Bullet Train (2022) User Reviews

Fun, funny and wild

[FeastMode · 8/10 · 3 August 2022]

This is a highly entertaining action-comedy that oozes style. It's extremely fun and a bit on the outrageous side, not meant to be taken too seriously. It's filled with funny and memorable moments. The action is awesome, well-shot and clear, which is no surprise coming from the guy who directed John Wick, Atomic Blonde and Deadpool 2.

There are a ton of characters and I like them all. The cast does such a great job, especially Brian Tyree Henry and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. I remember first seeing Brian Tyree Henry in Atlanta and really enjoying that role. Since then, he has taken on vastly different roles and killed all of them. And I already thought Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a great actor, but the way he completely transforms into his character is remarkable. To the point where you don't see Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Literally. I didn't realize it was him until the credits rolled.

If I had to come up with negatives, I would say it's a bit hectic at times, but not enough to take me out of it. And the story borders on being convoluted, but I was able to follow it all so I'll call it intricate instead.

In the end I had a great time with this movie and would definitely watch it again, although I'll be turning on subtitles since some dialogue was hard to understand in a Snatch kind of way.

EDIT: On second viewing, my negatives disappeared. And a couple things that stood out even more: The music is beastly and Brad Pitt's facial expressions in the reaction shots are priceless. (2 viewings, early screening UltraScreen 8/2/2022, UltraScreen 8/17/2022)

Fast paced and fun

[RubyMouse · 7/10 · 3 August 2022]

If you're fed up of dreary Oscar contenders making points and taking an age to get to them, this is for you. Entertaining, fast paced, action romp with good set pieces and plenty of fun moments.

And to the critics: no, there is no "character development" and yes, the "plot" is not that believable. It's light entertainment not Samuel Beckett.

The water bottle.

[AfricanBro · 8/10 · 3 August 2022]

Was excited heading into this because it's the first movie I watched on early release. Tried to avoid spoilers so assumed it was going to be Japanese/Korean just because I kept thinking of Train to Busan when I heard the title.

Anyway, it was pretty decent, the actors performances are great all around, it wasn't just Brad Pitt doing most of the heavy lifting. A lot of star cameo's; standout for me was Channing Tatum, felt tit-for-tat after Brad's cameo in The lost City. I was also glad to hear Kimiko from the boys finally speak lol. The comic scenes and action were great, I liked how they were mostly in short bursts and quick. Directed by the same person who did Deadpool, John wick, Hobbs & Shaw... liked that it had the same level of action but as frivolous as Hobbs & Shaw. I was a bit dubious about Joey King taking a lead role because I often think of her as someone in cheesy Netflix teen romcoms but she did alright.

I was curious as to see what interesting plot it'd have if everything takes place on one train ride, but Snowpiercer and Busanhaeng did it, why not this. They tried to make a big deal out of "fate" but really the movie is just a rather star-studded cast, most don't get long to show what they got but had fun with the little time they have. So if you're to enjoy it, watch it to have fun, not to get meaning from it.

I did feel like some scenes were a tad bit too long especially in the first half, and it wasn't exactly predictable but it did lack some suspense. You know everyone on the train's somehow connected so the stories will merge in the end but you didn't know how it'd get there, yet still no suspense. I don't think it's a mind-blowing film but it did what it was trying to do. Also felt like a fun spaghetti western on a Japanese train. They tried to give the characters some depth but it wasn't much, the plot's sometimes weak and that's irrelevant because it's not what the movie is for. Not something to make sense of, it's just one of those nonsensical fun action films that appeal to the part of your brain that likes seeing things blow up or car chases to get your heart pumped. Also stay around for the post credits right after.

Style over substance

[MUFCOK · 6/10 · 8 August 2022]

I make a point of not watching trailers prior to watching a new film as experience tells me that rather than get me excited to watch a movie, they essentially give me an overly exposed look at a film with key plot points being shown. With this in mind, it was almost impossible to not see parts of trailers for Bullet Train, whether that was on TV or YouTube advertising etc. The marketing campaign for this film is mental, I have seen it everywhere.

