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5.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Return of Casey Jones remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like movies where people stand around looking wounded about their reputations, you’re in the right place. It’s definitely not for anyone who needs fast pacing or, you know, a plot that doesn't feel like it was pulled from a dusty trunk in an attic. It’s a bit of a relic, but there's a weird charm to it if you're in the mood for some old-fashioned melodrama.
Jimmy’s hero worship of Casey Jones starts the whole thing off on a really earnest foot. It’s almost too sweet, honestly. When he finally grows up and becomes an engineer himself, the movie takes a sharp turn into "everybody is mean to me" territory.
The train wreck scene is… well, it’s a choice. You can see the strings and the models if you squint hard enough. It reminded me a bit of the stuff they were doing in The Still Alarm, just with more steam and less actual urgency.
The whole town decides he jumped ship to save his own skin. It’s fascinating how quickly the extras in this movie turn into a mob. One minute he’s a regular guy, the next he’s the local pariah.
I found myself wondering if anyone actually checked the brakes, or if they were just looking for an excuse to be dramatic. The way the townspeople gossip feels so staged, like they are waiting for a cue that never quite lands right. 🚂
There’s a scene where he’s trying to clear his name that just drags on for ages. You can tell the writers really wanted us to feel his pain, but it mostly just makes you want to shout, "Just show them the evidence already!" It's a bit like watching a less chaotic version of the tension in Winner Take All.
The pacing is all over the place. It speeds up whenever there’s a train, and then hits a wall whenever we have to deal with the "honor" aspect of the plot. Still, it’s a decent watch if you want to see how they handled "scandal" back in the day. It’s not quite as weird as The Cake Eater, but it’s definitely its own kind of beast.
