Snowpiercer: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Snowpiercer: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Movie Review

Snowpiercer: Season 2 expands on the series with a new wave of intrigue. Adapted from the acclaimed graphic novel by the same name and as directed by the great Bong Joon Ho (Parasite, The Host), Snowpiercer: Season 2 amps up the action and it finds more ways to explore the concept of the Snowpiercer train and the survival of its inhabitants in the second season of the series. The drama was developed for television by Graeme Manson (Orphan Black) and Josh Friedman (Terminator: Dark Fate) and explores social and political socioeconomic issues and class division – the struggle between the poor and wealthy upper- class.  

The second season of Snowpiercer brings new obstacles to the fast-moving train and the inhabitants onboard. As the train continues to charge along an icy apocalypse, Layton finds that the end of the original revolution on-board the train. As Layton continues to lead on board, the train survivors are tested with the arrival of an unexpected rival – another train.

With the second train, the arrival of the mysterious Mr. Wilford (Sean Bean) occurs. And with the arrival, more mysteries unravel – including a story about the past of Melanie (Jennifer Connelly). As the two trains result in a new and unexpected power dynamic, the Snowpiercer faces new challenges of human pathos and the ever-evolving arena of tech. As Layton continues onward, the battle for the future of Snowpiercer has arrived.

The television series is distinctly different from the feature-film by Bong Joon Ho. Though the story and concept share similarities, the plot is not identical and there are some stark differences in the series development as well. Bong Joon Ho’s Snowpiercer was a masterpiece of cinema – one of his greatest accomplishments – and the series simply can’t match the superior filmmaking of a master director. Nonetheless, the television series has some interesting conceptual ideas to explore and is still an interesting, effective, and worthwhile television production.

The series is led by a strong performance by star Jennifer Connelly. The actress manages to carry the production with her top-notch performance and dedication to the role. Connelly is a wonderful and dynamic actress and it is nice to see her play a fascinating and complex character. The actress has a great part to play and she remembers to showcase her range as an actress with the role. Daveed Diggs, on the other hand, is less consistent as an actor and isn’t as impressive in his role – this is something a bit surprising giving his other roles. Nonetheless, the cast is generally solid for the television series.

Perhaps the best element of Snowpiercer is the original score composed by Bear McCreary (Battlestar Galactica). The composer of many successful television series and a number of great film scores, the composer was a great addition to the production. The composer has a wonderful understanding of scores and the essential foundations of film composition. The efforts by McCreary are certainly as impressive as one might expect and the results are worthwhile. There is a balance of character themes and adrenaline-packed gusto for the action.

With cinematography by John Grillo (Preacher, Westworld), Snowpiercer has an interesting visual aesthetic that carries some inspiration from the feature-film. As head cinematographer, Grillo imbues the production with a sleek and effectively stylized atmosphere. The visual elements certainly aid the television series and give it a bleakness that is appropriate for the drama on-screen. A solid visual sensibility by Grillo and something that adds depth to the series.

The production design efforts by Barry Robison (Million Dollar Arm, Hacksaw Ridge) and Stephen Geaghan (The Outer Limits, Another Life) also contribute to the success of the production. The production designers certainly understand that part of the success of the feature-film was the outstanding detail given to the production design. While the television series isn’t a match to the feature-film visually, the design takes inspiration from the film and understands the core ideas of that production aesthetic. The focus is on the train and the on the different class-warfare sections of the train.

Snowpiercer is well-directed and has a creative energy that carries on during the second season of the production. The series expands on the first season and continues to build on the concepts that made it compelling from the get-go. There is a sense of mystery and intrigue to the production. Snowpiercer is well-crafted entertainment with some compelling artistic elements from the staff directors and the end results are something a bit more compelling than average.

Snowpiercer: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Warner Bros, Snowpiercer: Season 2 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. A wonderful high-definition presentation, Snowpiercer looks excellent on the format with great high-definition clarity and visuals. The cinematographic style is well reproduced on the format and the dark colors of the production are well preserved. The encoding is solid and capably handles the action on the series. A nice-looking release from Warner Bros.

Snowpiercer: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound. The lossless, high-resolution audio does an excellent job of preserving detail. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand. The score composed by Bear McCreary is well reproduced and sounds excellent on the release. The surrounds are well utilized and help to enhance the presentation soundstage.

Snowpiercer: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Great Engineer: Bringing the Mysterious Mr. Wilford Aboard (HD, 7:36)

Season 2 Overview (HD, 3:37)

Behind the Character: Mr. Wilford (HD, 3:04)

Season 2 Roundtable (HD, 3:59)

Daveed Diggs Season 1 Recap (HD, 3:40)

Snowpiercer: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Snowpiercer: Season 2 brings more action-packed excitement to the stage. The second season expands on the class division themes between those who have and those who have not. With a compelling performance by star Jennifer Connelly, Snowpiercer is a program that will appeal to fans of the acclaimed film by Bong Joon Ho (Parasite) even if the series is its own thing. An impressive Blu-ray release with a quality video and audio presentation is provided alongside a selection of bonus features. Recommended.