Transsiberian

R | 1hr 51min | Drama
Produced by Julio Fernández
Written by Brad Anderson, Will Conroy
Directed by Brad Anderson
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Eduardo Noriega, Emily Mortimer, Thomas Kretschmann, Kate Mara
Official Website

Trailers:
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Train buffs and rail fans will definitely want to check this out. So will anybody who ever read Paul Theroux's book about riding the rails through Siberia; this shows what you're missing (and what you might want to miss in the way of miserable cold and stuffed-up toilets). The aerial shots of the Russian express train barreling down a straight cleared path through immense stands of snow-covered forests are awesome. Woody Harrelson plays an American do-gooder who confesses that he keeps model trains in the basement. Instead of flying back from a mission in China, he and his wife (Emily Mortimer) take the train so that Woody can stop and marvel at old Russian steam locomotives ("coal burners," he calls them) on sidings. Too bad that their cabin mates turn out to be drug smugglers on the run from a scary corrupt Russian detective (Ben Kingsley). When the fatal showdown comes, Woody saves the day because he knows enough about trains to start up a diesel loco. Too cool. Very suspenseful, although the ending is a little overwrought, what with a torture scene out of a Saw movie. They didn't need that.

Great movie. This is as close to everyday life as it gets. The actors were believeable and were excellent in their characters. A nonimation is on the way.