An original screenplay by World of Wonder—the L.A.-based production company specializing in LGBTQ+ documentaries and series—this movie shares the comedic sensibilities of John Waters and Charles Busch drag classics like Die, Mommie, Die! and Psycho Beach Party. These films look beyond basic ‘men dressed in drag’ tropes, treating drag as a high-art form fueled by satire, parody, and camp. Utilizing a stellar ensemble of RuPaul’s Drag Race reality stars, the film strikes a magical casting balance. Riffing on disaster spoofs like Airplane! comedic director Adam Shankman (Hairspray, Rock of Ages) delivers a wealth of camp hilarity that makes this romp mostly work.
Stop! That! Train! is a tight, rapid-fire, 92-minute disaster farce that plays like a glitter-soaked love letter to the Zucker brothers’ legendary work, including Airplane! and The Naked Gun. Of course, given the Zuckers’ well-known conservative leanings, they would likely be irate to see their trademark parody methods deployed in such an unapologetically gay film amidst the current political milieu. Yet, a romp like this serves as a refreshing reminder of just how much queer cinema has evolved; where a film of this caliber would have been relegated to a strictly limited release just 10 to 15 years ago, Stop! That! Train! is now enjoying a wide theatrical release. Furthermore, as a pure joke delivery system, it generates far more consistent laughs than the recent Scary Movie reboot.
Courtesy Bleeker Street
Just as the train embarks on its high-profile journey toward Los Angeles, an unprecedented, catastrophic weather anomaly known as a “Stormaganza” strikes. The storm forces the high-speed locomotive onto an abandoned, out-of-control track. With the brakes shot, the train begins swerving, looping, and corkscrewing down the line at breakneck speed. To survive the impending doom, the plucky, down-to-earth coach-class besties must put aside their differences and join forces with a trio of pathologically snobby first-class flight attendants (played with icy, hyper-theatrical perfection by Brooke Lynn Hytes, Symone, and Marcia Marcia Marcia), a panicked crew, and the President of the United States herself (RuPaul) to save the passengers and Stop! That! Train!
Even better, RuPaul’s Madame President reveals a hilariously totalitarian streak, with her and her staffers routinely mistreating journalists and threatening draconian measures if the press asks challenging questions. She even has a panic button at her desk capable of triggering a war with Russia at any moment. The real standouts here are Ginger Minj and Jujubee as the central best friends whose bond is tested just as the Stormaganza hits. While the entire film is a riotous farce, it frequently recalls Pedro Almodóvar’s queer comedy I’m So Excited!, which similarly trapped a cohort of passengers facing imminent doom inside an unapologetically campy narrative. Shankman gets clever on a technical level much like Almodóvar did, turning cheesy special effects into a stylistic advantage while allowing the vibrant art direction, fashion, and decor to elevate the film’s production value.
The script throws everything at the wall—from passengers partying hard on cocktails to Tess instantly becoming a fan favorite aboard the train. Some gags land beautifully, like Missi Pyle’s turn as a relentlessly horny divorcee and a brilliant cameo by Sarah Michelle Gellar as a nameless actress whom everyone keeps blowing off. Not all the humor connects, however; the B-plots involving the control room and a businessman griping about his bizarre preference for keeping babies in the womb fall flat. Ultimately, though, the film is mostly amusing and pleasing, making it a massive relief to see an unapologetically queer comedy execute its vision with such pride and playfulness.
Stop That Train is now playing in theaters!
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