Review of TransSiberian (2008) by Mario E — 06 Sep 2009

It's amazing how much the setting can affect the mood, the tone and most importantly, the plot of a story. Gosh, it even works on the character's personality. Setting plays a valuable role in Brad Anderson's timely-paced and truly gripping "Transsiberian", a film which has genuinely moved me.

It's about two Americans who are with their Church commitee in Beijing, China, trying to help the children and all-around spread goodwill amongst other nations. The husband (Woody Harrelson) is an extremely cheerful and lovable redneck who has an exhausting addiction to trains; the wife is a quiet and talented photographer (Emily Mortimer), who refuses to drink a single drop of alcohol but smokes constantly. They seem to be having marital problems, but they still happily tread across the world 'spreading happiness' with the church, sure that whatever their troubles may be, their goodness and possitive outlook on life will diminish them.

So they finish their sejour in China and decide that before going home, they're gonna take the Transsiberian train that takes them from Beijing, through the frozen landscapes of South Russia, all the way to Moscow. The husband is delighted about the train, the wife trudges along if only for the good photography. Even in a sad-looking train, quartering in a walking closet of a cabin and eating their perpetually vegetable-less meals, they try to make the most of it.

In the train, they room with another couple. A talkative Spaniard (Eduardo Noriega) and his quiet, mysterious girlfriend (Kate Mara). They seem to be the perfect rooming mates, he fully bonding with the cheerful husband, and she quietly but fiercely bonding with the wife, who we soon learn is trying to escape from a troubled past.

There is a phrase in the film which could very well be it's tagline: "Lies can move you ahead in life, but they can never bring you back." No, actually there's two phrases, the other one being: "Try to kill all of my demons, and my angels might die as well." Well, it so happens that the Spaniard, who we learn is really not trustable and not very likeable, makes a gruesome pass at the poor American wife, he tries to take advantage of her...and she ends up killing him. The poor thing is a wreck afterwards, she rejoins her husband (who she had lost momentarily), they take another train and...she notices that a 'vestige' of sorts, a remnant of the Spaniard's, is now mysteriously tucked away in her suitcase. An item that might just get her in trouble with a series of ruthless Russian officers who have joined their train ride.

What follows is a highly suspenseful, never-shattering experience aboard the Transsiberian where everything, including her life and that of her husband's, will be put to the test. It's really a remarkable film. It's not only a suspense thriller, but it's also a deep and emphatic study into the lives and personalities of its characters. The drive for money and power, the drive to find a place in the world, the need for love and understanding, wanting to plant roots somewhere, the weight and importance of a secret...these, among other topics, are very well developed by presenting each and every one of them embodied in a specific character. And the performances are very good. Though Harrelson plays the husband in a jovial and unimpressive way, it's Mortimer (playing the wife) who really steals the spotlight, and whose expressions and movements alone are enough to paralyze and glue us to our seats in suspense. Noriega and Mara do wonderfully as well, and Thomas Kretschmann and Ben Kingsley, playing Russian police officers are, well, ruthless in their performances.

But as I mentioned before, the setting is really the most impressive point of the film. The freezing and uninviting landscapes and the beaten-down train are really perfect to not only compliment but also move the plot forward. The setting, in a way, mirrors the tone of the film, setting our principal characters as feeble, powerless speks of warmth amidst a vast paradise of ice and death. Also, the way time was used is flawless; it paces itself, without ever being too slow or too fast-paced, but the camera follows the characters through either long scenes or really short ones, each one utterly important.

There is really no aspect I can overly critisize. It's a truly memorable experience, a small, independent picture that does make the list of the top ten independent films of 2008.

Rating: 4 stars out of 4!!