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Sometimes the synopsis of a film just calls out to me. I can't always put my finger on exactly what it is, but something just screams at me that I have to see that film. Quite often it leads me down the track of watching some abysmal films, but that was not the case when it came to 'Night Train'. What I found instead was a little gem (so to speak).

I love films set entirely in one place. Always have done. And trains are one of my favourite settings too because although they're all one place, each cabin can be entirely different, and characters can be in the story without a clue as what is actually going on around them. 'Night Train' was a surprisingly suspenseful ride from start to finish. It achieved what very few modern horror/thrillers manage to do and that is to get me on the edge of my seat and keep me there. Leelee Sobieski had a lot to do with this. She was a real presence on the screen and kept me hooked with everything she said and did.

There's a real creepy atmosphere throughout this one. It has very much a 'Twilight Zone' feel to it, only with slightly better actors, a little more action and obviously a touch longer. I also loved the underlying psychology of the story. We really are a strange race sometimes. I loved this film and if you are able to track it down somewhere please give it a watch. You'll be pleased you did.

" Night Train" is a quirky and hard to define movie, but nevertheless an enjoyable experience. Its seems to be a dedication to the golden oldies of the 1940's, the era of Peter Lorre , Sidney Greenstreet and other amazing character actors that all but disappeared these days. The plot is a strange mix of thriller, comedy ,slasher and even religious metaphor about greed. And, unfortunately it is where some of its troubles begun. The talented director seems to hop from one genre to another like a confused fly. It adds to a certain level of frustration in this little irritated albeit good natured viewer. To sum it up: I'll rather have a bit troubled effort than stale and predictable rubbish.

I'm a fan of low budget film-making and I am convinced that from the truly talented filmmakers monetary limitations bring out the best in terms of creativity.

Night Train is basically a chamber piece. The whole story takes place within the compartments of a long train riding relentlessly through the darkness on Christmas eve. All the exterior shots are rather cheap looking CGI of the passenger train going ahead in the snow blizzard which in itself is not distracting, on the contrary - the darkness outside increases the gloomy, disturbing atmosphere inside the train. The set design is problematic though. The interior of the train makes it look like we're in the past, early in the last century. I was under the impression that that was the case - even the way people dress in the movie fueled this conviction - but then around 40 minutes into the film one of the characters uses a cell phone.

Although the tech credits are okay, by the look of the inside of the train I could see the film was shot somewhere in Eastern Europe and firing up IMDb I saw I was right. So it's not the dodgy CGI but the unnecessarily confusing set design what gives away the low budget of the film.

Plotwise it's all seen it all before. Many people refer to Shallow Grave in the threads here - yes, the setup recalls that movie, but then halfway through the story it takes a turn into a far more mysterious direction. Problem is, up until that time the plot is very predictable and goes through the usual motions (albeit in fast forward, given the time constraints) as characters debate what to do with the dead body and the loot, begin to act suspiciously to each other and to outsiders then ultimately turn on each other. This mechanical plot takes over from characterization, so after the twist in the midpoint when events become less predictable it's hard to really care because the characters remain thin and uninteresting.

Acting is okay, Danny Glover gives a low-key performance that suits the purposes of the film, while Zahn apparently tries to bring out the best of his clichéd role. Leelee Sobielski is quite convincing at first with her deadpan reactions and attitude but later gives a kind of performance which is borderline comic - I am not sure if this was intentional.

The unfortunate set design and some grave credibility issues (I am no expert of US police procedure but the way a detective handles the situation later on in the film seems quite ridiculous, plus even on Christmas it is hard to imagine only a handful of people would take a train that has a dozen carriages, a working bar and kitchen but no other staff than two attendants) make this a slightly worse than average movie.

Leelee Sobieski is the main reason for seeing this low-budget train thriller. From a mousy medical student in a watch cap in the beginning to a cleaver-wielding, blood-spattered maiden of death by the end, she gives a performance of unsettling ferocity.

A train has stopped in the darkness during a snowstorm and two conductors, one of them Danny Glover in decent-guy mode, are on the tracks smoking when a man clutching a package stumbles out of the woods. The conductors allow him on board with the understanding he'll buy his ticket later. Once aboard, the stranger settles in a lounge car, where he swallows a bunch of pills, washing them down with vodka. Next thing you know, he's dead of an overdose.

Only two other people were in the lounge car to witness this, an alcoholic salesman played by Steve Zahn in his usual goofball-loser mode and a medical student with a studious, ultra-serious demeanor played by Sobieski. They call the death to the attention of the conductor played by Glover.

They become curious about the man's package and look inside. It contains a small wooden box with perforations allowing them to see what's inside, which is apparently worth a king's ransom because everybody who looks inside gasps in wonder. This is our macguffin and it serves much the same purpose as the briefcase in "Pulp Fiction." It doesn't really matter what's inside; you just know everybody wants it.

The three conspire. First order of business -- disposing of the body (black, black humor). Then things get complicated. Turns out the three conspirators are not the only ones who knew the stranger was on the train with his package. You know nothing good is going to come of this and you are absolutely right. Betrayal. Mayhem. Murder.

In order to enjoy this movie, you have to overlook a lot of major implausibilities. For such a long train, there's hardly anyone aboard. Plot points involving night ice fishing and murderous electrical tape are also hard to swallow.

All the exteriors of the train hurtling down the track at what looks like 200 mph are cheap CGI. Doesn't matter. We get it -- fast train, darkness, lots of snow, in the middle of nowhere.

And then there's Leelee Sobieski, icily delivering lines with blood on her face and insanity in her eyes. Whoa.

It definitely is not some first run Hollywood flick, but it had good American actors and not a horrible plot. You see this mysterious stranger dies on a train, and only three people see him. Well he has this mysterious box, oh so evil, that warps each person's mind with dreams of riches then sows strife amongst the passengers who are trying to claim it. It has horror elements to it, the original box bearer was hacked up after death to aid in the disposal of the body by Leelee Sobieski, some buttoned down pre-med student severely bitten by the greed bug. Danny Glover is the train's conductor who tries to be all moral and fair, and Steve Zahn plays his trademark loser rogue role as a drunken salesman who sees his big break. Of course, the dead man has others trailing him who too were smitten by the greed thing. And soon more bodies start piling up on top of the first one who was an accidental drug overdose. The ending really was sort of a let down, it's like everyone on the train was somehow already or got involved and started shooting everything and everyone to pieces as the box exerted its malignant supernatural influence all around, even on the people who didn't peer inside, which is what hooks someone on the greed hate thing. The noirish, creepy atmosphere set design, a mix of modern and 1940s, was interesting and the cgi animation of the exterior shots of the train winding down line in the snow were adequate for the film. It was made in Bulgaria. But the lame ending, when they needed to concentrate on the initial triumvirate of conspirators, made it fall short of the mark. It could have become a good cult film with a better ending, not just endless twists of the supporting cast popping as greed treasure seekers to create more mayhem.