Bullet Train (2022)

 

 
Streaming Service: Netflix
Movie Name/Year: Bullet Train (2022)
Genre: Action, Comedy, Thriller
Length:  2h 6min
Rating: R
Production/Distribution: 87North, CTB Inc., Hill District Media, Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), Columbia Pictures, Netflix, United International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International (UPI)
Director: David Leitch
Writers: Kôtarô Isaka, Zak Olkewicz
Actors: Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Joey King, Zazie Beetz, Karen Fukuhara, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Michael Shannon, Logan Lerman, Hiroyuki Sanada, Bad Bunny, Masi Oka, Andrew Koji
 
IMDb Blurb: Five assassins aboard a fast-moving bullet train find out their missions have something in common.

 
Selina’s Point of View:

Bullet Train was absolutely bonkers, in the best possible way.
 
It had all the twists and turns of Glass Onion (2022), with some insane fight choreography. Once the movie starts, there’s no time to look away for even a second. Each fight is so tightly constructed that it’s like a dance, but with the added bonus of being some of the most brutal I’ve seen.
 
There’s an art in how flawlessly the action is balanced with comedy. There’s a fight in the movie that you see a decent chunk of in the trailer, where both parties take a break to let an attendant get her stuff together. The entire thing is hilarious in context. From the interactions during that awkward break to how they pick it all up again. It’s perfectly done.

 
There were also ridiculous cameos and Easter Eggs that remind me of Brad Pitt (The Lost City, Babylon, Ad Astra) showing up for a split second in Deadpool 2 (2018). Equal parts pointless and hilarious.
 
It very much had the fight choreography feel of Kill Bill (2003-2004), with the over-the-top caricaturing of Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014), along with the fun-matters-most aura of Deadpool (2006). It’s not meant to be serious. It’s supposed to be a grand fantasy without the actual magic. And it succeeds.
 
I’m going to have to read the book it was based on.
 
Listen to the audiences about this one. Critics never seem to get the joke with movies like Bullet Train.

 

Cat’s Point of View:

The trailer for Bullet Train had me in stitches. The fight scenes promised to be spectacular and the action-comedy combo rarely fails to deliver (well, when this caliber production is involved at least). I couldn’t wait to watch it; and, in fact, checked my On-Demand listings frequently until it turned up available for me to stream. That makes this my second watch-through, and I am just as chuffed now as I was the first time around.

 
I absolutely adored Bullet Train. It was hilarious, hard-hitting, and everything that I hoped that it would be.
 
Of course, when a director has had as extensive a background as David Leitch (John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2) has with the stunts side of productions, the action they deliver invariably raises the bar. Bullet Train was right up the alley of combat as seen in classic Jackie Chan (Railroad Tigers, The Foreigner, Bleeding Steel) movies. Even in a simply ludicrous situation, the realism of grabbing objects nearby to utilize for defense or as improvised weapons during combat was fantastic attention to situational detail.

 
Bullet Train fostered an atmosphere where somehow comparing personality types to characters in Thomas and Friends (1984-2021) while on a speeding train made perfect sense. I feel crazy for acknowledging that last statement, but I will make my stand on that hill.
 
Here’s the thing. If you go into watching Bullet Train expecting serious action like in a James Bond movie, you’ll be sorely disappointed. If you anticipate the level of violence blended with banter as you might see in a Tarantino movie, you’d be setting yourself up for a better time.
 
This was a laugh-filled ride full of thrills, cameos, and excellent Easter Eggs. I was giddy over the casting choices, and no one disappointed. All told, I would be down to watch Bullet Train many times over.

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 54%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 76%
Metascore – 49%
Metacritic User Score – 7.0/10
IMDB Score – 7.3/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 5/5
 
P.S. – There is a scene during the closing credits.
 
Movie Trailer: