Rating: 
Summary: Jon Voight in one of his best roles
Review: In this phenomenally strong movie, we see Jon Voight playing Manny, a truly hardened criminal. I think this is the best part he has ever played. Not one second you think that he is someone acting, he is Manny. Also Eric Roberts finally plays a part in which he fits perfectly. The movie contains some extreme violent acts, and some very strong dialogue. Buy this movie, it will definately leave an impression.
Rating:
Summary: Substitute for air conditioning.
Review: It'll cool the room by ten degrees. (Unless of course your mind works contrariwise in which it will heat it up by the same)I loved it at the time, when I saw it twice, owned it on videotape, gotten it for friends (they thought it was weird) am now getting the DVD. I'll be interested in seeing it after saturating myself with Kurosawa for a while (I think the original story came from him).
Rating: 
Summary: Still love it, but had one small problem with it.
Review: It's still one of my favorite movies ever, and I would have given 5 stars, but in one scene I noticed some editing from the original vhs version I have. This dvd didn't show the guard go under the train, just the wheels instead. Frankly I don't appreciate this kind of tampering, but the movie is still tough. It nice being able to watch it in widescreen though too.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Acting, Brutal and Dark Movie, Incredible Ending
Review: Jon Voight gives a Tour de Force performance in this dark, brutal, but uplifting action/drama. The cinematography is terrific and the train action is very realistic, considering that this movie was made over 15 years ago. The character's struggle for freedom and coming to terms with impending disaster on a train is handled well by a great script and brilliant acting. Both Voight and Roberts were nominated for Oscars for their prospective roles. The ending is one of the most overwelming and beautiful finishes you will ever see in any movie. It will definately make you think! Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Runaway Train is the best film that you haven't seen!
Review: Jon Voight in his most intense, believable role ever as Oscar Manheim, supported by an extremely underrated Eric Roberts. Both actors were nominated by the Academy that year for Runaway Train (which earned a Best Picture nomination). You won't believe it until you see it. The most compelling, gripping human drama ever captured on film. You won't regret buying this movie!
Rating:
Summary: High drama and intensity
Review: Jon Voight's riveting performance and his battle onboard the train with a prison warden are the most compelling moments in this otherwordly movie about escaped convicts and a railroad employee on a runaway train headed for disaster in the Alaskan wilderness. This film begins with a prison riot -- filmed at an actual prison in Alaska -- and the white hot pace never lets up for a moment...until the closing scene where Voight takes the engine to oblivion. Along the way, viewers are treated to one of Voight's best performances since "Midnight Cowboy". The cast is comprised of character actors Eric Roberts and John P. Ryan in significant roles with sexpot Rebecca De Mornay playing the railroad employee on board the runaway with convicts Voight and Roberts. They stir up a lot of mayhem running through a red light and crashing with another train and going over a rickety bridge about 100 MPH before facing the inevitable when they are pushed onto a siding with only a fatal end in sight. This movie has an extraordinarily high intensity level comparable to another great train movie, 1974's "The Taking of Pelham One-Two-Three". The intensity and drama never relents throughout the 111 minutes of screen time. The script isn't much and the plot is lean but the action, violence and high voltage footage will keep you locked to the screen during this most exciting movie.
Rating:
Summary: Not perfect but VERY watchable!
Review: Let me start by giving you some notes about the DVD. It's a bare- bones disc, with little done to give the purchaser more insight into the movie's production. It only contains the trailer; no added features like production stills, commentary, or even a "making of" page to scroll through. Most people that watch Train liked it, and I for one would liked to have seen some background about the development of the movie. Quite a decent yarn of two convicts -- one seasoned and numbed of almost all feelings and one rookie that yearns to be accepted -- who meet while imprisoned in Stonehaven Maximum Security Prison, housing the nation's toughest (or most despicable) convicts. I became curious about Train while thumbing through a movie review book. If you watch this expecting to be disappointed in the movie's plot or characters, you'll most likely enjoy it. If you demand perfection from the production and technical aspects, you'll not be quite as thrilled, and I'll tell you why. Oscar Manheim (Jon Voight) was a very believable character, and pairing him with Buck McGehee (Eric Roberts) was rather enjoyable. Lacking a solid plan to escape, they just kept digging themselves a bigger hole each time they made a decision to escape Stonehaven Prison, headed by Warden Ranken (John P. Ryan). FYI, "Ranken" is the correct spelling. I was most surprised by Eric Roberts.... The poor guy has been in the shadow of the career of his sister Julia Roberts and hasn't been nearly as successful in his acting career. Eric developed Buck's character well as a dim- witted felon, convicted of "statustory" rape, as Buck pronounces it. He tries to show a tough exterior in his actions throughout his criminal life, but Sara (Rebecca De Mornay) helps break down that wall. Maybe it was love but the movie was not a love story -- not one kiss was thrown. ***SLIGHT SPOILER, SKIP*** It becomes the viewer's decision to contemplate what happens to the main characters after the quote from Shakespeare fades because we don't actually see the conclusion when Manny rides atop the lead engine.
