"Mind-Blowing"
Added 8/28/2009
"Runaway Train" depicts the story of two escaped convicts from a maximum security prison in Alaska who take refuge on a train. Unbeknownst to them the driver of that train dies of a heart attack and they are left to defend for themselves as the train barrels through at break-neck speed. The only other passenger is a female train worker. What makes this movie work, along with the amazing stunts and special effects, are the superb acting by the leads played by Jon Voight and Eric Roberts. They play the convicts to the hilt as Voight displays moments when his character is nothing more than an animal who has no regard for human life. Roberts plays the more gentler convict who looks up to the Voight character as his idol. Rebecca DeMornay also stars as the female aboard the train in one of her most unglamorous roles. She pulls off the performance as a tough woman who must defend herself against these convicts while at the same time trying to save her life. The DVD is barebones, but the film comes in both widescreen and full screen formats and the theatrical trailer is included. The single disc is double-sided. Unfortunately "Runaway Train" is now out-of-print, but there are some copies available by private sellers on Amazon. The movie was nominated for three Oscars including Best Actor for Voight, Best Supporting Actor for Roberts, and the film was up for Best Editing.
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Voight's Performance Memorable
Added 4/22/2009
This used to be one of my favorite films until a language issue here kind of turned me off, but it's such an interesting story and character portrait that I still look at, just not too often.
Jon Voight's character is the main reason I remember this movie so well.
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 gives Roberts a little lecture during this story about being humble enough to serve, even in the most humiliating circumstances. I've never forgotten that intense short speech.
This is an action-packed, rough film with rough people and very rough - to the point of crude - language. The language is actually ludicrous at times with over-the-top characters like the ones played by John P. Ryan and Kenneth McMillian. Being a Golan-Globus film of the period ('70s and '80s), this film is overridden by low-life characters, a trademark of those 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 terrific, memorable ending.
Overall, if you can take the blaspheming assault on your ears, this movie is worth it for the great adventure and if for nothing else, Voight's fabulous performance.
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2.5 stars out of 4
Added 3/21/2009
The Bottom Line:
Thoroughly overrated, Runaway Train does not deliver as an action picture (the much-hyped scene at a bridge basically consists of some wobbling ties), a character piece (John Voight is exceptionally over the top and annoying) or a well-plotted movie (the characters *actually* escape from prison in a laundry cart, no one figures out until the end that they can simply UNCOUPLE THE RAILROAD CAR) or in any real capacity.
1 out of 5 people found this helpful.
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runaway favorite
Added 5/24/2008
I saw this many years ago and found it on sale recently. It is a superb movie, one of the best! The scenery is breath-taking, the plot rivoting, acting is top notch, and has a startling ending. There is also some rough language from the prisoners in the jail and the escaped convicts which I could have lived without, but it is realistically done.
Two prisoners escape from a maximum security prison and hop on board a train whose engineer dies, leaving the train as a runaway with nobody on board able to stop it. Jon Voight turns in a tour de force performance as convict Manny, a fierce, crazed individual running from himself. His tag-along buddy, Buck, is an obnoxious fellow who is trying to ingratiate himself with Manny, but is not really a hard core con. They are joined by Sara, a train worker who fell asleep during the commotion. The interplay between these three and that of the prison warden makes for a tense, well acted drama that takes many twists and turns.
The support acting is all good, maybe a little over the top in the control center at times, but one still can feel the tension building over this runaway train and its runaway riders. The ending scene is just classic--don't miss this one.
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In the realm of Shawshenk and Green Mile
Added 4/25/2008
Though the language is expectedly abrupt (for a prison flick), the acting and directing are exceptional. The plot holds well and should leave the viewer deeply pensive to Kurosawa's motives of who/what is good or evil in our journeys in life.
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"Mind-Blowing"
Added 8/28/2009
"Runaway Train" depicts the story of two escaped convicts from a maximum security prison in Alaska who take refuge on a train. Unbeknownst to them the driver of that train dies of a heart attack and they are left to defend for themselves as the train barrels through at break-neck speed. The only other passenger is a female train worker. What makes this movie work, along with the amazing stunts and special effects, are the superb acting by the leads played by Jon Voight and Eric Roberts. They play the convicts to the hilt as Voight displays moments when his character is nothing more than an animal who has no regard for human life. Roberts plays the more gentler convict who looks up to the Voight character as his idol. Rebecca DeMornay also stars as the female aboard the train in one of her most unglamorous roles. She pulls off the performance as a tough woman who must defend herself against these convicts while at the same time trying to save her life. The DVD is barebones, but the film comes in both widescreen and full screen formats and the theatrical trailer is included. The single disc is double-sided. Unfortunately "Runaway Train" is now out-of-print, but there are some copies available by private sellers on Amazon. The movie was nominated for three Oscars including Best Actor for Voight, Best Supporting Actor for Roberts, and the film was up for Best Editing.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Voight's Performance Memorable
Added 4/22/2009
This used to be one of my favorite films until a language issue here kind of turned me off, but it's such an interesting story and character portrait that I still look at, just not too often.
Jon Voight's character is the main reason I remember this movie so well.
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 gives Roberts a little lecture during this story about being humble enough to serve, even in the most humiliating circumstances. I've never forgotten that intense short speech.
This is an action-packed, rough film with rough people and very rough - to the point of crude - language. The language is actually ludicrous at times with over-the-top characters like the ones played by John P. Ryan and Kenneth McMillian. Being a Golan-Globus film of the period ('70s and '80s), this film is overridden by low-life characters, a trademark of those 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 terrific, memorable ending.
Overall, if you can take the blaspheming assault on your ears, this movie is worth it for the great adventure and if for nothing else, Voight's fabulous performance.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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2.5 stars out of 4
Added 3/21/2009
The Bottom Line:
Thoroughly overrated, Runaway Train does not deliver as an action picture (the much-hyped scene at a bridge basically consists of some wobbling ties), a character piece (John Voight is exceptionally over the top and annoying) or a well-plotted movie (the characters *actually* escape from prison in a laundry cart, no one figures out until the end that they can simply UNCOUPLE THE RAILROAD CAR) or in any real capacity.
1 out of 5 people found this helpful.
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