The film’s Oscar-winning director will have a new sci-fi epic in cinemas very soon.

Our TV movie pick for tonight (Tuesday, 18 February) is Snowpiercer, the incredible 2013 sci-fi action thriller from Oscar-winning filmmaker Bong Joon-ho (Parasite, Okja, the upcoming Mickey 17).

Based on a French graphic novel, the film takes place on an Earth ravaged by a new ice age, where humanity’s last survivors shelter in a state-of-the-art, self-sustaining, globe-spanning super train.

The passengers on the train are segregated, however, with the elite in the extravagant front cars and the poor crammed into squalid tail compartments overseen by armed guards.

The constant mistreatment of these “tailies” leads one of them named Curtis (played by Chris Evans, Captain America) to lead an ambitious revolt for “control of the engine and the future of the world”.

Featuring a great ensemble cast – including Alison Pill, Ed Harris, Ewen Bremmer, Jamie Bell, John Hurt, Octavia Spencer, Song Kang-ho and an unrecognisable Tilda Swinton – Snowpiercer’s initial cinema release was delayed and scaled back due to Harvey Weinstein demanding 25 minutes be cut from the movie, something which thankfully did not come to pass.

Despite these distribution issues, the film has become a real cult classic – earning a huge amount of acclaim for its unique setting, its hard-hitting action-set pieces, its angry social commentary and its ingeniously propulsive plot of Curtis and his fellow tailies fighting their way through the train compartments.

With a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score, Snowpiercer even got a TV reboot starring Jennifer Connelly that ran for four seasons.

The original movie is airing on TV tonight on ITV4 at 10pm. It is also available to stream on Netflix.

Also, if you’d like to seize the rare opportunity to see Snowpiercer in cinemas, Dublin’s Light House Cinema is screening the film on 5 March. This is to mark the release of Bong’s new sci-fi Mickey 17 which stars Robert Pattinson and is out in cinemas on 7 March.

Here are the other movies on TV tonight:

Bad Boys For Life – Film4 – 9pm

‘Bad boys, bad boys / Whatcha gonna do?’

Why Him? – Comedy Central – 9pm

In this comedy, a father (Bryan Cranston) tries to stop his daughter’s immature tech-millionaire boyfriend (James Franco) from asking her to marry him.

Striking Distance – Legend – 9pm

Bruce Willis plays a former homicide detective on the hunt for a serial killer in this watchable ’90s thriller.

Mindscape – Legend Xtra – 9pm

In this 2013 thriller, a detective (Mark Strong) who can probe people’s minds must determine if a troubled teenager (Taissa Farmiga) is a sociopath capable of murder, or a victim of trauma.

One More Shot – Sky Max – 9pm

Scott Adkins reprises his role as a Navy SEAL in this action sequel edited to appear as if it was shot in a single continuous take.

Die Hard – Film4 – 11.25pm

We’ve arguably saved the best for last, as Bruce Willis stars again in this absolute action classic.

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