Film Review: TRAIN (2008)

I wanted to like this concept remake of Terror Train (1980) but this new film Train (2008) is an uninspired and mediocre film. Written & directed by Gideon Raff rumor has it that this film started off as a remake of the Jamie Lee Curtis classic but through rewrites the film eventually became its own identity which is fine since it doesn't resemble the original in any way, shape, or form other than taking place on an actual train.

This new film concerns a team of wrestlers, lead by Thora Birch (American Beauty), who miss their original ride to their next competition after having an all night evening on the town. They are talked into talking an alternate train ride unbeknownst to them that this train is really a black market for organ transplants. Because they are Americans with good health and healthy organs they are the next ones to become victim for a plethora of fellow passengers on the train who need new organs and will do and pay anything to get them. Now Birch and her team of wrestlers must find a way to escape the train or become the next unwilling donor.

The film itself looks great and is photographed beautifully for that amounts to an empty and brainless torture porn film (similar to my reactions to the film Captivity). It's a highly forgettable film that also over stays its welcome. It quickly runs out of steam about 40 minutes in and never recovers. Birch does the best that she can with the material. She's a very talented and capable performer and gives her all to even the most mundane of film roles but even though she is the star of this film her talents are clearly wasted.