Runaway Train (1985)

You won't be disappointed!

So much average

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

This is not a very good movie. It employs many tropes. The sidekick character is not well developed. It was apparent from the first scene that Buck was in that he would not be able to handle being on the run with Manny. Too much of the action is cartoonish.The movie is both set and filmed in Alaska. The whole premise of the train-wreck-in-progress is not believable, if for no other reason than Alaska doesn't have a network of railways; they have basically one line; and there is no east-west route. For this kind of plot, I much prefer https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079056/ starring E.G. Marshall.The movie develops as a battle between the convict and the prison warden. But this plotline is not realistic and turns the warden into a cartoon character. The warden behaving violently to railroad officials is also not believable. There is one moment in the movie where Manny goes into a soliloquy, but it is obvious that this was acting; it was not a credible rant.

I remember have seen this as a child home with my dad and now it's out on Blu-Ray it was finally time to pick it up again. And seeing it again it's a cult classic. The acting is sublime and yes I know I'm not into Eric Roberts but here he's excellent. Being shot without almost any effects that is what makes this flick a must see even as we know that a helicopter crashed while filming it at Alaska and the distribution was terrible. What starts out as a flick at a maximum security turns after 45 minutes in a pure action flick. And towards the end it goes into pure characterisation.Notice the appearance in the fight ring of Danny Trejo, his first flick. It became a difficult flick to make, not only directors changed a lot and it's know that Roberts was very difficult to work with. But that made out into the flick and he was nominated for his acting. Funny that Jodie Foster wanted to be part in this flick for the role of Sara, but the director found her to pretty and beautiful for this part. If you wanna see one of the better flicks from the Cannon group this is it. Classic indeed.Gore 0,5/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 0/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5

This classic film rates as one of the finest train-themed features, action spectacles, and character studies ever committed to celluloid. It manages that special combination of being stimulating on both an existential and visceral level, making it fine viewing indeed. The acting is top notch, with Jon Voight in one of the most interesting roles of his career. Andrei Konchalovsky directs with style and intelligence, making the train in this story a character in its own right and using the time spent on it as a period of reflection and self-examination. Certainly "Runaway Train" is an extremely prestigious production for Menahem Golan, Yoram Globus, and the Cannon Group, which for the most part was cranking out pure entertainment during the 1980s.Voight plays Oscar "Manny" Manheim, hardened veteran convict who breaks out of an isolated maximum security prison located in Alaska. His tag along is an annoying young chatterbox, Buck McGeehy (Eric Roberts) who idolizes Manny, as do many of the other prisoners. They hop a train only for the engineer to have a heart attack and fall off, leaving the train barrelling nonstop through the Alaskan countryside. Tailing them is associate warden Ranken (the great, under-rated character actor John P. Ryan ("It's Alive")), who's hellbent on recapturing them.It's always a treat to see the old school thrill rides like this which were done practically, without resorting to digital enhancement. The film is unrelentingly tense and gripping every step of the way, running an hour and 52 minutes but very much flying along, just like its title vehicle. It's based on an unused screenplay by the legendary Akira Kurosawa, which got adapted for American audiences by author / playwright Paul Zindel and Djordje Milicevic and then polished by ex-con turned author, screenwriter, and actor Edward Bunker (who appears in the film as Jonah). Voight is a force of nature as the intimidating Manny, and he and Roberts do play off each other very well. Rebecca De Mornay, severely deglamorized here, adds another touch of humanity playing a railroad employee who shares their precarious situation. Ryan is lots of fun as the antagonist, and offering additional solid support are Kyle T. Heffner ("Flashdance"), T.K. Carter ("The Thing"), and Kenneth McMillan ("Dune"). And recognize that boxer and prison guard? They're played by Danny Trejo and Tommy 'Tiny' Lister, then relative newcomers to film.This one truly deserves peoples' attention. It's too good to pass up. And it ends in the best possible way, with one hell of a final image.10 out of 10.

How "Runaway Train" bombed at the box office in December, 1985, I'll never know because it's the perfect blend of blockbuster thrills and weighty subtext.The story involves Manny (Jon Voight), a notorious prison hero, who escapes a maximum security prison in the frozen wastelands of Alaska. He is joined by a naive follower (Eric Roberts). They stow away on a train consisting of four locomotives whose engineer has a heart attack and the train runs away. Meanwhile, the arrogant warden (John P. Ryan) is on the warpath for Manny."Runaway Train" is such a powerful experience because it's much more than just a mindless action flick, as the title would suggest; the thrilling events are actually a stage for a fascinating study of the human condition. Manny is a hardened convict who's "at war with the world and everyone in it." When called an animal he replies, "No, worse -- human!" This is a man who wants one thing, freedom, but he knows that he's too far gone to make it in conventional society. He shares a parable with his dumb partner, made up on the spot, about having a menial job and submitting to the boss even though you might want to rip his throat out. This is the key to making it in society -- submitting to authority and resisting the rage within; and then getting your check on payday and enjoying the fruits thereof. Manny wishes he could do this, but knows he can't. So what hope is there for him in modern society? If he can't do that then why's he escaping prison? In other words, Manny knows there's no hope for him, even if his escape is successful. To him, freedom can only come one way. I don't believe this, but I understand why he believes it.There's another potent scene where Manny has a knife and mercilessly comes against his own "partner". You see the rage on his face, like a cornered animal. After intense emotions are vented Manny suddenly realizes... and then he just bows over, completely spent. A character, who should be afraid of him, somehow understands and compassionately reaches out in a semi-embrace.Powerful scenes like these are combined with surreal images of the misshapen locomotives barreling down the tracks in the freezing wilderness accompanied by the ominous score by Trevor Jones. Some parts of the score scream mid-80s, but other parts -- like the aforementioned -- are timeless.Rebecca De Mornay has an atypical role as a railroad worker who stumbles on to the convicts. She intuitively sees through their macho posturing. Although she knows they're desperate & dangerous, she also sees that they're not wholly evil. Roberts is basically a kid at heart and Manny is just blinded by the incredible rage within. He's only irredeemable because of his stupid pride, built up over years of hardened confinement.Voight is near unrecognizable as Manny and Roberts is just superb as his dumb sidekick. These two along with De Mornay are examples of acting at its finest.John P. Ryan is very effective as the machismo warden Ranken, but his Captain Ahab-like role comes off too comic booky to be plausible. Yet Ranken shows that you can be an "animal" on the outside of prison just as much as on the inside. Both Manny and Ranken are corrupted by pride, but Manny at least knows it. And he's not too far gone to recognize those who are worthy of life and to respond accordingly.The film was shot in Montana and Alaska and runs 111 minutes.GRADE: A+