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Transsiberian
R1 - America - First Look Studios Review written by and copyright: Rob Fields (27th November 2008). |
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The Film
 When it comes to this particular title, the only thing that I remember about it is if I wanted to go see it, I would have to drive about 60 miles since it only played in arthouses mostly. Far from that, I had no real desire to view the film. But, isn’t it amazing what titles find their way to you when you write reviews? So, I guess the lesson to be learned here is that when you write reviews: You may avoid the arthouse at your end, but it has a way of coming and finding you later on. So, let’s see if this title was something I should have driven the 60 miles to see. “Transsiberian” follows a Transsiberian train from Beijing to Moscow and turns into a thrilling chase of deception, drug trafficking and murder when Americans Roy (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). The cinematography is already noticeable in the opening scene, which takes place in Russia. You can see that it has that kind of drab-looking atmosphere. That, and everybody’s speaking Russian. When that scene’s finishes, it cuts to Beijing where the colors are more vibrant and everybody’s a little more on the up-and-up. Of course, you have to admire the acting ability of Ben Kingsley. This guy never ceases to amaze me. When I had first seen him in “Species” (1995), I didn’t think too much of him. But as I started to see him in other movies, it became evident that he constantly shows viewers that he is in the acting business. I’ve also seen Mortimer in many film festival and arthouse movies. While not as impressive as Kingsley, she can definitely hold her own. She does so here with the guilt she brings upon herself almost halfway through the movie. The downsides? Woody Harrelson always seems to sound the same in every movie I’ve seen him in. It surprises me that he even gets Oscar nominations. Don’t get me wrong, he can definitely show emotions by the looks on his face. But when it comes to his accent, he’s basically monotone. I don’t know about you, who are reading this, but for me this is a big distraction. Also, the story is slow in building up before anything exciting happens. I suppose to a point, this is good for character development. Still, I didn’t really find myself caring too much for these characters. In the past, I have come very close to walking out of movies because of this. My final word: To answer my question of whether or not I would have driven the 60 miles to see this movie should be pretty much self-explanatory here. When it comes to the Cedar Lee Theatre (the arthouse), it would have been worth going to visit that district and enjoy the theater’s vintage-looking atmosphere and popcorn. As for the movie itself, I can only recommend it for people who enjoy long, boring thrillers. Sorry to say that, but even the kicker at the end doesn’t pay off. To sum it up, I’m definitely going to say pass on it.
Video
The film is presented in anamorphic widescreen format (2.35:1 ratio). You can tell that this feature was shot on film on the count of seeing the occasional film grain. That’s one of the things I’m definitely going to miss once film fully gives way to digital once and for all. The picture appears to be free from any noticeable defects. You might see very few pixels in the background. But then, I’m watching this title on an HDTV with upconversion.
Audio
The film features two English soundtracks. The first is a Dolby Digital 5.1 surround soundtrack. The second soundtrack is a Dolby Digital 2.0 surround. There are optional English and Spanish subtitles available (for the film only). Flipping between both soundtracks, they sound virtually the same. In fact, I can’t really tell the difference between the two. The film mostly has dramatic elements anyway, so it’s not like you’re in this movie for things like listening to dinosaurs stomping or big explosions taking place.
Extras
First Look have only included a bunch of bonus trailers for other First Look Studios releases. The first four trailers are presented before the start of the Main Menu, but all of them can be selected in the ‘Previews’ option on the Main Menu. They include: - "War, Inc." which runs for 1 minute 55 seconds. - "Takashi Miike’s Sukiyaki Western Django" which runs for 1 minute 56 seconds. - "Priceless" which runs for 1 minute 14 seconds. - "Birds of America" which runs for 1 minute 15 seconds. - "Contract Killers" which runs for 49 seconds.
Overall
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