Snowpiercer (2013): A fantastical film which is an allegory for the critique of human class and Capitalism.

In Snowpiercer (2013) Bong-Joon-Ho creates a metaphorical representation of human class. The films premise is of a dystopian era where a second ice age kills most of all human civilization but the remaining who survived live on a luxurious train built by a man named Wilford where it is said the train runs eternally forever around the world. The people of the lower class that is the impoverished live in the so-called tail section where everything is dark and eerie and no windows present. It is the only so-called world they live in. Even a character asks how does steak taste while eating a blob for hunger and tries to reminisce on how he believes he has eaten it once and can’t remember how it tastes or smells. They try to plot a rebellion of sorts as there is militaristic and dictatorial regime that operates the whole train. They want to overcome them and reach the far end (It is the end for them but the front of the train) where it seems the main antagonist Wilford is present. The film stars Chris Evans as Curtis who is acts a soldier and brings in everyone for the rebellion. There is the character Gilliam played by John Hurt who is sort of a spiritual guide to Curtis and helps his plotting. The films premise and story are one of intrigue and the film manages to create an engaging viewing till the end with great performances and cinematography.

What I really want to talk about in Bong-Joon-Ho’s fantastical film is not much about the technical aspect but rather the subject. When you look at his body of work, we can see most of his films is an allegory for the critique of human class, of the divide between the rich and poor and how this human class represents a capitalistic society and the breaking of human relationships. Many by now would have realized that why not talk about Bong’s latest and most revered film Parasite (2019). Yes, that is true but I feel like Snowpiercer has a very unique premise to it not seen in a film and Parasite is a film many would have watched so I would rather talk about a film that could easily be overlooked in his career. Also, the structure of Snowpiercer is linear and places the emphasis of human class in many frames. Like for example when the group of people led by Curtis keep moving on forward through each compartment, we see various kinds of events and situations that portrays this human class, one of which consists of luxuries and richness but is also ridden with a void of neglect like they have no purpose. They too think that the train is their world and there is no other, when you look at it closely these compartments with luxuriousness and richness have no windows also, just like the ones at the tail end.

 But what Bong-Joon-Ho is mainly trying to criticize in our societies and most of the capitalistic societies is that of the middle class where when you observe that during scenes in the middle compartments of the train, we have windows that look at the outside world. And at just this moment when the people from the tail end look at the window, they only see death and bodies of people covered in snow. Is Bong telling us that at the end it is all death and no change in this capitalistic ideology? He also manages to critique the middle class by representing them as the ones with the most education and ideas yet we are subservient or rather inclined to please the orders of many who consider their ideologies and persona to be one of sacrosanct. The middle class are the ones who wear masks to rid themselves of their images and fight the people from the tail end. But Bong is also trying to convey that it is maybe the middle class that has the hopes and dreams to change and become better. We can see this perfectly when the character Namsoong Minsu who is a product of the middle class wants his daughter who was born on the train and has never seen the outside world to look out the window. He believes that there is something out there or rather there is hope and that instead of looking linear in our perspective just like the structure of this story but rather in a lateral point of view.

This critique of human class is not something new but Bong conveys it with his style of art, commercial and high-stake drama. What we can really learn from this film is not much of how it was made but rather how we must look at our societies, Societies of riches but also one ridden of poor attributes and bleakness. Even though many have their own principles of capitalism or rather many maybe staunch supporters of it we must always have a lateral view and maybe that is what Bong is trying to convey. that no matter what or how great one’s ideological view point is. We as human beings must be able to critique it and understands its flaws and wrong doings.

I highly recommend this film not only for the wonderful premise or subject but also Bong’s way of conveying the narrative. After watching this film, you can definitely think for yourself and the representation of his critique through wonderful imagery.