It doesn't matter who killed whom in Brad Anderson's Transsiberian. At the movie's core are the issues of trans-border cruelty, betrayal and an affair that entangles a married couple and their close friend.

The movie opens in a Far East town of Russia, but it plays out on a long train ride. An estranged couple, Roy and Jessie (Woody Harrelson and Emily Mortimer), decide an adventure might ease their marital problems. Midway through the journey, they meet Abby and Carlos (Kate Mara and Eduardo Noriega), who have a self-professed history of criminal activities. From here, different levels of intrigue set in. Someone disappears; the cops are on another character's trail; a seduction attempt meets a chilly end.

Harrelson is splendid as Roy. He disappears into his role and maintains a gait that commands attention. The same goes for Mortimer's Jessie. She communicates, snugly, the pathos of her character. Thomas Krestschmann, as detective Myassa, keeps a stern look and maintains a clinical carriage that real cops would envy.

Transsiberian is well paced and maintains a power to awe from start to finish. A fluid combination of humour and lurking darkness pervades the film. The script, camera work and entire production design are tight. Anderson takes an unpredictable approach that keeps you wondering what's going to happen. Although the movie has a convoluted end, its unpredictability and some tear-stained moments are what make it tick.

by Shaibu Husseini