"Snowpiercer" Has Some Great Action, but it's an Overall Disappointing Adaptation

Review of Netflix and TNT’s Snowpiercer:

We have now gotten a TV adaptation of Bong Joon-ho’s masterpiece Snowpiercer, and as good-looking as it may be, it’s an overall disappointing, dull and painfully meh series. Daveed Diggs and Jennifer Connelly try their hardest, but the flaws commonly outweigh them. As you know if you saw the movie, the story is that after a failed global warming experiment, the Earth froze, forcing the remaining survivors to board a train called Snowpiercer, built by the mysterious Mr. Wilford. Diggs plays Layton, a former homicide detective called up by Connelly’s character, Maleanie, to solve a terrible murder. After reading this short explanation, you know that this show is a massive departure from Joon-ho’s cult hit, for better or for worse. The show, which turns into an absurd murder-mystery, get’s dull and silly fast, which distracts from the clearly committed performances and beautiful production design. That leads me to a major pro: Joon-ho’s film had scope and style, and the series does capture that. Exploring the different train cars is once again enthralling and visually pleasing, and the entire aesthetic of the original film is showcased excellently here. Diggs, while strong at times, seems a little miscast, and his jokes are well out of place. Who shines the most is Jennifer Connelly, who does justice to a complex, interesting character. Diggs can’t replace Chris Evans and Connelly is no substitute for Tilda Swinton, but overall I was a fan of the performances. This take on Snowpiercer is oddly optimistic as well, with characters trying to make audiences laugh constantly, and while the lighter tone could please some viewers, it didn’t remotely work considering the devilishly dark themes of the movie. We don’t get a whole lot of action in the first two episodes (the only ones released so far), but what we do get to see is bloody and glorious. Overall, however, besides the acting, a phenomenal action sequence and some pleasing eye-candy, this show is a bit of a dud, and it will sadly disappoint fans looking for a faithful adaptation.

Should you Binge, Browse, or Skip?

This adaptation of Snowpiercer does get points for visually breathtaking production design and a duo of fine lead performances, but this oddly happy series suffers from a dull murder-mystery and slow pacing…SKIP IT