a Clive Barker short story of the same name, is an intense and violent effort that benefits from a claustrophobic setting, arresting cinematography, and a killer cast of characters. While the film has found a cult fanbase in the years since its limited theatrical exhibition, it deserves to be seen by a wider audience.
The Midnight Meat Train follows Leon (Bradley Cooper), a struggling photographer that can’t believe his luck when he scores a meeting with influential art dealer Susan Hoff (Brook Shields). Leon’s excitement proves to be short-lived when Susan proceeds to dismiss his work as lacking an edge. She then implores him to bring her something she hasn’t seen before by capturing the darkest corners of the city in all their gritty glory. Leon rises to the challenge but in doing so, crosses paths with a cold-blooded killer (Vinnie Jones) who stalks the subway infrastructure after hours. Leon begins to follow the mysterious man, which leads to him ultimately tapping into an inner darkness he didn’t know existed.
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Before I get into what really works about The Midnight Meat Train, I want to take a moment to acknowledge that the film is a product of its time. It was released in 2008, near the peak of the torture porn boom, so some of the more gruesome visuals exist solely for shock value and don’t really add anything to the narrative. Additionally, some of the VFX work hasn’t aged particularly well. But in the grand scheme of things, those are minor complaints that are more than made up for by what the film gets right.
One of the picture’s greatest strengths is its strong visual presentation. The palette of cool blue hues is immediately unsettling, lending a cold and ominous (but visually striking) aesthetic to the proceedings.
Director Ryûhei Kitamura combines that foreboding palette with a claustrophobic subterranean setting to create a viewing experience that’s supremely terrifying. The confined spaces within the subway system quickly invoke a sense of unease. It begins to feel like we are trapped below the city streets with the characters and that’s such an uncomfortable sensation. But it works flawlessly to increase the tension level and keep the viewer in a heightened state of discomfort. That combined with a simplistic but ominous score makes this a terrifying exercise in underground terror.
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The atmosphere continues to build as the action progresses. Midnight Meat Train then culminates in a wild third act that contains a stunning final twist that is equal parts unexpected and surreal. The denouement really shook me the first time I saw it and continues to give me the creeps upon repeat visits.
In addition to some effective atmospheric flourishes and persistent tension, the film also features a killer supporting cast that includes Roger Bart (Excision and Hostel II), Leslie Bibb (of the Babysitter films), and accomplished character actor Peter Jacobson (from the television series House and Ray Donovan). But the real star of the show is Bradley Cooper in the lead role. Cooper occasionally overplays his character’s paranoia but ultimately turns in a believable and often jarring performance.
It’s no great mystery why The Midnight Meat Train remains underrated. The flick was destined for obscurity when it was given a joke of a stateside theatrical release that saw the picture only playing about 100 screens across the US. It made roughly $3.5 million at the global box office but less than $100k of that was domestic. That effectively hobbled the film’s chances of reaching a wide audience out of the gate.
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In short, The Midnight Meat Train is a solid adaptation of a Clive Barker short story that serves up a compelling narrative, bleak visuals, and an atmospheric setting. If you’ve yet to see this thrilling tale of subterranean slaughter, you are in luck. The flick is streaming for free (with ads) via Vudu, Tubi, FreeVee, Pluto, Redbox, and Plex as of the publication of this post.
That’s all for this installment of The Overlooked Motel. If you want to chat more about under-seen and underrated films, feel free to hit me up with your thoughts on Twitter @FunWithHorror!
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