While not necessarily original or a standout for its genre, this high-octane actioneer’s entertaining enough to buy the ticket and take the ride.
Bullet Train, from director David Leitch blasts back with this high-octane adaptation of the book of the same title from Japanese novelist Kotaro Isaka. Leitch previously delivered the stunning Cold War spy actioneer Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, and the rompish Fast and Furious spinoff Hobbs & Shaw.
Conceptually and creatively, Bullet Train’s tried, true, and often lacks originality. The story tends to run out of track by the middle of the narrative. Various elements save the film from being a trainwreck.
What results is an entertaining, bloody summer blockbuster.
The film’s driven by a charismatically goofy performance from Brad Pitt. A compelling set of Grimey supporting characters, and plenty of wit, grit, and fast-paced thrills keep viewers entertained.
Albeit, only on a surface-level platform.
Bullet Train’s influences are blunt and often easy to spot. Notably, aspects of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill, Guy Ritchie’s Snatch, and to a hollow extent, Bong Joon-Ho’s Snowpiercer.
Bullet Train exploits each of these films, drawing examples to fuel the film’s copy-paste formula.
Its creative elements are never shy about what it’s paying homage to. Brad Pitt does well with comedy here because he just owns it playing Ladybug, the bumbling protagonist whose presence is constantly surrounded and consumed by themes of luck and circumstance, hence his character’s code name.
Among the supporting cast are Brian Tyree Henry and Aaron Taylor Johnson as English hitmen Lemon and Tangerine. These two immediately come off as Jules and Vince from Pulp Fiction. It’s more fitting to the grime-filled world of Guy Ritchie’s Snatch.
Henry and Johnson certainly offer a compelling, if not unoriginal perspective, and one that also fits into the story’s penchant for the antihero vs. villain formula.
No characters in the film actually reflect the typical hero stereotype. Everyone’s questionable in their own way, which makes things just a bit more compelling for a big-budget summer blockbuster.
What really helps here is the pacing as things escalate really quickly.
A simple, swift set-up of the conflict sets things in place. While most of the plot is relegated to complex twists and turns showcased by constant flashbacks.
The flashbacks manifest in the vein of Edgar Wright-like edits that work to apply a sense of comedy to the cutting style.
With all its imitations, there’s a lot of wiggle room for viewers to be entertained. Charisma is never far away at any moment. A lot of what made this such a fun experience was that the marketing did a great job at keeping a sense of mystery to the film’s bigger revelations.
Bullet Train is reflective of films you just go into with your brain turned off for the strict purpose of enjoying a compelling action comedy.
Don’t expect depth past the surface here. Know that this is a montage of homages to works done by more notable directors in the past.
In a time where good summer blockbusters outside of superhero franchises and three-decade later sequels are few and far between, Bullet Train offers an experience that is simply meant to be a fun escape for two hours.
3 Films That Pair Well with Bullet Train:
UNDER SIEGE 2: DARK TERRITORY (1995)
SNOWPIERCER (2013)
SNATCH (2000)
