DVD REVIEW

Transsiberian

First Look Pictures || R || Nov 4, 2008

Synopsis

A Trans-Siberian train journey from Beijing to Moscow turns into a thrilling case of deception, drug trafficking and murder when Americans Ray (Woody Harrelson) and Jessie (Emily Mortimer) and a pair of fellow travelers, Carlos (Eduardo Noriega) and Abby (Kate Mara) are targeted by ex-KGB detective Grinko (Ben Kingsley).


Critique

There’s nothing like the excitement of a train ride.  Ray comes off like kind of a goof with how excited he is to be on the train, but there really is something thrilling about it, zipping across the country, meeting people from all over; it’s a singular experience.  I’ve only taken one trip – from Chicago to Los Angeles – but I felt like a kid when the train left the station.

Ray is a blank-behind-the-eyes Christian who sets off with his wife when they finish their church sponsored work in China.  We quickly get that the trip and the church work was both Ray’s idea; Jessie is just kind of there.  Ray has the awe-shucks enthusiasm of someone who doesn’t put much thought of anything.  Ever.

We meet some interesting characters on the train, not the least of which is Carlos.  We know Carlos is up to no good pretty much from the beginning.  He’s too care free and charismatic to be for real.  It is through Carlos that we learn that Jessie had a wild past.  Carlos takes to calling her chica mala, and it’s almost like he sensed that she was a closet bad girl before she ever confirmed it.

Grinko (Sir Kingsley!) is the Russian agent who shows up on the train.  Ray is excited by the prospect of having a real KGB agent to talk to, even an ex one.  The agent obviously isn’t all he says he is.  The moment he shows up, things really get interesting.

Things start to get tense about an hour into the film.  Locked in a train for seven days, going in only one direction, the trip to Moscow becomes a journey into hell.  Grinko becomes not only their fellow traveler, but their interrogator, their inquisitor.  

Transsiberian is an interesting film, but Brad Anderson has been better.  There are moments of tension that are few and far between.  In Session 9, to name one, kept that tension was maintained for the entire film.  The performances are solid, but the film feels like it could be shorter, which feels like an odd thing to say about a film that is already less than two hours.

Ray keeps telling Jessie that he wants an adventure, and that’s exactly what they get.  They arrive in Asia to work for their church, but as someone on the train says, “God doesn’t exist in Siberia.”  Anderson does a great job of capturing the excitement of train travel and turning on the suspense, but it’s too bad watching this film feels like sitting on a train for a week: long.


Video

Transsiberian is presented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio.  The transfer is sharp, and the white levels in particular are solid.  The stark whiteness of Siberia is mixed well with the interiors of the train.  The overall picture is crisp.


Audio

This disc is presented in 5.1 Dolby Digital sound.  There is much ambient sound in the film, from the other travelers to the sounds of the train, and this presentation pulls it off masterfully.  The channels are sharp and well balanced.


Special Features

(sigh)


Final Thoughts

Transsiberian takes its time getting going, but once the suspense kicks in the film never lets up.  The lack of bonus material makes it hard to recommend this disc, but the film is definitely worth a look.

VERDICT: RECOMMENDED

 

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Review posted on Nov 3, 2008 | Share this article | Top of Page

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