Money Train (1995)

Directed by: Joseph Ruben | 106 minutes | action, romance | Actors: Robert Blake, Scott Sowers, Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Lopez, Woody Harrelson, Chris Cooper

It’s not even a bad idea to have Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson team up in a movie. In ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ it resulted in a stimulating interaction. In ‘Money Train’, however, the two actors are surrounded by such a dull and clichéd script that any potential chemistry between the actors is nullified by the simple way the characters and their relationships are portrayed. In addition, for an action film, the film is very boring and there is only one interesting villain, whose role is much too short.

The joke is that Harrelson and Snipes – one black and one white – are (foster) brothers, but real thigh-banging doesn’t deliver on this concept. In addition, they are of course, very predictably, constantly at odds with each other, which leads to a very forced “break-up” halfway through the film. ‘Money Train’ has even more similarities with ‘White Men Can’t Jump’ than just the two protagonists. This time too, Harrelson’s character appears to have gambling problems and debts, and a Latina is the main female character in the film; this time Jennifer Lopez instead of Rosie Perez. Lopez is a radiant appearance and welcome eye candy for the (male) viewer, but her character has little added value. It really only serves to expose the brothers’ feelings for each other.

The script is very messy. The first hour and a half has little action anyway, but the film also doesn’t know what exactly the focus should be. The brothers and their soap-like problems (with Grace), Woody’s debts, the villain who sets the subway ticket clerks on fire, or at least the money train from the title. The last two aspects have the most potential for an exciting film, but it is precisely these elements that are most underexposed. A good villain has been found in the person of Chris Cooper, but he turns out to be just a footnote to the whole. Snipes and Harrelson’s nemesis in the subway story — their superior Donald Peterson — isn’t impressive enough, while his actions and decisions are laughable. For example, he deliberately endangers the lives of (his) agents by driving his money train into the tunnel where Snipes and Harrelson are. Purely and solely because no one is allowed to touch his train, and the timetable must be followed to the minute.

The ending of the film is quite spectacular here and there, but it’s too little, too late, and not particularly inspired either. It has all been done before and better, in Jan de Bont’s ‘Speed’ for example. The performance of ‘Money Train’ is not very bad and the actors do their best, but with this story and this direction there is simply not much to start. Unfortunate.