Review of TransSiberian (2008) by Vango Q — 15 Jan 2009

This was an OK movie. The story is decent, and the acting is fine. At first, Woody Harrelson made me crazy with his goofiness, but after a time, I ended up liking his character a bit, which is to say I didn't hate him. The woman was cool. Ben Kingsley was cool even though his character was ridiculous. (Every other sentence started with: "In Russia, we have a saying ... blah blah blah." Russia has a lot of sayings and I think the movie explores all of them).

The main problem with this movie is that it is just a crazy patchwork of cliches. You have a couple: she was kind of a bad girl, but has settled down. He's a goofball from Iowa! Just a good ole' boy. Then you have the sexy Spanish stranger with his grunge girlfriend, and oh! look! the Russian Mob is involved! And it's all shot in the somewhat grainy Hostel style: all grey colors occasionally interrupted by black. Etc.

Kinda boring.