TRANSSIBERIAN PICKS UP PACEOne of the most terrifying things that can happen when travelling in a foreign country is a display of social unrest, not playing by the rules, or rather, playing by their own rules. When travelling in France many years ago, the truckers and produce farmers both decided to strike. They did so, not with picket signs, but by "parking" on major roads, leaving no room to pass and too much time to ponder. Naturally, my first thought was, "but we're Americans!" We were stuck, Americans or not and that is the vulnerable feeling this film projects; except they add in guns, drug smuggling and murder. Woody Harrison does a fantastic average American tourist gag. Emily Mortimir is off the charts as his wife whose past drives her onto a very unusual path. Of course, the true star is Ben Kingsley as Grinko. Is he a good guy or a bad guy and just how bad are Russian bad guys? The ending gives big payoff where it is due and is satisfying. Cold weather. Colder villain.
PICK: Slowly works up to full steam and a wouldn't-have-guessed-it ending.
