A pity most of you haven't seen this one. In tour de fource of writing, acting and execution, "Transsiberian" is easily one of the most compelling movies of 2008. That it got lost in the fireworks of the summer blockbusters is a shame.
"Transsiberian" follows the adventures of a church-going, midwestern American couple who decide to take the "scenic" route from Beijing to Moscow after their humanitarian mission in China had concluded. For Roy and Jessie, this is a big mistake as their road home becomes a train ride from hell for the two of them. The trouble starts when the two meet another traveling pair early on in the ride, Carlos and Abby, who seem to be less than believable as to why they are traveling through the remote regions of Russia. However, given Roy's midwestern friendliness, he allows Jessie and himself to open up to the mysterious pair as friends, thus opening the door to some suspicious plots that soon become apparent. Like a trail of breadcrumbs, this feature's tight screenplay soon offers the audience hints of what's to come but doesn't fully reveal the script's hand.
After some dramatic happenings occur during one of the train's stopovers, which to give away any hints would spoil the ride for the viewer, several events lead to the re-introduction of Ben Kingsley, who plays a Russian detective named Grinko (Kingsley was first introduced in the film's opening minutes) that ends up in the same bunking compartment as Roy And Jessie. Only during this leg of the trip, and given what's happened during the prior stopover, there is great concern on behalf of Jessie that Grinko doesn't get too close to her or her husband.
While the veiled synopsis can never do this movie justice, what I can go on to say is that this is a film that becomes increasingly suspenseful with each passing frame. Director Brad Anderson unwinds this story with great confidence and pacing, allowing for the events and surprises of the script to emerge with effective and natural timing. Anderson also does an impressive job filming in tight spaces on board the trains, with the cramped accomodations and lack of space adding a touch of discomfort and unease to the proceedings, thus ratcheting up the suspense value as well. Such tight confines play an important role in the picture as the events leading up to the final act build up in these train cars, leaving no room for escape for those who seek it. By the time the film reaches its conclusion, all elements of the script come together to forge a thouroughly satisfying and believable climax that will leave you impressed.
The acting performances in "Transsiberian" are simply terrific. Harrelson's silly, simplistic personality works well with his wife's more slightly edgy persona while Kingsley's performance as the Russian Detective is really enjoyable to see. As usual, Kinglsey pulls off the role remarkably well, speaking both in Russian and English at differing times in the film with authentic accents when needed. An interesting, different character for Sir Ben to delve into, for sure!
Overall, "Transsiberian" made for a pleasant surprise. It features plot and execution that is totally involving and the deeper one gets into the film, the more engrossing it becomes. It's above par writing, stellar performances and effective cinematography makes this one a winner no matter what genre of movies normally appeal to you. Be sure not to miss this one!
