DVD Spotlight

By Joe Galm

Much like David Mamet’s Redbelt, Transsiberian remains one of the year’s better efforts even though it fared quite poorly at the box office. Peaking at a meager 154 screens, it only managed to gross $2.2 nationally, giving it considerably less exposure than deserved. Director Brad Anderson’s latest work provides a new take on the once commonplace train ride motif and it proves that the classic characteristics of said motif are still relevant in contemporary cinema.

The film’s title derives from the trans-country voyage of a middle-aged American married couple, played by Woody Harrelson and Emily Mortimer, who are traveling to Moscow via train. There’s something uniquely atmospheric to the cabin-based setting which offers nothing but potential in terms of creating tense, disorienting moments and Anderson effectively capitalizes on it. The claustrophobic quarters allow for maximum interaction between our leads and their bunkmates, allowing for largely realized arcs.

We learn that the two leads are having some marital issues that are likely due to their drastically different backgrounds. Once rebellious, Mortimer’s Jessie now tries to completely reform herself for spiritual husband Roy, creating a believable subconscious dichotomy between them. Anderson makes the decision to keep most of their problems off screen, instead opting to use his visual medium to heighten mood by juxtaposing the barren, open landscapes with the cluttered tedium of the train’s interior.

After a stop along the Chinese/Russian border, Roy goes missing without explanation. The train begins rolling again. Suddenly, the viewer begins to become more aware of the characters’ motives, noticing the slightest change in inflection and body language. The once welcoming presence of the bunkmates Carlos and Abby becomes a weary one for Jessie. Carlos transforms from flirty to threatening as if baiting her bad girl side. What becomes of all this is something that will go unspoiled here, though I commend Anderson for deviating from a token thriller narrative. Here, the label of being “Hitchcockian” is certainly apt. Transsiberian shows shades of Psycho’s storytelling prowess and its able to transition into a film that plays on cinematic expectation and deliverance. While the final act is not as bold as what came before it, the entire film is well worth the ride.

Distributor: First Look
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Emily Mortimer and Ben Kingsley
Director: Brad Anderson
Screenwriters: Brad Anderson and Will Conroy
Producer: Julio Fernandez
Genre: Thriller
Rating: R for some violence, including torture and language
Running time: 111 min.