The trailer makes the movie look like a massive bloated action piece - Think Nonstop meets Train to Busan. However, having watched a couple of YouTube film reviews, I was pleasantly surprised to see it described as not just a brainless action movie, but more of a dialogue-based film with clever writing and fast paced back and forth. One reviewer compared it to Guy Ritchie's Snatch and the classic Pulp Fiction - Two of my favourite and most watched movies. That was enough for me, I was going to give it a try and I booked a couple of tickets for opening day, something that I don't do very often.

Let's start with the Dialogue. If anything, it just tries too hard, far too hard. Most of the jokes didn't land for me and the delivery of the fast-paced dialogue quite often would not hit the mark. I can't quite but my finger on why that is. Is it simply poor writing? Or is it down to the delivery? Or is it simply that a number of my favourite movies are heavy, witty dialogue-based movies and my expectations were so high based on several reviews, that I just felt disappointed by this? Either way, it didn't really work for me.

As you can imagine, almost all the action scenes involved in this movie were delivered on a train, meaning that the fight scenes needed to be compact and tight. This was delivered better than I expected to be fair and plenty of the action scenes were enjoyable, if not incredibly farfetched.

The characters were relatively varied but were quite generic and cliché. Brad Pitt is essentially the lead actor and probably the best on show. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry (Tangerine and Lemon) were the characters which I was most excited to see, they played the east end cockney gangster/hitmen type characters. Unfortunately, they came across as just trying far too hard and the chemistry between them just wasn't as good as I imagine the director and producers thought it would be. The Thomas the Tank Engine metaphor also got repetitive after the 25th time it was mentioned. The rest of the cast are hit and miss, nothing majorly impressive and nothing majorly terrible. There are some strange cameos, and when I say cameos, I mean cameos. They literally get seconds of screen time.

Overall, Bullet Train was entertaining enough as a popcorn flick and was an inoffensive way of turning my brain off for two hours and relaxing. I do feel that it's a slightly wasted opportunity though as I can see what the director was trying to do, but it just felt flat and missed the mark on quite a few occasions. Style over substance is the best way I would describe it.

6/10.

I had so much fun wacthing this

[subxerogravity · 9/10 · 3 August 2022]

Rare seeing Brad Pitt in a movie like this but from what I understand the director is a good friend of his. It's an action movie the reads like Smoking Aces. An ensemble cast with a few different stories in it, of which, interestingly enough Brad Pitt's story as a man named Ladybug could be considered just as important as the others despite being the star.

Unlike Smoking Aces, the Bullet Train in itself is a character and a very expensive one that makes it a blockbuster. On top of that the very cool Celebrity Cameos that prove this director makes friends with everyone he works with in Hollywood.

The Japanese back drop was cool not just because I'm an anime fan but because it made the film and the bullet train visual amazing to look at, but Hollywood needs more Japanese actors who can speak English. Hiroyuki Sanada is become the Danny Trejo of the Far East.

Its action packed and its humorous everything I want when watching a movie in theatres.

A relentless two hours of chaos

[jtindahouse · 7/10 · 3 August 2022]

I can't remember the last time I saw a film as full on as 'Bullet Train'. It is two hours of relentless action. It's actually a little exhausting to watch (it didn't help that the theatre I saw it in was set to about 30 degrees Celsius - but that's a different matter) - in a good way though.

This is a very stylishly made film. It looks terrific. The acting is great and all the characters are very polished and cool as you would expect in a film about assassins. The train itself is an interesting setting too. It's technically a single-setting film but it never feels like it. The film moves so fast you feel like you are darting from country to country.

I would say the one let down of the film was how little of the humour landed. Time and again there was an obvious attempt at a joke and I just didn't find even a smile coming to my face. There are some laughs along the way, but the hit to miss ratio is way off.

It's a lot of fun this movie though regardless. There are endless cameos and twists and unexpected moments. The film certainly keeps you on your toes. 7/10.

