Whether it's due to a clash of egos or cultures, international productions tend to be oddly disjointed affairs. Not so with Runaway Train, the latest global entry to come barreling down the tracks. Directed by Russian émigré Andrei Konchalovsky, this action-packed psychological thriller is based on an unproduced screenplay by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa and features Oscar-nominated performances by American actors Jon Voight and Eric Roberts. A motley crew, to say the least. Nevertheless, these diverse movie cooks have whipped up a wondrous broth--a film that rivals the "Mad Max" movies for superlative action (and graphic violence); yet goes beyond them in its brutal portrayal of the existential man.
The story, which is fairly simple, follows the escape of two convicts (Voight and Roberts), who jump a train. Unbeknownst to them, the conductor dies of a heart attack--leaving the throttle wide open. As harried train officials try to stop the runaway, the drama between the two men on board intensifies. While the men explore the dark side of human nature, the train encounters a number of inventive obstacles which keep the action running at a fever pitch. In its odd mix of Russian bleakness, Japanese tragedy, and American individualism, Runaway Train manages to be both grand entertainment and provocative drama. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)
[DVD Review—June 13, 2017—Kino Lorber, 111 min., R, DVD: $19.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD, 1985's Runaway Train features a great transfer and a Dolby Digital stereo soundtrack, but no extras. Bottom line: this excellent action-packed thriller looks better than ever.]
[Blu-ray Review—February 17, 2021—Kino Lorber, 111 min., R, Blu-ray: $29.95—Making its latest appearance on Blu-ray, 1985’s Runaway Train is presented with a fine 2K transfer. Extras include audio commentary with actor Eric Roberts and film historians David Del Valle and C. Courtney Joyner. Bottom line: Andrei Konchalovsky’s existential action thriller still packs a powerful punch after a quarter-century.]