By: Kimberly Grant
A pair of twins, a son, a ladybug, a schoolgirl, and a few assassins get on a train. They all have one goal in mind: get off the train with the briefcase full of cash. Well, that’s one way to describe Bullet Train.
Bullet Train will open in theaters nationwide on August 5.
Fast Characters
Written by Zak Olkewicz (based on the book by Kotaro Isaka) and directed by David Leitch, Bullet Train takes the audience on a wild ride through Japan; pun intended. On this train is Ladybug (played by Brad Pitt) who is a reformed assassin that only takes on smash and grab jobs. Also on the train are hired British twin mercenaries Tangerine (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry), the Wolf (Benito “Bad Bunny” Martinez Ocasio), the Hornet (Zazie Beetz), and Little Prince (Joey King).
As you can see, it’s a busy train.
Even busier, because there are a slew of celebrity cameos, including Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Sandra Bullock, Logan Lerman, Ryan Reynolds, Channing Tatum, and Masi Oka. I won’t spoil the film by telling you the roles that the above people play. Just know that each cameo is a pleasant surprise.
Fast Writing
Getting to the writing, the story feels fresh, like you’ve seen a similar movie, but not quite like this. The premise of the film is that the son of a very dangerous man has been rescued from the Chinese Triad. Tangerine and Lemon have been tasked with brining him home along with the ransom money that was never spent. Unfortunately, the twins are not the only ones who know that both the son and the briefcase are on the train.
Bullet Train feels like a Japanese action movie with British comedy. The film has the quality and consistency of something that would have been shot in modern day Japan; because it is. It also has the comedic elements of British entertainment. To set the stage, think of this movie as full of life, color, and drama with dry humor. If that doesn’t make sense, you will do yourself a favor by watching the movie.
Fast Directing
In the directing category, Leitch really taps into the strengths of each character/actor. We can see the personalities really shine on the screen. The way Taylor-Johnson and Henry play off of each other as twins is pure comedic gold. They are the perfect yin and yang to this film. Leitch has taken seemingly mismatched elements and brought them together beautifully on the screen in a fast-paced style that matches the movement of the train. I’m not surprised at how well he directed the film. After all, Leitch is also the director of awesomely action-packed movies like Atomic Blonde, Hobbs & Shaw, and Deadpool 2.
In the acting category, it was nice to see Bullock, Tatum, and Pitt in another movie together after their successful run in this year’s The Lost City. They clearly work well together. Pitt, whose talent and heart seems to grow with age, really keeps the train moving; so to speak. His turn as a Zen assassin with California vibes keeps the brevity of the film, while reminding the audience that he’s just trying to be a good person. King as Little Prince takes a dark and saccharine turn. Her innocent look plays well in the film, adding a mysterious element.
Fast Conclusion
If you like fast-moving action with a healthy sense of humor to match unhealthy violence, then Bullet Train is your movie. You will thoroughly enjoy yourself at the movie theater. Even if you have to turn your head at the gorier parts.
Interested in other great action movies? You can read my review of Ron Howard’s Thirteen Lives here.
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