Retro Review ‘The Midnight Meat Train’: Pursuit of Darkness Leads an Artist into the Abyss

The Midnight Meat Train is now streaming for free on TUBITv. Reader beware spoilers!

There’s the old saying that we all know: don’t judge a book by its cover. The same can be said for movies, we don’t judge a film by its poster/cover art. Such is the case for the 2008 slasher/ supernatural horror, The Midnight Meat Train. Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura (The Doorman) and based on the short story by Clive Barker (Hellraiser) of the same name from his Books of Blood series. Starring Bradley Cooper (Hangover), Leslie Bibb (Iron Man), and Vinnie Jones (Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels). 

Leon (Cooper) is a struggling photographer vying for the attention of a trendy gallery in the New York art scene. After being snubbed by the snobby curator Susan Hoff (Brooke Shields) for making “melodrama” with his camera. She challenges him to find the city’s underbelly, stop playing it safe, and get grittier. Much to the disdain of his girlfriend Maya (Bibb), Leon sets off into the night to capture true horror with his lens.

When a model goes missing, who just hours before Leon interrupted from being attacked, he suspects the mysterious stranger he saw on the subway might have something to do with her disappearance. It’s here we’re introduced to the silent and stoic Mahogany (Jones), who has been prowling the subway cars in the early hours in search of his victims. 

Scouring old newspapers, pinning up pictures to connect some sort of conspiracy, following Mahogany to work, not showering, and stopping his vegan diet, we can slowly see the transformation of Leon the deeper he falls into his mania. Maya’s concern becomes real anguish and agrees to help him do some sleuthing to hopefully set things back to the way they were. 

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The relentless fascination leads them both into the darkness lurking beneath the city, and as the horrifying truth comes to fruition, they may be too far into the abyss to turn back. 

Clive Barker has a library of incredible stories to adapt, but they rarely hit the mark for some reason. Hellraiser (first couple at least), Night Breed, and to a lesser extent Lord of Illusions are his most well-known at this point and most successful in bringing his vision to the big screen. I would argue The Midnight Meat Train should be in that same discussion. Beautiful cinematography, despite the subject matter and the grime of the locations, quick-paced, well written, well-acted, significant practical effects and gore, what’s not to enjoy. 

Bradley Cooper is now an acting veteran and has been nominated for countless awards. He also doesn’t stray too far from the genre, most recently working with Guillermo Del Toro on Nightmare Alley. His descent into madness, the 180-degree turn of his character is something to see. Viewers are able to believe the obsession and its grasp on his life entirely. 

Vinnie Jones as Mahogany does a fantastic job portraying a man dedicated to the ritual of his cause. Unfortunately for fellow humans, that ritual is smashing strangers in the face with a mallet, skinning them, and other terrible things that will haunt your thoughts. The non-emotion shown with these brutal murders really unsettles you. He could be doing data entry with the body language he’s projecting. He’s doing it for purpose, not pleasure, and Jones really nails it without saying a single word of dialogue.

A few issues took me out of the movie a few times; the use of clearly CGI blood in some of the more significant set-pieces just seemed gimmicky as they use practical gore ideally throughout. It stands out even to the untrained eye. Being a stylized director, Kitamura captures the essence of Barker’s story and enhances it. However, when played against the carnage and seriousness of the film, some choices come across as comical and most likely not the intended response. 

One part detective story-one part serial killer tale, and part supernatural lore, The Midnight Meat Train is a surprise gem of a horror movie. With a cast entirely on board with the story they’re telling and the essence of Clive Barker’s story throughout, Ryuhei Kitamura manages to deliver a suspenseful, gory, and thought-provoking film. Maybe just don’t stalk random people from the subway, they just might end up being an actual killer, and boy, wouldn’t your face be red. 4/5

★★★★

You can check out the trailer for The Midnight Meat Train below and the movie is now streaming for free on TUBITv. Be sure to keep following ScaryNerd for all things horror, sci-fi and more.