Movie Review: Bullet Train

 

What would you get when you have a bullet train full of passengers, assassins, the yakuza, and seemingly random hits and encounters that all test your luck, karma, and the power of fate? That’s Bullet Train in a nutshell - director David Leitch’s offering that brings a stellar all-star cast that consists of Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Karen Fukuhara, and much more surprises in this rollercoaster ride of an action comedy that has to be seen in the big screen!

Thanks to the folks at Columbia Pictures Philippines, I got to see this film not once… But TWICE! Saw it in the private screening theater of the studio, and then last Monday at IMAX - which is the definite format for this movie! Here’s some pics from the event to tell the tale and why it was just so hyped and full of energy to see this movie in the big screen! 

That being said, let’s get to the nitty and gritty and see what fate says about Bullet Train - from the director of John Wick, Atomic Blonde, and Deadpool 2!

Bullet Train Trailer

Styled in the fashion of an action film done by the likes of Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino, and Guy Ritchie, Bullet Train tells the seemingly unrelated story of a group of assassins and hit men who have different agendas yet board the same bullet train travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto. The film primarily focuses on Lady Bug (Brad Pitt) - an unwitting agent who sees his experiences as an extraordinary streak of bad luck yet is called to pick up a package in the train and call it a day. However he has to go through several other assassins - with the likes of The Twins Lemon and Tangerine (Brian Tyree Henry and Aaron Taylor-Johnson), The Father (Andrew Koji), The Wolf (Bad Bunny), The Hornet (Zazie Beetz), and The Prince (Joey King) - all of whom converge and lead to some pretty bizarre encounters that neither one of them ever expected. In a weird “who-dun-it” style gambit of events, it’s a test wits, sheer luck, karma, and fate as the end of the line is only the beginning for everyone to find out what happens at the end!

Absolutely one of the finest action comedy flicks I’ve seen in a long time, Bullet Train combines witty dialogue and comedy with all the brutality and grotesque killing that assassins and hitmen bring to one of the fastest rides found in the land of the rising sun. It’s a great action film based off the work of Kotaro Isaka - originally published as “Maria Beetle” and which is also named “Bullet Train” in the west. Brad Pitt, already approaching his 60’s, plays an awesome funny role as Lady Bug. He still has the energy and wit of a young dude who absolutely doesn’t want to be in his situation, and the results offer some big laughs and woahs throughout the entire duration of this two hour plus movie. Conversely, fans are also going to love the British assassin duo of Lemon and Tangerine - as played by Brian Tyree Henry and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. The brothers quip and bounce off one another as professionals and siblings who second guess one another, and Lemon in particular has a fondness for Thomas The Tank Engine that will rub off viewers in a fun way. There’s also the presence of the legendary Hiroyuki Sanda - who plays the father of Andrew Koji’s character as a family matter takes them onboard the train, and Joey King plays the seemingly young and innocent girl known as “The Prince”. So much events and characters converging against one another, and you won’t know what to expect, see, or guess what happens until everything happens in front of you. Watch out for the numerous cameos too!

Bullet Train is now showing in theaters! An absolute must see, and definitely giving this a perfect rating for a unique action flick offering for 2022!

Rating - 5/5