Great stylish fun

[masonsaul · 8/10 · 3 August 2022]

Even though it goes off the rails with an overblown CG finale Bullet Train is still a total blast from beginning to end thanks to the endless visual style, surprising twists and plenty of gleefully violent and energetically shot/choreographed action set pieces.

Brad Pitt gives a terrific lead performance, completely unafraid to make fun of himself whilst still being a capable action star. The standouts of the film with their perfect chemistry and great humour is Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry.

Hiroyuki Sanada and Andrew Koji are definitely the heart of the film with soulful performances and the most emotional sub-plot that skillfully balance out all the humour and irreverence.

David Leitch's direction is amazing, the film just oozes style with gorgeous lighting, vibrant colours and inventive camera work. The soundtrack is excellent, all the song choices work and never feel like they're trying too hard.

Last act spoiled it, and outstayed it's welcome

[whatgift · 7/10 · 10 August 2022]

The build up was great - good action, witty dialogue and a well set up mystery.

Then the last act came and completely went over the top, just being silly rather than fun, and spoiled the goodwill the movie had until that point.

Still a good movie, and a lot of great cameos, just wish it had kept the quality through to the end.

A non stop thrillride

[Nagitokomeda · 8/10 · 3 August 2022]

This movie grabs you from the start and doesn't let go. Its an entertaining whirlwind of goofy character after goofy character, and awesome fight after awesome fight. Brad Pitt nails his leading role and everyone else does great.

The visuals of the film are fantastic- soaked in a beautiful neon glow. While soundtrack is fine but not too memorable outside of the film.

Overall, this is a great summer watch.

Entertaining

[gbill-74877 · 7/10 · 2 January 2023]

Not the most restrained movie in the world, but a lot of fun. Loved Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry), with his adoration of Thomas the Tank Engine, and his ultimate fate (stick around for the credits). Brad Pitt espousing all the self-help stuff was pretty funny too. It's like a sloppy Tarantino knockoff, and it was hard to follow the overly complicated subplots at times. There were definitely holes, e.g. Why doesn't the White Death seek revenge on those who hired people like The Hornet or Tangerine and Lemon, instead of those characters directly? But this is less about a buttoned-up action film and more about comedy I think, and it made me laugh. It tried to have it both ways though, and themes like fate and luck were weakly developed. That said, sitting back and enjoying the wild ride wasn't such a bad thing.

Stupid Fun...

[jonny_ · 9/10 · 3 August 2022]

I'll admit i've skewed my rating a bit, i've ranked it so highly rated based on the fact I knew what movie I was buying a ticket for. I'm not rating it highly because it's a modern classic, i'm doing it based on wanting to see a funny and entertaining action movie and in that respect it delivers pretty much everything I went to the cinema for.

The premise of the film is basic, the cast is solid, the characters are excellent including mini side characters. The humour has a few misses but generally it is a pretty funny movie throughout, they also pay off everything that is set up along the way which makes it a satisfying watch. Also if you are yet to see it, stay through the credits as it does tie up one or two of those loose ends.

The slight downside for me, were that the run time does sag a little toward the end but it is over 2 hours long and otherwise moved along at a steady rate.

Destination Unknown

[Xstal · 6/10 · 29 September 2022]

The opposite of the Orient Express, leaves Tokyo Central packed full of excess, a veritable carriage of fruits of all kinds, who's psychotic nature helps them to unwind, with pistols and knives this journey just thrives, most occasionally passengers, pay with their lives, as the train snakes around and its venom is cast, the destination defined by their fate and their past.

It's a crazy tale that could be described as Tarantino Lite, chugs along at a fair old pace, the dialogue and the characters keep it on the rails (most of the time), although you need several pinches of salt and to suspend your disbelief, but at the end of the day, if you want a well-made, mindless action adventure that's as forgettable as the last time you saw a ladybird or ate a tangerine, then why not.

An Overstuffed Monstrosity

[pgeary6001 · 5/10 · 3 August 2022]

It's clear a film is less than successful when an added scene pops up one or two minutes into the credits, and, rather than pausing to watch, the audience quickly glances up then resumes their escape from the auditorium as quickly as possible.

