FFBOikaze This movie has everything that a slasher should have: A lesson about reckless living, sex appeal aplenty, a diabolically clever yet anti-heroic and semi-sympathetic killer, more twists and turns than a maze and finally, an ultra-creepy ending that surprised even me, as well as I know the slasher "formula". Plus, it's hard to go wrong in horror when you have the "Scream Empress", Jamie Lee Curtis, showing fear as only she can. Indeed, I would make the case that the final chase scene is, mainly due to Curtis's performance, the second best in horror history (after Halloween, which also had Curtis).This is an underrated gem, as the casual horror fan has never heard of it, but they should have, and I write as someone who has watched hundreds of horror/suspense films.

Zbigniew_Krycsiwiki Stylish but empty, wholly predictable horror about a killer targeting a fraternity during a reunion/ costume party aboard a train speeding through the snowy Canadian wilderness. Every time the killer strikes, he dons the victim's costume, and begins the hunt for the next victim.Technically well made, with a good cast, the idea of the killer wearing each successive victim's costume is clever, and its unique setting, the snowy winter wonderland, makes a great backdrop for the brutal killings. The plot wisely addresses the problem of the group being forced to remain on the train with the killer, as getting off the train and waiting in snowy, sub-zero weather 200 miles from the nearest town is not an option. But its biggest fault is that it tries to work as a mystery, but the killer's identity is obvious. (Of course it is the victim of the prank five years earlier. If it isn't him, then why was that scene even in the film?) All of the ensuing point-of-view shots come off looking like a cheap gimmick, rather than adding suspense to the proceedings. A lame ending is also a hindrance.

happyendingrocks This humble slasher entry may seem a bit predictable and tame by modern standards, but it's important to note that Terror Train arrived pretty early in the cycle, so the elements that seasoned audiences will deem predictable were still relatively novel when the film was released. Even if the clever surprises this thriller has in store don't resonate quite as strongly today as they did during its original theatrical run, these reels have held up remarkably well, and while it's debatable whether or not we have a bonafide classic on our hands here, Terror Train most assuredly succeeds as an entertaining offering that deserves its legacy.The presence of Jamie Lee Curtis at the height of her genre dominance adds immeasurably to the enduring impact of this affair, and as always she proves to be an engaging and resourceful heroine. She is pitted here against a vengeful masked killer stalking her and a group of college friends responsible for a grisly prank gone awry, who set out on the rails three years later for the rousing costume party that encompasses the bulk of the action. Though most of the characters are readily recognizable archetypes, Terror Train spends a bit of time establishing their relationships and nuances, which ultimately greatly assists the whodunnit aspect of the caper since we are provided with a handful of shifty suspects, and heightens the horror of the murders since we actually come to know and like some of the victimized teens.The narrow corridors and confined nature of the transport greatly bolster the suspense, and as the body count rises the film wisely addresses the obvious question, "Why don't they just stop the train and get off?" The locomotive's course pins the group in the middle of a snow-covered mountain range during the dead of winter, which makes immediate escape from the killer's clutches an impossibility and provides a plausible explanation for the forced inaction of the prey. Once the scenario is established, we aren't inclined to ask too many nagging questions, and this liberation allows the movie to spin its web unencumbered by our skepticism, which it does with admirable efficiency.Granted, the slasher movie formula doesn't explicitly require much, or any, adherence to logic, but Terror Train handles its material in a decidedly intelligent manner which forges a sense of believability that ends up being one of the film's strongest traits. Our masked madman (or woman?) shows some great cunning and ingenuity in concealing their crimes, donning the costumes of the slain to perpetuate the illusion that everyone is still alive and well, and therefore eluding suspicion for as long as possible. As the mounting unexplained absences become too much to obscure and the enormity of the killer's deadly plot takes shape, the preemptive reactions of the train's conductor and his crew are wholly realistic and sensible, and this refreshing lack of distracting stupidity deeply strengthens our immersion into the mystery.Despite the evident savvy of the presentation, a few of the death scenes suffer from some clumsy staging that dilutes their effectiveness (the murder of one amorous lass requires us to accept that the killer anticipated the victim-to-be would ask them to remove their glove, so our homicidal antagonist presciently kept the severed hand of the fratboy they're impersonating hidden beneath the shed segment of the costume to perpetuate their ruse). The enactment of the murders reveals a predisposition to suggesting more than showing, but this actually serves the film well since the overall paucity of gore makes the few images of overt splatter far more impressive and memorable as a result.Vintage Jamie Lee isn't the only time capsule gem here, and older viewers will appreciate the heavy use of throbbing disco tunes and saccharine prom funk during the party sequences. On that same note, the magic displays of a young David Copperfield also figure prominently, and his bag of tricks provides one of the best and bloodiest set-pieces in the film.The climax, where Curtis finds herself facing the malicious murderer one on one, is excellently orchestrated and their extended and violent battle provides a big pay-off that is a fitting culmination of the tension steadily building throughout the film. The twist ending probably won't catch you off guard if you're a connoisseur of the genre, but it's still a nifty finish which relies on enough clues scattered along the way to warrant a re-viewing to investigate how the film-makers pulled their trick off.Terror Train may veer off track from time to time, but any fan of '80s-era horror will find a lot to like here, and overall this is a trip well worth taking.

ersinkdotcom A group of medical students board a train for an all-night New Year's Eve party. As the night goes on and they get further away from the station, a masked killer begins picking them off one by one. They begin to suspect an old school mate is getting revenge for a hazing prank that went horribly wrong. Can they figure out who's committing the gruesome murders before the killer changes his costume again and claims another victim? "Terror Train" is exactly what the producers promised it would be. It's "Halloween" on a train with scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis earning her crown and magician David Copperfield providing some entertainment for the evening. This is an essential film for any collector of early 1980s slasher and horror films. http://contributor.yahoo.com/user/849014/eric_shirey.html