← Back to results
Runaway Train
1985 111 min United States of America R 16+
★7.6
Action, Thriller, Drama, Adventure
Director: Andrei Konchalovsky
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
A hardened convict and a younger prisoner escape from a brutal prison in the middle of winter only to find themselves on an out-of-control train with a female railway worker while being pursued by the vengeful head of security.
Budget:
$9M
US Gross:
$7.68M
Worldwide:
$7.94M
Starring
Jon Voight
Actor
Eric Roberts
Actor
Rebecca De Mornay
Actor
Awards
Golden Globe 1986
— Best Actor (Drama)
Academy Awards 1986
— Best Actor
Golden Globe 1986
— Best Picture (Drama)
Academy Awards 1986
— Best Supporting Actor
Academy Awards 1986
— Best Film Editing
Cannes Film Festival 1986
— Palme d'Or
Golden Globe 1986
— Best Actor (Drama)
Key opinion
Runaway Train is widely regarded as a gripping, high-stakes thriller that elevates itself above genre conventions through deep existential themes and powerful lead performances. While most viewers praise its intensity and symbolic weight, some find the narrative pacing uneven and the lead character’s demeanor polarizing.
| Acting | John Voight’s intense, career-defining performance anchors the film, effectively capturing the protagonist's complex shift from nihilistic rage to unexpected self-sacrifice. | |
| Direction | Andrei Konchalovsky’s direction expertly transforms a high-concept action premise into a tense, philosophical meditation on humanity and freedom. | |
| Cinematography | The cinematography brilliantly utilizes the Alaskan landscape and the train’s mechanical scale to create a visceral, claustrophobic atmosphere. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay—based on an unproduced Akira Kurosawa script—is lauded for its intellectual depth and subtext, providing a weight rarely seen in 1980s action cinema. | |
| Pacing | The pacing divides audiences: many find the tension relentless and masterful, while others feel the film is hindered by an overlong, static prologue and slow dialogue segments. | |
| Acting | Eric Roberts' performance is debated; some see it as a believable, vulnerable portrayal of a simpleton, while others find his early scenes to be instances of overacting. |