Trains have been a source of fascination for decades, so it is not surprising that their mystery and charm has been captured in numerous films. Take a trip through the big screen and discover some of the most iconic films set on trains.
Action on a bullet train
We are talking about Bullet Train (2022), a film that takes place mainly on a high-speed bullet train in Japan. This action-packed and suspenseful story features passengers facing a life-or-death situation on board the train.
Bullet trains are the fastest trains in the world and the fastest way to see Japan. The Japan Rail network covers almost the entire country and the trains reach a maximum speed of 320 km/h (200 mph). The whole film is set on a bullet train and its corresponding stations, where all the characters have the same mission and the same destiny, which they discover on board the train, and which will make them confront each other in the most macabre and absurd way possible.
One of the world’s most famous trains
Murder on the Orient Express (2017), a film adaptation of Agatha Christie’s famous mystery novel, is based on one of the most famous trains in the world, the Orient Express. The plot unfolds amidst a murder and shocking revelations.
This legendary train has witnessed many historical and fascinating events, from the First World War to the Cold War, which is why it has many legends and facts that have been captured in films like this one.
The magical Christmas train
Do you remember that magical train that captured kids’ imaginations at Christmas? Yes, we’re talking about the Polar Express (2004), the most famous magical train. In this film, the Polar Express is depicted as a luxury tourist train that excites children at Christmas.
Based on a famous American children’s story, which initially received poor box-office results and mixed reviews from the American media, it is now a must-see for the Christmas season.
The Lone Ranger (2013) features numerous action sequences aboard a passenger train called “Cole and Fuller’s Railroad”. This film combines the Wild West with scenes on board the train.
Society trapped in coaches
Snowpiercer (2013), a post-apocalyptic dystopian story where Earth’s sole survivors fight for survival aboard a perpetually moving train from which they cannot escape. The film narrates a unique vision of society and the inequalities that exist within it, classifying them according to their powers and socio-economic status and arranging the social classes in the same order as the coach numbers, where the poorest will struggle to get ahead and the richest will suffer.
A controversy and an old railway track
One of the most outstanding scenes in Mission: Impossible (1996) was on board a train. It is one of the most complex in terms of the level of preparation and filming. Originally, the team wanted to shoot it on a bridge in the south of Poland, specifically on an old railway track dating from the beginning of the 20th century, which, although disused, became part of the national heritage following the controversy.
How many of them do you recognise? Discover more about the trains in these films and take a trip down memory lane.
