Roy (Woody Harrelson) and Jessie (Emily Mortimer) are a set of married missionaries on a trip from China to Moscow via the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Although the couple appears like they were made for each other on the surface, they are quite the opposite. Roy is every bit the goody-goody he appears to be, while Jessie is a reformed bad girl who hasn't quite given up her old ways. While on the train, the couple meets another young couple, Abby (Kate Mara) and Carlos (Eduardo Noriega). Roy is quick to embrace his new friends while Jessie isn't too keen on the idea, and with good reason, since it seems that the new couple is up to no good.
Although there are a few good twists, most are either predictable or drawn out. In a sense, Transsiberian suffers from the same fault that plagued Gone Baby Gone, but in a more extreme sense. Editing removed some of the suspense out of the latter film's more dramatic twists, but this usually came within a few seconds of the reveal. With Transsiberian, however, several twists are telegraphed way ahead of time. Other twists last a little too long. The key to crafting a good thriller is knowing when to hold the leash and when to release the hounds. Though not a constant problem, Anderson holds on to the leash just a little too long, so by the time he lets go, the dogs are worn out.
While it doesn't quite manage to nail the thriller aspect, Transsiberian is a really interesting twist on the hero/ villain dynamic. Jessie isn't the virtuous angel most viewers would expect from a hero and Carlos doesn't fit the profile of a villain. Expectations are really thrown out of whack when Jessie begins to fall into the excitement of her former life. The predictability of the plot makes the end game fairly clear, though there are times where viewers may second-guess themselves. I really think that if the movie had focused more on the characters and less on the cheap thrills, it would have been a better movie.
Transsiberian is light on the extras and only includes a short "Making of..." feature that isn't terribly interesting. As far as the Blu-ray transfer goes, the picture and sound quality is excellent, though since it isn't that visual of a movie, there isn't much of a reason to pay extra for the Blu-ray version unless you're trying to build your collection.
If anything, Transsiberian is a good rental if you're in the mood for something just a little different than your typical crime drama/ thriller.
