Night Train (5 Stars)

Christmas Day on a train. The early morning hours, between 2 and 4 am. The train is travelling almost empty, with only five passengers. In one carriage we see Chloe and Pete, a young medical student (Leelee Sobieski) and a half drunk salesman (Steve Zahn). In the next there are two Japanese businessmen playing Go. And in the next there's an eccentric old woman travelling with her dog. The train conductor, Miles, is played by Danny Glover, and his junior assistant is played by Matthias Schweighöfer.

The train is boarded by a mysterious man clutching a box to his chest. He sits with Chloe and Pete for a few minutes, then commits suicide before their eyes. At first they ask the conductor to call the police, but then they see that the box contains great treasure and decide to dispose of the body and keep it for themselves. They panic when another man boards the train at the next station and tells them the box is cursed; everyone who looks into it will die before sunrise.

From then on Chloe, Pete and Miles conspire against one another. Nobody wants to share the treasure, they each want it for themselves. And then they find out that the other passengers on the train aren't random travellers. The Japanese businessmen were on the train waiting to steal the box. And the old woman wants the box. Everyone is armed and dangerous, and the passengers begin to kill one another in their greed.

The film is a genre buster. It can't be compared with any other films being made today. Although set today the train is very old-fashioned. Director Brian King says that this is meant as an homage to the films set on trains in the 40's and 50's. I'm afraid I can hardly think of any. "Murder on the Orient Express", that's all.

I can't fault any of the actors. Leelee Sobieski is perfect as the young psychopath hacking bodies into pieces. Steve Zahn is convincing as the unsuccessful salesman seeing a quick chance to get rich. Till now I've never taken much notice of Danny Glover, but he's excellent as the disillusioned old conductor, unhappy that he's done nothing with his life but too old to change things.

Click here to view the trailer.

Let's talk about Matthias Schweighöfer who plays the role of Frankie, the junior conductor. He's only 30 years old, but he's already made 40 films. Film critics in Germany heap praise on him and are comparing with Orson Welles. He started his career in Germany, but he's making more and more films in America. Like this one. It's been said that "Germany is too small for him". In other films, such as "The Red Baron" and "Valkyrie", he's played Germans. In this film the character of Frankie isn't German, he was just picked because they needed an actor who looks like a young boy. However, he has one problem standing in the way of success. How can an actor become famous with a name like Schweighöfer? He needs a new name. Maybe "Swyguffer", which is about the closest the Americans can get to pronouncing his name anyway. Or maybe something completely different. Matt Swift would be a good stage name for this young actor with a big future ahead of him. An excellent name. I hope he's reading my blog and will tell me what he thinks.