Based on the 1993 TransSiberian train robbery, ‘Moscow Mission’ collects together a large cast, international locations and an impressively big budget. The resulting action thriller is nearly very good, but even when it’s not firing on all cylinders, holds the interest throughout.
An outrageous and brutally efficient attack on the TransSiberian express is carried out by masked raiders who rob the opulent passengers of all of their wares. The authorities on both the Chinese and Russian sides are left red-faced (pardon the pun) and assign experienced agent Cui to the case. Cui puts together a team to chase the leads and eventually, they find the link in the set-up is beautiful Li Suzhen. Li, it soon emerges, is being manipulated by her psychotic boyfriend who is planning the next major heist, this time with the help of shady businessman Vasily (Andy Lau). As the detectives get closer, they discover how fragmented the robbers are and who the weak link might be.
Not being familiar with the real event, I cannot comment on how accurate ‘Moscow Mission’ is, but can say that, as said earlier, it’s a more than adequate genre film. Bookended by two outstanding train-based action sequences, ‘Moscow Mission’ starts with a bang before settling into a more standard, yet still entertaining, police procedural. It manages to balance its international cast and eye-catching locations surprisingly well; there are a few ropey effects that briefly distract, but the fact that these are in the minority shows the advances that Chinese blockbusters have made.
What stops ‘Moscow Mission’ from reaching the next level is a lull in the pace around the halfway mark, along with a build up to the finale that feels artificially bloated. It should also be stated that, although involving throughout, its highlights are the two scenes that open and close the film; the procedural nature of the rest might be a bit of a step down for some. All that said, it manages to be every bit as slick as its Western counterparts (whether that is to be commended or not is another matter) and shows how Herman Yau can handle pretty much anything thrown at him. Yau has long been part of that breed of directors who has successfully moved from more exploitative fare to big budget spectacles without missing a beat. If they ever figure out who will be playing James Bond next, Yau might be an interesting leftfield choice to be behind the lens.
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