Program Note
A high-speed train traveling from Taipei to Kaohsiung in just 96 minutes. Onboard are Kang-Ren, a former bomb disposal officer, and his fiancée. They are returning from a memorial service for the victims of a major shopping mall explosion three years earlier. Haunted by the guilt of not being able to save everyone in that incident, Kang-Ren quit his job and has refused his superior's requests to return. But when a warning reveals that a bomb has been planted on their speeding train, Kang-Ren finds himself forced to confront explosives once again on a train that cannot be stopped. True to its title, the film immerses viewers in the tense events unfolding within a real - time 96 - minute countdown. The claustrophobic setting, Kang-Ren's painful past and inner struggles, and the stories of various passengers intensify the suspense. Strong performances by Taiwanese stars Austin Lin and Vivian Sung add depth and emotional weight. In this story, what may be more terrifying than the bomb is the evil hidden within human nature. (Martin LEE)