This movie could have been a brilliant one but falls short due to over simplification.Roy and Jessie are an American couple on board the transsiberian train from beijing to moscow.This particular route has its fair share of crime with drug transfers via 'mules'(innocent looking people transferring drugs from one location to the other)being rampant.A Spanish hombre Carlos and his American girlfriend Abby become the compartment mates of Roy and Jessie.And the darkness builds up on the white snow...
Emily Mortimer is splendid as Jessie,an amateur photographer, with a wild past.She is a good wife,but irrational and confused sometimes, unwillingly giving way to her wild side through her inherent goodness.Eduardo Noriega (Carlos) is enigmatic as the Macho,Attractive yet Impolite Spaniard,with a sense of danger lurking in his eyes.His pushy side, while repelling for a sedate person, draws adventurous individuals towards him like a magnet.Woody Harrelson ( Roy ) and Kate Mara ( Abby ) do not have enough screen time.However Ben KIngsley delivers an outstanding cameo as Russian narcotics division detective Grinko.
The Russian cold is captured effectively, the screenplay is taut, the camera captures the vivid icy desolation of Russia with some haunting imagery.These are the things that work for the movie.
However, this is not a Whoddunit movie and the Agatha Christie genre of the Orient Express should not be brought into consideration here.The movie focuses on select individuals and is definitely thrilling.The ending is over-contrived and somewhat ludicrous and spoils the building up of tension.The movie never grips the audience,but due to its overall quality definitely worth watching.
Emily Mortimer is splendid as Jessie,an amateur photographer, with a wild past.She is a good wife,but irrational and confused sometimes, unwillingly giving way to her wild side through her inherent goodness.Eduardo Noriega (Carlos) is enigmatic as the Macho,Attractive yet Impolite Spaniard,with a sense of danger lurking in his eyes.His pushy side, while repelling for a sedate person, draws adventurous individuals towards him like a magnet.Woody Harrelson ( Roy ) and Kate Mara ( Abby ) do not have enough screen time.However Ben KIngsley delivers an outstanding cameo as Russian narcotics division detective Grinko.
The Russian cold is captured effectively, the screenplay is taut, the camera captures the vivid icy desolation of Russia with some haunting imagery.These are the things that work for the movie.
However, this is not a Whoddunit movie and the Agatha Christie genre of the Orient Express should not be brought into consideration here.The movie focuses on select individuals and is definitely thrilling.The ending is over-contrived and somewhat ludicrous and spoils the building up of tension.The movie never grips the audience,but due to its overall quality definitely worth watching.