This film felt like it ran for days on end. It reminded me of a dinner we had in a tourist restaurant in Morocco where the courses kept coming and coming until we began to despair. And yet on it went...just look like this movie.

There was clearly a fair amount of technical talent that went into this turkey, but creative inspiration was noticeably absent. Instead of anything original, the viewer is subjected to an endless stream of sub-Tarantino and sub-Guy Ritchie guff that someone apparently thought was clever. Even cameos from Channing Tatum and a painfully face-lifted Sandra Bullock add zero to the experience.

In sum, this expensive fiasco is like an evening gown that incorporates $10,000 worth of material in a design by a JC Penney junior assistant: gaudy, vulgar and a colossal misfire.

Lazy writing, dialogue, massive plot holes

[phoneticnachos · 6/10 · 2 October 2022]

How dumb to they think the person watching this movie is?

First of all, live animals would be kept in a separate storage berth. There is protocol and procedure in Japan, when you board, and baggage checks.

Impossible to have a cage that open get through.

Secondly, the noise that is happening, all the crashes and broken things, the personnel working on the train would have to respond. After the Sarin gas subway attack in Japan in the 90's they have very strict anti-terrorism training,

When the guy breaks the back window, that would immediately trigger a pressure/derailment sensor, and the conductor would stop the train at the next station.

All of the other passengers just disappear when they are not in a scene. Count the people in the cars at the start of the movie, easily 55+. Yet non of them ever are shown to exit.

They couldn't even get one of the most obvious facts right about the snake venom, "The venom of the boomslang snake was analyzed and it was revealed that boomslang venom is highly potent and primarily is a hemotoxin.

Hemotoxins are toxins that destroy red blood cells, disrupt blood clotting and can also cause organ and tissue damage. Because boomslang venom is a hemotoxin it's not surprising that it can lead to major brain and muscle hemorrhage. But the venom also causes other symptoms like nausea, headaches and sleepiness. Perhaps what is most surprising is that this venom has the ability to make the victim bleed from every possible orifice. It is not uncommon for blood to seep out of the victim from the gums, nostrils, urine, saliva, stools, vomit and even through the tiniest of cuts. This is extremely unfortunate because the victim will continue to bleed until death and death from internal bleeding is a slow and lingering process that can take anywhere from three to five days.

One of the issues with boomslang venom is that symptoms emerge only several hours after being bitten. Because the venom is not fast acting, victims may not realize that they are at serious risk and require immediate medical assistance. Although records show that less than ten people have died from boomslang bites worldwide, this ought to not be taken lightly. Death came swiftly for Karl Schmidt, as he was found dead 24 hours later in his home from respiratory arrest and severe brain hemorrhaging. If Schmidt had known about the anti-venom his life might have been spared. It is imperative to act quickly otherwise Africa's most venomous snake might have the last laugh."

The snake isn't even the right color.

Some of the most entertaining exposition I've seen

[sarahrayburn · 8/10 · 3 August 2022]

I was not surprised this movie was as good as it was with the strong cast and budget. The humor and story telling were too tier.

The action was easy to follow and there were enough twists and turns that it didn't feel like 2 hours.

THE STORY NOT THE TRAIN WORE ME OUT...!

[masonfisk · 6/10 · 22 August 2022]

The current Brad Pitt stationary actioner (on a train?) in release. Pitt is a collector out to retrieve a steel briefcase on Japan's bullet train which he gets fairly easy & quickly but there are a smattering of shadowy figures (played by Brian Tyree Henry, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Joey King, Hiroyuki Sanada, Bad Bunny, Zazie Beetz, Andrew Koji) swirling about who engage Pitt at inopportune moments to make his cakewalk of a task anything but. Directed by Deadpool 2's David Leitch, the film finds itself in equal parts Tarantino/Ritchie land w/a huge dosage of CGI environments which give the film a particular sheen but eventually the novelty & chutzpah of the affair soon wears away & even Pitt's easygoing charm is lost in the neon colors & loud shebangs. Masi Oka (from Heroes) & Karen Fukuhara (from The Boys) show up as train employees & heavy hitters like Sandra Bullock & Michael Shannon make late stage appearances as key characters (although why the releasing studio would show Bullock in the ads kind of robs the astute viewer of a surprise).

