'Night Train' DVD Review

An engaging old-school thriller with a supernatural twist.

Night Train is one of those movies you see sitting on the video shelf that makes you wonder where the heck this film with all these reputable actors (Danny Glover, Steve Zahn, Leelee Sobieski) came from. Was it a theatrical release so bad that it went straight to video? Or is it an indie that's secretly better than most blockbusters but just didn't have the marketing push? Night Train is more of the latter, a well-paced thriller with a play-like feel that forgoes the exploitive spectacle of big-budget features in favor of tight storytelling and strong performances.

The story is simple enough: train conductor Miles (Glover) and passengers Peter (Zahn) and Chloe (Sobieski) discover a dead passenger whose belongings include an antique wooden box containing valuable jewels. Inexplicably drawn to the treasure, the three hatch a plan to take the jewels and dispose of the body.

Unbeknownst to them, the box is of supernatural origin and has the ability to make people see what they most desire inside. As such, it not only tears the trio apart with greed and distrust, but it's also sought after by anyone else who comes in contact with it.

With the entire story taking place on a train, Night Train has an old-fashioned, noir-ish feel that conjures thoughts of twisty films like Strangers on a Train, even if the CGI train effects more closely resemble The Polar Express. The soft-focus lens seems aimed to generate that sort of vintage atmosphere, but it ends up making the movie look distractingly unreal.

Luckily, the brisk plot, which jumps into the action and rarely lets up, and the strong performances raise this film above its technical shortcomings. Even if the twists are a bit predictable, Night Train remains a taut, enjoyable thriller.

The DVD

Special features include interviews, photos and featurette.

Movie: B-
DVD: B-