Take the Strain
During a tour of Easter Europe, some members of an American college's wrestling team decide to sneak out to a party late at night, against their coach's strict orders. When they roll up late the next morning the coach is furious and getting angrier as he struggles to get them transport to their next stop Odessa. When they board a train Alex (Thora Birch) fears something isn't right due to the way the men who work on it stare at her and soon her fears come true as they discover the train has a deadly secret as aboard they harvest organs from unwitting passengers.
Okay did I miss something or did the "Train" literally have a plot which you could have written on the back of a postage stamp. I am serious as in little more than a variation on "Hostel" we have some unwitting, or is that dumb ass, Americans on a train in Eastern Europe discovering that it is the home of a few psychos who are harvesting organs. That is it and it is nowhere near enough to sustain your interest for 94 minutes. Oh of course there is a fight for survival for are heroine but that is a given
Now in truth "Train" isn't trying to wow you with a script full of twists, turns or back story because this is all about the gore of the organ harvesting except if that is the case there is by no means enough of it. To make matters worse as gore goes the best, most graphic scene comes during the opening credits and from then on you are constantly left waiting for something decent to happen.
The most shocking thing about "Train" is that it stars Thora Birch and I am sure there will be those attracted to watch this because of her. But not once does this show Birch at her best and in truth I reckon some of those who watch because of Birch will soon turn off as it is not what they expect despite Birch being the best thing about the movie.
What this all boils down to is that it is hard to write much about "Train" as there isn't much to the movie. Worst is that what there is is actually pretty weak and it becomes hard work to watch because of this distinct lack of anything decent. At an outside chance it may just entertain those who thought "Hostel" was good but even then I am sure they will be wondering what else there is going on.