If Guy Ritchie and Tarantino had a baby!

[craighartwell · 10/10 · 7 August 2022]

I was a little put off by other reviews showing on social media, but never the less I went to see this today and from the first few minutes in the whole cinema was roaring with laughter. The cast are phenomenal! Where Brad Pitt can carry a film by himself you find yourself rooting for everyone (almost) in the film. The writing is amazing the direction is beautiful highly highly recommend!

Snakes on a Train

[vandeman-scott · 7/10 · 5 December 2022]

Based on BULLET TRAIN's trailer, I was expecting a comedy action adventure film. In reality, it's a complete and total farce. I usually don't enjoy farce, but this movie is an exception. It's so well done that I was actually able to watch the whole thing. With a star-studded cast -- including lots of cute cameos -- it's a pretty enjoyable if improbable two hours.

Overall, everyone turned in fine performances. I especially liked Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Before BULLET TRAIN, he was unknown to me, but his turn in this movie was really outstanding. I hope to see him in another movie soon. The other standout was Joey King, who has been good in every movie I've seen her in to date.

I won't spoil, but near the end, there's a scene that put me in mind of a hilarious sequence from ARCHER in which the entire ISIS crew is being shot with beanbag rounds in slow motion. I haven't laughed so hard since, until tonight.

So much duplicity, tons of action, and lots of snakes inhabit this bullet train, and in spite of the full-on absurdity, it manages not to go completely off the rails. 7 stars.

Most fun I've had in a theater all year

[cardsrock · 9/10 · 4 September 2022]

Bullet Train is a nonstop thrill ride that delivers some of the most fun I've had watching a film in ages. Don't listen to the critics. This film is a total blast and will leave you wanting to see more from this universe.

Brad Pitt has the effortlessly cool thing down to a T and remains as charismatic as ever here. Taylor-Johnson and Henry are the other obvious standouts. Dripping in style, this film is exactly what I was hoping it would be.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much depth and creativity the story ended up having. There are lots of fun callbacks for viewers who pay close attention as well. The soundtrack has some absolute bangers too that got me pretty hyped at certain key moments.

The film wears its inspirations (Tarantino, Ritchie) on its shoulders, but still manages to carve out its own niche in the action thriller genre.

good setup - nice try, but failed in the long run

[chris-haas · 6/10 · 3 October 2022]

It is like a cake gone wrong a bit: all the ingredients are there, still it is not tasty.

Especially in the first half of the movie I wondered if I were in a flat copy/mix of pulp fiction and kill bill - but the dialogues and story wouldn't start to sparkle, so it kept being flat ( - and even a bit boring, such a shame...)

the second half of the movie got weirder and a zig zag of twists but I got lost.

I liked the attitude written for Brad Pitt, I liked the twins (although again no sparkling - they tried so hard to be a witty and cool duo like in pulp fiction...), all the other characters were there too short to leave an impression.

So - nice try, but not really convincing.

Worth enough to spend 2 hours - but only once.

Choo Choo!

[BenW1999 · 8/10 · 3 August 2022]

A fun and crazy film full of twists and turns, incredibly surprised how this managed to scrape being a 15 UK rating with that amount of swearing and gore but still a fun, Deadpool-esque, film.

Brad saves the day and the movie

[ferguson-6 · 6/10 · 4 August 2022]

Greetings again from the darkness. If you are one that still needs proof that movie stars matter, this latest from director David Leitch (a former stuntman who also directed ATOMIC BLONDE, 2017) and screenwriter Zak Olkewicz (adapted from Kotaro Isaka's 2010 novel, "Maria Beetle") may be submitted as evidence. Replace Brad Pitt with almost any other actor, and this one becomes borderline unwatchable. However, with the Oscar winner, there is sufficient charm, humor, and entertainment to keep us around for the more than two hour run time.

