The Last Express

Authors: Gabriel
Location: unknown

"The Last Express"

Directed by Jordan Mechner
Written by Jordan Mechner
Score by Elia Cmiral

Principal Cast:

Ewan McGregor as Robert Cath
Sibel Kekilli as Anna Wolff
Karl-Heinz Teuber as August Schmidt
Nikola Kojo as Milos Jovanovich
Don Cheadle as Kronos

Tagline: "Those passengers will never arrive in Constantinople"

Synopsis: Based on the computer game of the same name, Robert Cath (McGregor), an American doctor on the run from French police, illegally boards the Orient Express in June of 1914, right after the Archduke of Austria is shot, at the invitation of his friend Tyler Whitney (Jude Law). Onboard the train, Cath finds Tyler brutally murdered and has to assume his identity. He then meets a whole other cast of characters, among them a crooked German arms dealer (Teuber), an African prince (Cheadle), a Serbian terrorist (Kojo), and an Austrian spy (Kekilli). While the world falls apart around him, Cath must figure out what each person means, arrive to Constantinople safely, and, lastly, find out who killed Tyler. Featuring cameos by Michael Caine (as British businessman George Abbott) and Chulpan Khamatova (as delicate Russian aristocrat Tatiana Obolenskaya).

What the press would say:

Even though the computer game was lost to time, this movie sure isn’t. A normally superb acting job by McGregor, with standout performances from mainstream film novices Kekilli, Teuber, and Kojo, really helps this film in all its brilliance. But it is director Jordan Mechner that makes it what it is: a masterpiece. Every line of dialogue is intriguing and the set design is beautiful. With all cylinders firing, this movie comes together in a way that we haven’t seen in a long time. In this age of film when none are stand-outs, this one should break that curse-of-sorts. In short, anybody who loves the game should love the film and vice-versa. In fact, everybody should love this film. It’s just that good.

For Your Consideration:

Best Picture
Best Director (Jordan Mechner)
Best Actor (Ewan McGregor)
Best Supporting Actor (Karl-Heinz Teuber)
Best Supporting Actress (Sibel Kekilli)
Best Adapted Screenplay (Jordan Mechner)
Best Art Direction
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Makeup
Best Visual Effects