I tend to pride myself on my naïve optimism that deep down all humans are good and well-intentioned and that life is beautiful, so it usually makes me uncomfortable when a movie points out to me just how illogical that notion truly is. Weird, then, that the films I've been attracted to lately are those that offer a pretty bleak view on humanity and life. (Is this what growing up entails? If so, I don't like it.) Anyway, Runaway Train is certainly one of those movies that forces me to see the darker nature of the human experience. The most poignant line, in my opinion, is this one, towards the very end of the movie:
Sara:You're an animal!
Manny: No worse! Human!
This exchange, I think, is so important in that it really sheds a light on the view of humans portrayed so deeply and depressingly in the movie. No character seen in the film can truly be said to show a fully positive picture of what it is to be human: not Sara, the only girl in the movie, not the men in the control room, not Ranken, and certainly not our protagonist. That's not to say that all the characters are just "bad", quite the opposite, but the movie seems to present the idea that human nature, especially in our day and age, is not the prettiest picture in the world.
All in all, the movie made me feel and think more than most standard "action" movies do. It made me wonder whether any of us has a choice in life; whether any of us ever are 100% free. Don't we all live in some type of prison, when we really think about it? Is life in general really just a runaway train? (Yes, I did just write that. I realize how lame that sounds but still...)While the movie didn't really do much to help the happy-go-lucky part of my personality, the ending will certainly stay with me for a long time. I'm sure, if I ever grow up to lead an incredibly disappointing life and begin displaying suicidal tendencies (this hopefully won't happen but I guess you never know), this movie will come back to me again and again. It has a very powerful message.
Now that I've seen the whole thing, I really want to buy it and re-watch it, in one sitting, and analyze all the shots and dialogue and all that nerdy goodness. Sounds fun.
[Also, I've just learned via IMDb trivia that Marlon Brando really liked Runaway Train. Not sure how I feel about that. I loved the movie but I'm so not a fan of Marlon, personality wise.I guess there's a little bit of good taste in everyone.]
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That back and forth between Sara and Manny was great, but I prefer this one:
ReplyDelete(It was something along these lines)
Sara: "Hold me, I don't want to die alone"
Buck obliges, making Sara smile, perhaps because she is feeling comforted by him and her final wish came true.
ThenManny, very matter-of-factly: "We all die alone". Then he hops out the window and that is the last thing he says to the two.
Gosh I sure hope you don't end up having suicidal tendencies, that's just not cool.
And I agree with you about how this was no standard action film. If anything, it was a gripping drama that just so happened to take place on a runaway train.
Shiran, you write so beautifully, with such facile and nimble assuredness, that it is a thing of beauty to behold. I love a high wire act, and in writing, the high wire act entails a sentence that appears to go nowhere, and then is suddenly snatched from the ether by a well placed clause, a parenthetical insertion, a deke or feint in the form of the word "say," say, or an offhanded "to be sure" or a contrapuntal "nevertheless."
ReplyDeleteAnd your analysis of Runaway Train ain't too shabby either, baby.
Very thoughtful analysis, Shiran. It worries me, however if you only see the darker side of humanity and are fearful that you will be suicidal in the future. I hope that this side of you does not envelop you completely. Although I do think it is good for someone to see a movie that puts them outside their comfort zone and makes them think deeper about their purpose in life and the reality that entails.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your line as being one of the most if not the most meaningful lines in the movie. "No worse. Human!" truly strikes a chord with me and I would be shocked if it doesn't affect everyone in some way. I think that your ability to ask the tough questions makes this post so insightful.
I cannot wait for our discussion on this film tomorrow! It should be classic!
Don't worry Jimmy I'm way too stereotypically optimistic to ever be actually suicidal. I was just making a point about the movie; in real life I actually tend to only see the good part of humanity, to the point of being annoyingly cheerful.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lovely comments guys!
Oh and Nick, I absolutely love that part you mentioned. Practically every line in the movie is that good =)
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree, almost all of these lines are relevant and many of them are brilliant. There is quite a long list of lines that could be analyzed and used for brilliant emphasis.
ReplyDeleteI am not really a fan of Marlon Brandon personality-wise either, but I can see why he would like Runaway Train. I've only read parts of biographies about him, but he seemed very troubled (more so towards the end of his life) and he probably struggled with the issues presented in this movie. Anyway, I really love the exchange between Sara and Manny that you mentioned although I, too, would like to believe that people are not as depraved as they seem in in this film.
ReplyDelete