Mr. Pitt stars as Ladybug, a floppy bucket hat wearing last minute fill-in for an assassin who called in sick. His handler (voiced by Oscar winner Sandra Bullock) walks him through what is supposed to be a simple snatch and grab job involving a briefcase. Of course, it turns out to be anything but simple as the train is filled with what seems to be an endless stream of contract killers intent on securing the same briefcase. Among those are Tangerine (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry). Mr. Taylor-Johnson continues his tradition of over-acting and lacking the charm he believes he has, while Mr. Henry's obsession with Thomas the Tank Engine at least gives his character a reason for us to be annoyed. The two are referred to as British brothers or even 'twins', which gives you some idea of what the film wants you to buy as humor.

A slew of other characters include Joey King as Prince, the "Shibumi" reading type who pushes a kid off a roof, and then uses her skill of crying-on-demand to escape most danger; Andrew Koji as Kimura, that kid's distraught father; Hiroyuki Sanada as Kimura's father; Zazie Beetz as The Hornet; rapper Bad Bunny as Wolf; Logan Lerman as the son of a Russian gangster, and Lerman spends much of the movie auditioning for the title character in "Weekend at Bernie's"; and Michael Shannon as said Russian gangster, White Death. Beyond all of these highly recognizable folks, we also get two very high-profile cameos, both used for comic effect.

In between the one-minute stops on the trip from Tokyo to Kyoto, there is an abundance of fighting - comical, rapidly-paced, and violent - using such available props as the features on a smart toilet, knives, guns, swords, poison, bombs, and a venomous (incorrectly labeled as poisonous in the movie) Boomslang snake. Since most of the action takes place on the train, we get action in passenger cars, the galley, the lounge, the control booth, and even on top of the speeding train.

It's Pitt's character who keeps us interested, and the movie drags when he is off screen. Ladybug is a skilled improvisational fighter, although his recent personal growth through therapy has him eschewing guns, dwelling on his inherent bad luck, and reciting affirmations and wisdoms, when he can remember them. Mostly, by golly, he just wants to be a nicer person (quite a short trip for a contract killer). This chaos and spontaneous convention of bad players were all part of White Death's plan, which is revealed late in the film.

It appears director Leitch (a former renowned stuntman) worked diligently to create a new form of zany by blending Guy Ritchie's best work with Tarantino's "Kill Bill" films, and then adding a dash of 'who-done-what-to-whom?" Instead, with the near slapstick action and goofy dialogue, it plays more like a modern day CANNONBALL RUN, which was also directed by a former stuntman (the legendary Hal Needham). As a bonus, we also get the Japanese version of "Stayin' Alive", replete with Brad Pitt strutting through Tokyo in tennis shoes.

Opens in theaters on August 5, 2022.

Tries WAY to hard

[caseyniall · 5/10 · 3 August 2022]

This director has such a hard on for Tarantino and Guy Ritchie that the whole thing just seems like a piece of fan art made by a 15 year old. 'Jokes' don't land, story is not nearly as clever as it thinks it is, set pieces are ok but nothing to blow your socks off. Unoriginal, churned out money-grab.

5/10 is generous but Brad Pitt is pretty watchable and ok, I may have chuckled softly once, max twice.

King Reviews: Bullet Train

[kingpey · 6/10 · 16 August 2022]

Before becoming a director, Davis Leitch worked in Hollywood for years as a stuntman and became the long-time stuntman for actor Brad Pitt. Pitt and Leitch worked together on numerous films, starting their work relationship with Fincher's Fight Club. Over the past decade, Leitch has become a promising director in the action genre, starting as co-director (he was uncredited) of the first John Wick film, which has since become The Action Movie Franchise of the Decade. Leitch then went solo to helm Atomic Blonde, 2, and Fast and Furious presents: Hobbs and Shaw. Now, Leitch and Pitt reunite for the film Bullet Train, an adaptation of the book of the same name by Kotaro Isaka.

