They’re going off the rails on a crazy train (and other metaphors) in this 1985 film that stars Jon Voight and Eric Roberts as a pair of convicts who escape an Alaska prison and hop aboard a locomotive. Of course, they get trapped on the one train that somehow doesn’t have an engineer. The out-of-control locomotive goes hurtling through the Alaskan tundra as those on board attempt to put on the brakes. Meanwhile, the two cons, along with a female love interest (the only railway worker left on the train), are being pursued by the prison’s administrator. This all leads to an inevitable battle in the engine room between the movie’s heroic prisoner on the run and the vindictive prison official. Guess who wins! Despite its action-cliché premise, the film’s two actors both received Academy Award nominations.
Top 10 Train Movies
Trains—both deluxe and down-market—have served as prime cinematic locales. TIME takes a look at the best locomotive-heavy films.