Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
A photographer's obsessive pursuit of dark subject matter leads him into the path of a serial killer who stalks late night commuters, ultimately butchering them in the most gruesome ways.
The Midnight Meat Train is a stylish Clive Barker adaptation that distinguishes itself primarily through its striking, hyper-stylized cinematography — the train car kill sequences are genuinely inventive and visually arresting, with bold use of slow motion and visceral gore that elevates the material. The plot is serviceable genre fare with a photographer-as-protagonist angle that adds some thematic depth around voyeurism and obsession, though it doesn't fully capitalize on its ideas. Acting is competent, with Vinnie Jones delivering an effectively menacing wordless performance. The ending reaches for cosmic Barker mythology which is ambitious but feels rushed and tonally jarring. Novelty is moderate — it's a solid horror adaptation with a distinctive visual identity but the urban serial killer framework is well-worn territory.