If you're looking for an alternative to The Dark Knight this weekend, Brad Anderson's Transsiberian, starring Emily Mortimer, Woody Harrelson, and Ben Kingsley, might be just the thing. A Midwestern couple takes the epic train trip from Beijing to Moscow, presented in marvelous location photography. On their way, they meet suspicious cabin mates (Kate Mara and Eduardo Noriega) and a threatening Russian detective (Kingsley.) As the golly-gee Iowan with a dorky train fetish, Harrelson keeps a wide-eyed innocence even when the journey turns into a white-knuckle affair. Like the Russian Dolls that play a crucial part in the story, Transsiberian keeps on revealing new layers, adding up to a relentlessly suspenseful ride. *** 1/2 [posted by Jürgen]
