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Night Train

Night Train

200991 minRMidcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
Director
Brian King
Starring
Danny Glover, Steve Zahn, Leelee Sobieski, Geoff Bell

Two Passengers and the conductor discover that a person has passed away on their Night Train cabin. They come across valuable diamonds on his person, that they decide to keep for themselves...

Where to watch

Where can I watch Night Train?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Night Train streaming on Howdy via Prime Video, Prime Video and The Roku Channel (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Night Train?

Night Train earns 4 badges, led by Christmas pick and Unsettling.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Night Train worth watching?

Night Train's Midcredits score is the 29th percentile of all films, from 13K ratings across 4 sources. 34% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

29th percentile

Better received than 29% of films

28th percentile among Crime29th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)31st
Approval (how many liked it)29th

56 /100

31st percentile of all films

29th percentile among Crime31st percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.8 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

34% liked it

29th percentile of all films

29th percentile among Crime26th percentile among 2000s
34% rated it 7–1066% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

87th percentile

13K ratings across platforms

83rd percentile among Crime80th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 24% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors agree the film is a low-budget thriller with a promising setup that eventually gives way to a supernatural twist and a weak conclusion.

Fans praised

  • Leelee Sobieski's ferocious turn from mousy student to killer
  • tense, well-paced suspense on a confined train
  • symbolic wooden box and supernatural twist add intrigue

Detractors panned

  • deplorable low-budget effects and cheap sets
  • mechanical plot that sacrifices character depth
  • ending that fails to resolve the central mystery

What stands out

Atmosphere70

Claustrophobic train compartments and noir-ish tone

Originality70

Fresh take on the Pandora's box myth, but derivative of noir and 'The Box'

ActingDivisive65

Leelee Sobieski's intense performance, with mixed reactions to her later crazed turn

TensionDivisive65

Moderate suspense with some effective cat-and-mouse moments

PacingDivisive60

Slow-burn buildup that works for some, drags for others

Plot and storyDivisive55

Intriguing supernatural premise undermined by plot holes and a weak ending

Characters50

Thin characterization, but some empathy for the greedy, hopeful trio

Ending35

Dissatisfying conclusion with a 'sequel-bait' ending and unresolved mystery

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 12 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 7 points apart

Watch experience

What is Night Train like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you unsettled.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTense
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Bleak · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Single location · 5% of films: Confined to essentially one place throughout.
ToneThe film plays its supernatural thriller with a straight face, building paranoia and dread, with moments of dark comedy.
The rideThe mood is dominated by a mounting sense of dread and tension that peaks in the final act.
StructureThe narrative unfolds chronologically and is confined almost entirely to the train cars.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

UnsettlingHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's bleak conclusion and the lingering image of the box corrupting another innocent leaves a disturbing, unsettled feeling.
How it ends · evidence
Tragic endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1% (this title)
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Inner demon: The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.

21% of films fit this archetype

with Tragedy underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe story is a contained thriller where a mysterious artifact corrupts a small group of passengers on a nearly empty train, leading to their downfall.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfCorruption
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% (this title) · Greed 3% (this title) · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Corruption · 3% of filmsGreed · 3% of filmsBetrayal · 5% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how greed and temptation corrupt ordinary people, turning them against each other.
StanceThe film warns about the corrupting power of greed and temptation on ordinary individuals.

The world

ContemporaryIn transitRuralRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Henning Lohner
Settinga nearly deserted night train on Christmas Eve

Content guide

Is Night Train okay for kids?

R

Night Train is rated R: “Rated R for violent content and some language” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at mild (19/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at moderate (50/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • UK15
  • France12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (19 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Night Train have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Night Train?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Danny Glover
as Miles
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Steve Zahn
as Pete
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Leelee Sobieski
as Chloe
Geoff Bell
as Detective
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Matthias Schweighöfer
as Frankie
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Togo Igawa
as Yamashita
Richard O'Brien
as Mrs. Froy
Constantine Gregory
as Mr. Gutman
Takatsuna Mukai
as Hiro
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Jo Marr
as Mr. Cairo
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Night Train?

Movies like Night Train include Dirty (2005), Midsommar (2019) and Train (2008). Of the 4 closest matches, half are stories of toxic codependency, and half are films about corruption.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

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What else shares a premise, people or place with Night Train?

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