Short version: The Midnight Meat Train fulfills expectations in the gore department, but completely surprises by providing a solid story as well.

Screen Rant reviews The Midnight Meat Train

[Editor's Note: This is Bruce Simmons' first "official" movie review for Screen Rant]

First, I have to preface this with the fact that I have not seen a lot of films based on Clive Barker’s work.  The idea of excessive gore just doesn’t work for me and I tend to dodge or duck movies that contain it.  If I find myself stuck in a movie like this, I tend to squint.  It blurs the details and I can get through it.  My only exposure to Barker’s work has been Hellraiser and Candyman.  I remember being grossed out with Hellraiser, but that’s that.  I’ve usually run screaming from the room when I hear a Clive Barker project is coming on the screen.  It’s embarrassing, really, but I can’t help it.

You may not have heard much about the film The Midnight Meat Train. It was based on a story by Clive Barker and was supposed to be released by Lionsgate. A while back there was a lot of buzz around this film due to the fact that Lionsgate basically “buried” the movie, releasing it on only about 100 screens throughout the entire U.S.

Well FEARnet has a special holiday treat for horror movie fans…

I first had a glimpse of Midnight Meat Train at the 2007 Comic-Con. Lionsgate screened a trailer for a small group of movie site owners, but then nothing more has really been heard of it since.I thought it might go straight to DVD, but it looks like it’s getting a theatrical release – but just barely.

The word is that the film, which is based on a short story by well known horror writer Clive Barker, will be getting a very small release.

Small, as in about 100 theaters.

Oh, and it’s opening on August 1st, same weekend as Mummy 3. Ouch.

However it seems that Mr. Barker is very happy with the film and would like to see a wider release before it heads to the DVD shelf: