Many terrible train puns come to mind after watching Bullet Train: derailed, wild train, off the tracks, etc. Bullet Train, however, is not at all a poor movie; in fact, it has a lot going for it, including a glamorous cast and some mind-blowing action moments. The magic ingredient that transforms all the cheery, jiggling parts into a tight, coherent whole is what’s lacking.
On this bullet train traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto, a lot is going on. Yuichi Kimura (Andrew Koji), a grieving father, is determined to take revenge on the person who seriously hurt his son by pushing him over the roof.
Assassin Ladybug (Brad Pitt) has discovered a new mission in life due to the guidance of his therapist Barry. Ladybug is traveling by train to retrieve a suitcase.
Logan Lerman, the terrifying gangster’s son, is being escorted by twin British assassins, Tangerine (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry), who freed him from gangsters who dared to kidnap him. Another assassin named Hornet (Zazie Beetz), a boomslang on the loose, a Mexican criminal named The Wolf (Benito A. Martnez Ocasio), a boomslang on the loose, and a schoolgirl named Prince (Joey King) who may not be entirely innocent are all there.
With the dynamic, explosive action we have come to anticipate from David Leitch, who after getting started directing John Wick went on to direct some high-octane actioners like Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, and Hobbs & Shaw, things happen throughout the film.
You start to like Tyree Henry and Taylor- Johnson’s back and forth about the life lessons taught by Thomas the Tank Engine as well as Pitt’s lazy dude charm. The cameos, which feature Channing Tatum as an unidentified train passenger, Sandra Bullock as Ladybug’s handler, Ryan Reynolds as another assassin, and Karen Fukuhara as a train concessions employee, are all amusing.
Bullet Train, an adaptation of the 2010 novel Maria Beetle by Ktar Isaka, faced criticism for using non-Asian actors to play the story’s Japanese characters.
The film seems to be a mash-up of all its various influences, including Tarantino’s chatty crooks, John Woo’s slow motion (where are the pigeons? ), and Michael Shannon’s portrayal of the legendary bad guy White Death, and the mysterious briefcase that serves as the ultimate MacGuffin.
Everything and everyone in the bullet train has a backstory, from the gangster to the assassin to a bottle of water, and occasionally it all just gets to be too much, making you want to get off at the next station. Incidentally, the 1975 Japanese movie about a bomb on a train is called The Bullet Train.
Bullet Train – Should you Watch it?
This big action-thriller executes its many moving elements with skill, but Pitt’s dopey, plodding performance maintains the balance despite the film’s gloriously excessive violence and lack of depth. Bullet Train, directed by David Leitch, is a bit like a multi-character heist film like Ocean’s Eleven or Logan Lucky, but the “what”—in this case, the fight scenes—is more important than the “why” and “how.” The movie takes great delight in putting as many of its skilled killers and fighters up against challenges as it can.
Thunderous, never-ending movies with non-stop fighting can become boring (see Free Fire, for instance), but filmmaker Leitch, a former stunt actor, and coordinator who moved to direct with John Wick has a superb sense of rhythm. He successfully creates a rhythm that glides and doesn’t feel overwhelming by using stops, starts, flashbacks, and revelations. Pitt, however, is the key element. Even though he can fight, Ladybug is more of a talker than a fighter and is constantly trying to find ways to make life easy for himself. His laid-back attitude gives a rough, crunchy movie a soft, sweet center. Overall, Bullet Train is a fun ride even though it may disappear into the horizon rather quickly after viewing. It is a great one-time watch.
Read More:
American Horror Story Season 2 Review