Transsiberian (2008)

Director:

Brad Anderson

Writers (WGA):

Brad Anderson (written by) &
Will Conroy (written by)

Release Date:

24 October 2008 (Spain)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Arrive on time.

Plot:

A Trans-Siberian train journey from China to Moscow becomes a thrilling chase of deception and murder when an American couple encounters a mysterious pair of fellow travelers.

Plot Keywords:

Train | Church | China | Spaniard | Travel

Awards:

2 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Woody Harrelson	...	Roy
Emily Mortimer	...	Jessie
Ben Kingsley	...	Grinko
Kate Mara	...	Abby
Eduardo Noriega	...	Carlos
Thomas Kretschmann	...	Kolzak
Etienne Chicot	...	Frenchman
Mac McDonald	...	Minister
Colin Stinton	...	Embassy Official
Perlis Vaisieta	...	Manager Hotel Pushkin
Mindaugas Papinigis	...	Young Detective
Mindaugas Capas	...	Military Officer
Visockaite Sonata	...	Female Train Attendant #1 (as Sonata Visockaite)
Larisa Kalpokaite	...	Female Train Attendant #2
Valentinas Krulikovskis	...	Young Waiter

Also Known As:

Transsiberian (Spain)

MPAA:

Rated R for some violence, including torture and language.

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

Spain | Germany | UK | Lithuania

Language:

English | Russian | Spanish | Chinese | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital EX

Certification:

Germany:16 | USA:R | Singapore:NC-16 | Netherlands:16 | Finland:K-15 | UK:15 (cut) | Portugal:M/16 | Australia:MA | Mexico:B15 | New Zealand:R16

Filming Locations:

China

Company:

Filmax Group

Goofs:

Factual errors: Roy and Jessie set out from Beijing and immediately deal with Russian staff on the train. In fact, the train is manned by Chinese staff with a Chinese restaurant carriage whilst the train is still in China.

Quotes:

Jessie: Kill off all my demons, Roy, and my angels might die, too.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2008-07-19)" (2008)

Strangers on a strange train

A church-going Iowa couple has just finished missionary work in China and is headed home via the Transsiberian railway. Hubby loves trains. Wife, who we learn has an alcoholic past, wants a bit of adventure. They get more than they bargained for.

They meet another, younger adventurous couple on board the train. He's a charming, raffish Spaniard. She's a 20-year-old American runaway from Seattle who clearly bears psychic wounds. They seem to be up to something sinister.

Emily Mortimer is Jessie, the American wife. She senses danger long before here clueless husband, played by Woody Harrelson, who thinks being an American gives you a free pass all over the world.

The movie opens in Moscow, where we see police detective Grinko, Ben Kingsley, investigating a double murder of two gangsters. A big stash of heroin is also missing. Hmmm. Who has that heroin now?

Back in Siberia (actually Lithuania), things are getting tense aboard the train. The charming Spaniard is making a subtle play for Jessie. Outside, endless miles of frozen forests. Inside, raucous Russians downing vodka, comparing scars, smoking and singing. The railroad "hostesses" live in a constant state of pissedoff-ness toward the passengers. Amtrak it ain't.

The first half of this movie is fairly slow as we get to know the characters. Then, during a layover at a remote village, an incident happens that puts the movie into total, nail-biting overdrive. The second half is as gripping as any movie I've ever seen. As riveting as anything Hitchcock has ever done ... and this is from a major Hitchcock fan.

Warning: late in the movie there is a torture sequence of a woman that caused a few in the audience I saw it with walk out.

I'm sorry they walked out. The final sequence is a scene of absolute, though non-violent, reciprocity.

I hope this movie makes it to a large audience of suspense movie lovers. They won't be disappointed.