***END OF SLIGHT SPOILER*** A few drawbacks: Some of the language was poorly dubbed, like T.K. Carter's character; sometimes the filming of the train was cranked up to give an appearance of speed; some of the snow scenes are abviously enhanced with haze to give an illusion of wind- driven snow. That's why I deducted a major star. Yet the story and plot development tends to keep the viewer entertained. Some might pick on a lack of development of the characters and what drives them. To me, Manny's survival depended on burying his past. And I think an attempt to delve into details about Sara and Buck would slow the film down. For Pete's sake, they're trying to stop a runaway locomotive before it kills them! I have the DVD and have watched it PLENTY of times. It's particularly nice to watch on a cold grey day. The end will leave you thinking, as well. Just make sure to digest the writing quoted from Richard III by William Shakespeare. PS- A note for wrestling and NBA fans: There's an African American guard named Jackson, played by Tom "Tiny" Lister, Jr (he is in the elevator). According to imdb.com, he had a short career in the NBA. He also was in the WWF for half a year in 1989 as Zeus and also was in the WCW as ZGangsta.
Rating:
Summary: runaway convicts,trains and lots of snow & ice...
Review: Marvellously under rated movie which incorrporates two things I love in a film, thrilling chase scenes and trains.John Voight really gives us an allout performance as Manny the tough as nails convict who comes to grips with hjis destiny especially with the climaz at the end.He almost overshadows Eric Roberts who tries his best as the wet behind the ears small time criminal who comes along for the ride or so he thinks. I loved the snow and the grandeur of the icy north eastern territories of Alaska,and theirs a great collision scene toward the end.Enough said.Go see this on a hot summers day.It will definitely cool you down.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful Inescapable Deadly Force and Redemption
Review: Runaway train defies many expectations. Some describe it as an action flick but it is just as much a character study. It is always gritty and harsh but there is an underlying compassion for its characters who are driven to their doom because they can't escape themselves. Movies don't get any better that listening to Voight's "Manny" generate a sense of danger by describing in detail to Roberts the power behind being able to get down on your hands and knees and scrub tile grout. In scenes like this and others Manny is brilliant and inspired as he wrings truth out of the dirty rag of his life. He evokes feelings of pity,grace and redemption yet there is never a moment where you aren't aware he is one of the most dangerous men on the planet. So dangerous that when in prison his cell was welded shut and away from other prisoners. Its a lonely, gritty and harsh film with fantastic performances and humanity in places you would never expect to look. Like the belly of an cold ugly train headed for doom in the Alaskan wilderness.
Rating:
Summary: LIBERTY TRAIN
Review: RUNAWAY TRAIN is one of the rare good movies produced by the Laurel & Hardy of Hollywood production : Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus. An original story of japanese director Akira Kurosawa filmed by Andrei Kontchalovsky, RUNAWAY TRAIN, 14 years after its theatrical release, is still steaming. With a breath-taking rythm, Jon Voight, Eric Roberts and a Rebecca DeMornay in her prime brunette youth, the Alaskan landscapes that Kontchalovsky transforms in a Siberian goulag, this movie is one of the more brilliant cat and mouse films of the last decades. Terribly pessimistic movie also since Jon Voight and Eric Roberts will only taste an illusion of liberty. An almighty God, the informatician that controls the railtracks, is leading the runaway train in any direction he wants. The shadow of Akira Kurosawa can be recognized behind this idea of men believing to be free while the Fate has already marked the end of the journey. The last scene of RUNAWAY TRAIN is a lyrical masterpiece worthy to be compared to the most visionary works of german director Werner Herzog or to the silent films of King Vidor. A haunting vision. Superb audio and video transfers. Attractive menu and a theatrical trailer. A frozen DVD.
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