There are times when you hear about talent who were attached to certain projects that never ended up materializing and it leaves you wondering what may have been. There are famous examples like Eric Stoltz being replaced by Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future or Stuart Townsend being replaced by Viggo Mortensen in The Lord of the Rings, but there are lesser known stories that blow you away once you discover them. If fate had twisted a little differently, the 1985 film Runaway Train could have been directed by the legendary Akira Kurosawa (Seven Samurai). The Japanese auteur wrote the screenplay for the film in 1966, but the project was cancelled due to issues with American financial backers. Years later, the project was revived by Canon Pictures with director Andrei Konchalovsky (Tango & Cash) and stars Jon Voight (Midnight Cowboy), Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight) and Rebecca De Mornay (Risky Business). The film may not have been directed by one of the all-time great directors, but it was received well enough to score Oscar nominations for both Voight and Roberts and to be championed as the jewel of the Canon Pictures crown. After being out-of-print on Blu-Ray for some time, Kino Classics is bringing this one back for audiences with a beautiful new 2K restoration.
Voight plays Oscar “Manny” Manheim, a notorious bank robber who has found a second home in Alaska’s Stonehaven Maximum Security Prison. Manny has a fearsome reputation within his current residence, serving as something of a hero to his fellow convicts due to his ruthless demeanor and numerous escape attempts that have landed him in solitary for years. One of the most starry-eyed of the bunch is young prisoner Buck McGeehy (Eric Roberts), who views him as the criminal mastermind he aspires to be. Manny has an understandably contentious relationship with malicious Warden Ranken (John P. Ryan), who has just been forced to release him from solitary after three years. Manny wastes no time staging another break out, this time with Buck in tow across the frozen Alaskan territory. Their plane goes surprisingly smooth, but things take an unexpected turn when they hop what they believe will be a train to freedom. Unbeknownst to them, the conductor of the locomotive has a fatal heart attack, leaving the train unmanned and barreling precariously down a path to misfortune.
What could have easily been turned into a big dumb action film offers up a surprisingly nuanced narrative where character development takes precedence over unmitigated destruction. The dynamic between Manny and Buck is what drives the movie – the uncontrollable train is only a means to usher in the disillusionment that Buck will experience as he sees his hero in action. Both of the actors deliver passionate performances that could quite easily be classified as over-the-top, but the situations these characters must face makes such exaggeration acceptable. Voight is pulsing with bubbling hatred – hatred for the world and hatred for himself. The idea of returning to prison is inconceivable to him; he would rather die than be forced back into confinement, and his actions often force his accomplice to put his own well-being behind that of Manny’s. This tension is ratcheted up even more by the pursuit of Warden Ranken via helicopter; Manny is never going to know true freedom under his watch. The immediate terror is the unstoppable train, but the conflicts of the soul are just as riveting in the grand scheme of things.
If this was not enough to occupy the doomed duo, there is the unexpected discovery of a young railway worker, Sara (Rebecca De Mornay), who is trying to find a way out of the perilous situation while contending with these two prisoners. Sara is more than just some helpless woman forced into the narrative; she is the catalyst for slowing down the train as much as they can, as well as an anchor point for an emotionally volatile Buck. Those who come to Runaway Train for a big, thrilling action set piece will not be disappointed, as this practically filmed production provides destructive crashes and more close calls than you can count. There are a few characters that could have been developed a bit more, such as Warden Rankin who disappears from the film for long stretches of time, but this may have lessened the effectiveness of this tightly-paced narrative. While the trivia of who provided the screenplay for this thrilling 80s action feature is fascinating, it is not the defining characteristic of Runaway Train. The film stands out as a prime example of 80s action being executed with some thought put into it. It’s a real gem that should not be overlooked.
Video Quality
Runaway Train returns to Blu-Ray courtesy of Kino Classics with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1:85:1 derived from a brand new 2K restoration. The film was previously available on Blu-Ray through Twilight Time, but that release has long been out of print. While I do not have that disc for comparison, this presentation is pretty gorgeous throughout most of the runtime. This transfer maintains the natural film grain of the presentation without becoming intrusive or clumpy. The picture runs slightly on the soft side during certain optical effects, most likely due to limitations of the original source material. Colors are well saturated in a pleasing way, and instances of print damage have all but been eradicated with only the occasional speck and mark visible. Overall clarity and detail is stunning, and skin tones are natural and consistent with subtle facial features easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels hold up well with crush not serving as an overwhelming issue. This new presentation from Kino Classics is very impressive, which should please fans of the film.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that perfectly preserves the artistic intention of the film. The memorable synth score from Trevor Jones sounds great throughout the duration of the film, as it creates a sparse, menacing tone for the film. There is never a moment where it threatens to overwhelm competing sounds, and it maintains a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. Environmental sounds such as the rushing wind and train noises are rendered well alongside everything else. The big action moments pack a real punch and are represented within the mix. There does not seem to be any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. Kino Classics has given this film the perfectly preserved, faithful audio presentation it deserves.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film Historians David Del Valle and C. Courtney Joyner and Actor Eric Roberts provide a really interesting and informative track filled with fun anecdotes. Roberts shares stories of working with Jon Voight, experiences with a young Danny Trejo, filming in the cramped cab of the locomotive, the dangers of filming and so much more. This should be considered an essential listening experience for fans of the film.
- Trailers From Hell with Rod Lurie: A three-minute breakdown of the film from director Rod Lurie in which he discusses the history of the film and gives snippets of a critical assessment.
- Radio Spots: A minute-long collection of radio spots that hype of the star power and critical notices that the film was receiving.
- Trailers: The two-minute theatrical trailer is provided here that does a great job of selling the film. There are also trailers included for Coming Home, Raggedy Man, The Trip To Bountiful, Taffin and Narrow Margin.
Final Thoughts
Runaway Train is a thrill ride that offers up compelling character dynamics when it could have easily just relied on the spectacle of it all. The performances from Jon Voight and Eric Roberts are a bit much at times, but you have to admire the utter commitment you get from both of them. Kino Classics has delivered a brand new Blu-Ray with a fabulous A/V presentation and an assortment of entertaining special features. If you have a soft spot for smarts 80s action adventures, this one should rocket to the top of your list. Recommended
Runaway Train will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on March 16, 2021.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
