TransSiberian (2008)

Wonderful Movie

One of my all time favorites.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

On a Trans-Siberian train journey from China to Moscow an American couple get caught up in a conspiracy of deception and murder when they encounter a mysterious pair of fellow travellers.With a handful of main characters director Brad Anderson offers an American fish out of water thriller with a meandering off beat story by Will Conroy which helps build the tension, especially cultural throughout. There are some shootings, attempted rape and torture, in addition for a low key drug smuggling yarn there are stunts and an impressive train crash. Woody Harrelson interestingly plays against wacky type cast as an everyday nice guy husband of Jessie (Emily Mortimer). Mortimer gives a convincing performance and has some depth which helps sell the situations she finds herself in after befriending drug traffickers Carlos (Eduardo Noriega) and Abby (Kate Mara).Ben Kingsley is fitting as Grinko, a snooping Russian narcotics officer. Notable is Thomas Kretschmann as Kolzak Yushenkov, Grinko's right-hand man. And Noriega's dodgy Carlos is particularly convincing. While Mortimer steals the show, Mara also well cast as the lead astray out of her depth partner of Carlos. There's plenty of double cross and simmering character dynamics, imposing quiet Grinko befriending the couple to solve his smuggling case. Abby and Jessie's rivalry and Carlos' sexual tension with Jessie to name a few. The atmosphere is reminiscent of Citizen X (1995) with its snowy cold on location feel. Anderson creates some grounded fear and suspense as Jessie is put through the mill in this traditional taut thriller with a few twists. Recommend sleeper thriller.

The more of Harrelson I see, the more my respect for his work grows. We see his struggle to fight back at any cost. I seriously loved this film.This film has something which lots of films in this genre are missing, it has heart. Harrelson seems to have been born for this role. He has more one liners than any character in recent memory.Each line is typically vulgar but even if offensive it is near impossible not to laugh. Woody Harrelson has just the right cult status and persona for this type of film.Woody Harrelson's performance is terrific. There are some pretty funny scenes, and you will laugh from beginning to end. The small cast was obviously having a great time when they made it, and all four characters did a very good job of fitting with the style of the movie.And so our heroes all long for symbols of childhood: family, friends, old school amusement parks, babies, dogs, snack foods, 80s media, Betamax, community etc, anything that existed before the technological leaps of the early 90s escalated technocapitalism and ramped up the postmodern experience. But more so, these films reflect humanity's inability to even imagine or conceive of a future. It's a good movie, it actually is funny, all the blood (which there's plenty) fits alright.. The first thing I wanted to do when the credits began to scroll, was get up from my couch, find myself a cast-iron skillet and run outside to smash some brains! All in all it's worth watching. All the acting was good. So, yeah, why not, check it out. Woody Harrelson is unsurprisingly the movie's saving grace. He's got great one liners, and his charisma alone carried the movie for me.

I started watching this with great anticipation - but when I see the 1st murder - that was it. I shut down and refused to continue watching the violence and ongoing uncertain terror!But I was curious about what would happen - so I continued until I got to the torture scene.I was so upset, I threw the DVD away. and refuse to watch any future R movie! WHY do they have to have such graphic violence and torture! It was terrible! This is NOT entertainment! I'm glad it failed at the box office!It was not boring and predictable and some say above. I guess I'm just feint of heart for not being able to stomach the scenes of murder and torture! and the screaming!!!

An international cast and a beautiful and stylish first hour... we're off to more than a good start. Unfortunately things are quite predictable at times and the eventual conclusion, when the train is brought to the desolate area, made me wonder if Carlos' steps hadn't been easier to trace, and much earlier on as well? Or was it necessary to get that torture scene in there? Also, the use of semi-profound one-liners was working counterproductive. Again, a bit of a disappointment by Brad 'The Machinist' Anderson, even if that first hour is very much okay. An extra kudos to Emily Mortimer; well played and wonderful charisma.6 out of 10.