Snowpiercer is a sci-fi action movie set in a post-apocalyptic world, directed by South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho. The movie follows the passengers of the Snowpiercer, a massive train that continuously circles the globe and is the last bastion of human civilization. In this essay, I will provide an overview of the movie Snowpiercer and analyze its ecohorror themes, as well as examine how the movie relates to climate change ecohorror.

Snowpiercer is based on the 1982 French graphic novel Le Transperceneige. Set in the year 2031, the movie follows the survivors of a global climate catastrophe on board a massive train that continuously circles the globe. The train, Snowpiercer, is divided into two classes: the privileged elites, who inhabit the front of the train, and the impoverished tail section, who are kept in deplorable conditions and treated like second-class citizens. Curtis Everett (Chris Evans), a leader from the tail section, leads a revolt against the elites, resulting in a violent struggle between the classes that reveals the true nature of the train’s social structure. According to Rahayu (2017), the film uses its dystopian setting to explore themes of social justice, class discrimination, and the consequences of human-caused climate change. It also highlights the importance of cooperation and solidarity among oppressed people in order to achieve a better society. The movie is a riveting exploration of the dark side of human nature, and its themes continue to remain relevant in today’s world. 

In RL Murray and JK Heumann’s 2022 publication, the authors analyze the ecohorror elements of the film Snowpiercer. The authors discuss how the film’s premise of a train that endlessly circles the globe in a post-apocalyptic world serves as a metaphor for the world’s current ecological crisis. The film’s characters are shown to be living in a dystopian world, one where the planet is no longer habitable due to the effects of climate change. The authors argue that this film serves as an effective warning to humanity, as the characters' suffering and desperation are a clear indication of the potential consequences of failing to take action to address climate change. The authors further note that the film’s “ecohorror” genre serves as a powerful way to communicate the importance of preserving the environment. Through its disturbing visuals and intense action sequences, the film pushes viewers to confront the reality of climate change and to consider the consequences of ignoring the issue. As such, Murray and Heumann’s analysis of Snowpiercer serves as an important reminder of the importance of protecting the environment.

As the passengers fight for survival, the film emphasizes the need to take action to prevent climate change from reaching such a catastrophic level. This message is echoed by A Bulfin in Global and Planetary Change (2017), who argues that “visual media can be used to convey the message of climate change” to the public. The horror genre of the film serves as an effective tool to shock the audience into recognizing the danger of climate change, and the film’s messages are in line with recent research on the psychological impacts of climate change. By stressing the importance of acting to prevent climate change and its devastating consequences, Snowpiercer provides an important reminder that climate change must be addressed as soon as possible.

Snowpiercer is a powerful movie that offers a provocative and significant look at the current environmental state of the world. Through its ecohorror themes, the movie emphasizes the need to reduce the human impact on the world’s climate. From the lasting images of social stratification that can have such an immense effect on both the environment and the people who inhabit it, to the direct allusions to climate change, the movie provides an interesting perspective on our current world and opens viewers’ eyes to the threats posed by climate change. While Snowpiercer is not a message of hope, it does serve to emphasize the severity of the environmental problems we face and offers an insightful look into the dark potential future of our planet due to human negligence. 

As we all know, climate change has been a huge face of controversy for most of our lives. This movie directly relates to our current climate change crisis. It makes an important statement on the devastating effects of climate change, as we witness characters struggle to survive in a world gone cold. Ultimately, this movie is a powerful reminder of the importance of sustainability and the need to address our environmental issues before it is too late.

Work Cited

S Rahayu."POLITICS OF TERROR PORTRAYED IN SNOWPIERCER MOVIE."http://digilib.uin-suka.ac.id/26466/1/13150002_BAB-I_IV-atau-V_DAFTAR-PUSTAKA%20%282%29.pdf

A Bulfin."Popular culture and the “new human condition”: Catastrophe narratives and climate change."https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921818116303307