Before you were born, or the birth of any other human thing, that’s how long, or longer. And now you found us, as only a few before you have. The intimate circle that keeps the secret, we protect and nurture them and order is thereby preserved. It must be done, to keep the worlds separate. You’ll understand soon enough. Now serve, as we all do, without question.

The Midnight Meat Train is the latest adaptation of a Clive Barker, The Books of Blood, short story. This time vegan, Leon (Bradley Cooper – Alias) is struggling for his big break as a photographer, and friend Jurgis (Roger Bart – Desperate Housewives) has introduced him to art aficionado Susan Hoffs (Brooke Shields), who wants intensity from his pictures. This drives him into the subways where besides photographing hoodlums in the act of bothering people, he becomes obsessed with a mysterious gentleman called Mahogany (Vinnie Jones – X-Men: The Last Stand). Between taking pictures and following Mahogany, Leon discovers he’s a butcher on several levels. But why? Who else knows? And there‘s the girlfriend Maya (Leslie Bibb – Wristcutter: A Love Story) who supports his ambitions, but worries when his obsession changes him to the point where he starts eating meat.

The Midnight Meat Train is your standard Clive Barker story put to film. You‘re dragged into the story, with absolutely no idea why anyone is doing the things that are happening, and just like a traffic accident you can‘t look away. And just like the past Barker flicks it’s well worth the watch. How can you pass on apparently senseless slaughter, blood flowing like a mountain stream, implements of the trade used in ways the will make your body parts quiver, and how can you pass up seeing Ted Raimi get bashed so hard his eyeballs pop out.

Bonus Features

Audio Commentary with Clive Barker and Director Ryuhei Kitamura

Clive Barker: The Man Behind The Myth

Anatomy Of A Murder Scene

Mahogany‘s Tale

Widescreen Presentation

English 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio

English and Spanish Subtitles

The first time I watched this movie I thought I had missed something. There were no Cenobites, none of The Breed, and no demons of revenge. Just Leon, Mahogany, and the subway. And another memorable Clive Barker tale on film. Watch it more than once.

Please, step away from the meat.

ComicsOnline gives The Midnight Meat Train 5 subway tokens to hell out of 5.