Synopsis- During a hazing, a fraternity of pre-med students has a particularly sinister prank in store for one their more timid pledges
Director- Roger Spottiswoode
Cast- Jamie Lee Curtis, Derek McKinnon, Ben Johnson
Released – 1980
Terror Train (1980) arrives on the heels of the slasher craze that dominated late-70s horror cinema, and while it boasts an intriguing premise and a now-iconic lead in Jamie Lee Curtis, it ultimately fails to capitalize on its potential. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode, this film promises a gripping thrill ride aboard a confined train, but too often veers off track, delivering a tepid mix of predictable scares and underdeveloped characters.
At its core, Terror Train offers a classic setup: a group of college students throws a lavish costume party on a train, only to find themselves being picked off one by one by a masked killer. The film does get mileage out of its claustrophobic setting. The narrow corridors of the train lend themselves to a feeling of isolation, heightening the tension in the early scenes. Spottiswoode makes good use of the train’s confined quarters, with camerawork that emphasizes the limited spaces and inevitable collisions between victims and their fate.
Jamie Lee Curtis, hot off the success of Halloween (1978), reprises her role as the quintessential “scream queen,” bringing an air of vulnerability mixed with resilience to the character of Alana. She does her best with the material, but even Curtis’s commanding screen presence can’t fully salvage a script that lacks depth. The supporting cast, particularly Ben Johnson as the world-weary conductor, delivers serviceable performances but struggles to elevate their thinly drawn characters beyond genre stereotypes.
Where Terror Train stumbles most is in its pacing and predictability. While the film teases its audience with the possibility of twists—particularly given the multiple costume changes and shifting identities—it rarely delivers anything genuinely surprising. The kills, while competently staged, feel uninspired, lacking the visceral punch or creative flair that made other slashers of the time stand out.
The killer’s eventual reveal, though momentarily effective, fails to provide the shocking resolution the film builds toward. Instead, it leaves the audience with the sense that the journey is more tedious than terrifying.
Despite its shortcomings, Terror Train isn’t without its moments. There’s an underlying sense of fun to the concept, and for slasher fans seeking a formulaic ride through familiar territory, it might just do the trick. However, for those looking for a film that pushes the genre’s boundaries or delivers genuine scares, Terror Train is ultimately a missed opportunity, more forgettable than frightening.
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