"Transsiberian" is, in my opinion, one of the best thrillers and suspense movies that have hit the big screen in the recent years. It's got it all to grip and keep the viewer firmly glued to the seat until the final credits start to roll -because there is a story to tell until that very moment.
The movie follows American couple Roy (Woody Harrelson) and Jesse (wonderful Emily Mortimer), who have gone to China to help their church and decide to return on the Transsiberian line across said part of Russia. But they're in for more than they bargained for when they meet the mysterious young couple made up by Carlos (Eduardo Noriega) and Abby (Kate Mara), and nasty surprises begin to come up...
"Transsiberian" is one of those movies which, based on a simple script and just a handful of characters, always manage to surprise the viewer or, at least, keep them interested and guessing -and you probably won't always be able to guess correctly, because there are enough u-turns and red herrings to keep your interest always up. All of the above is enhanced and delivered by a cast in a state of grace -like I said, Emily Mortimer is superb as the main character, a loyal wife and church-goer who, nevertheless, has her own skeletons in the cupboard; but Harrelson, Noriega, Mara, and Ben Kingsley all offer remarkable performances and bring their characters to life, lending them enormous credibility and individuality as nuanced characters, neither all good nor all bad. Not to miss are also the locations, and the train itself, with its ample gallery of peoples from different parts of the world. It is interesting to note that those characters, who seem to have been put there for purposes of adding color and realism to the story, look neutral, picturesque or even funny at first, but suddenly acquire more threatening and somber shadows as the tone of the narration turns more tense and suspenseful and things begin to go wrong for our protagonists.
There is more to "Transsiberian" that is worthy of note, and I vividly recommend this movie to any fan of suspense stories with lots of action and psychological insight.
The movie follows American couple Roy (Woody Harrelson) and Jesse (wonderful Emily Mortimer), who have gone to China to help their church and decide to return on the Transsiberian line across said part of Russia. But they're in for more than they bargained for when they meet the mysterious young couple made up by Carlos (Eduardo Noriega) and Abby (Kate Mara), and nasty surprises begin to come up...
"Transsiberian" is one of those movies which, based on a simple script and just a handful of characters, always manage to surprise the viewer or, at least, keep them interested and guessing -and you probably won't always be able to guess correctly, because there are enough u-turns and red herrings to keep your interest always up. All of the above is enhanced and delivered by a cast in a state of grace -like I said, Emily Mortimer is superb as the main character, a loyal wife and church-goer who, nevertheless, has her own skeletons in the cupboard; but Harrelson, Noriega, Mara, and Ben Kingsley all offer remarkable performances and bring their characters to life, lending them enormous credibility and individuality as nuanced characters, neither all good nor all bad. Not to miss are also the locations, and the train itself, with its ample gallery of peoples from different parts of the world. It is interesting to note that those characters, who seem to have been put there for purposes of adding color and realism to the story, look neutral, picturesque or even funny at first, but suddenly acquire more threatening and somber shadows as the tone of the narration turns more tense and suspenseful and things begin to go wrong for our protagonists.
There is more to "Transsiberian" that is worthy of note, and I vividly recommend this movie to any fan of suspense stories with lots of action and psychological insight.