Pitt shows off his leading man personality once again as the character Ladybug. A hitman for hire who has found a new belief in pacifism and whose self-confidence has gone way down over the years from jobs going off the rails, making himself believe that he has bad luck. His boss (Sandra Bullock) gives him a simple mission as his first job back. His job is to board a Bullet Train traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto, snatch a briefcase that contains millions of dollars, and get off at the first stop. Simple, right? Well, it turns out to be not that simple, as Ladybug realizes that he is not the only assassin on this train, and they are all connected to a ruthless Russian mobster known to them as The White Death (Michael Shannon).

The assassin's on this train include Lemon and Tangerine (Brian Tyree Henry and Aaron Taylor Johnson), twin brothers hired to bring the White Death's son (Logan Lerman) back to him, along with the briefcase. The Prince (Joey King) is a young girl on a mission to kill The White Death. Kimura (Andrew Koji) is a father trying to find the person responsible for the attempted murder of his son, along with his father The Elder (Hiroyuki Sanada), an aging samurai who suffered at the hands of The White Death. The Wolf (Bad Bunny), a member of the Mexican Cartel who seeks vengeance for the murder of his wife, and The Hornet (Zazie Beetz), an assassin who uses the venom from a rare snake on her targets.

Bullet Train excellences with the visual presentation, unlike the fair share of modern-day action films. The cinematography is very colorful and vibrant. Lots of care into the framing of each shot. One scene, in particular, is shot through the POV of an object, and it's beautifully executed. Leitch brings his history of stunt work into the film by providing entertaining action scenes that never feel cheap or manipulated. Every punch and kick feels real. The camera work also helps with the action, making it feel electric. Action films of modern times don't have anymore. They rely on the workings of shaky cam and editing tricks to hide the imperfections with the action but hiding this only makes the film worse because this mashup makes the film look messy and unprofessional. The action makes each scene feel fun and keeps the audience. The production design is creative as well. Most films that take place in one setting suffer from having the locations feel dull, but Bullet Train keeps it exciting by having several different locations all packed into one, and each one feels unique with its lighting

The performances are superb compared to most in the action genre. Brad Pitt isn't doing much that he hasn't already done in the last two decades, but his leading man charisma still leaves the audience loving him. Aaron Taylor Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry's chemistry is so strong that it's one of the most entertaining dynamic duos in recent memory.

The film fails with its messy screenplay. The film resembles a hodgepodge of every Guy Ritchie and Quentin Tarantino film, to the point that it feels like a ripoff. The problem doesn't come from the notion that a screenwriter would want to make a film that pays homage to his favorite writers/directors. Tarantino built his entire career by copying the style of other filmmakers and writers. The problem with this is that it lacks the originality of those films and feels like it's giving us the best moments of those movies without offering anything new and this style done wrong causes major pacing problems, making a two-hour film feel way longer than it should. The editing feels jumbled, committing the ultimate sin of modern movies: spelling everything out for the audience. It's like the director thinks the audience is too dumb to remember something that happened earlier, so his way of working around it is to keep showing us those same moments until it becomes repetitive. The characters aren't developed properly, so at the end of the day, nothing feels earned. While the characters are fun to watch and keep your interest throughout the runtime, the emotions aren't there for them to hit. When bad things happen to them, it never fully gives brings out the intended emotions that the audience is supposed to feel.

Bullet Train is a technical achievement spoiled by its messy storytelling. A fun movie to see in theaters but one that isn't worth a revisit at home.

6/10.

Odd reviews

[jfirebug · 8/10 · 5 December 2022]

Not sure what movie people watched... its a action comedy, they aren't known to be life-altering. By comparison to others in the genre however this is one of the good ones. Great comedic timing, nicely choreographed fight scenes and camera work. A lot of reviews mention a Ritchie likeness, to me it seems like a mix of Ritchie and Tarantino (Kill Bill).

People balk to quickly about storylines, pacing, acting, sound, etc... because they are writing reviews right? That's what they are supposed to do... but like probably a lot of them, I'm not in the business, I'm a movie watcher so I review based on what I know. Was I entertained? Yes, I was.