Five assassins, one briefcase and a bullet train. This is the beginning of the newest summer blockbuster “Bullet Train” — a comedy thriller directed by David Leitch. In this film, Brad Pitt plays Ladybug, an unlucky killer who is tasked with picking up a briefcase from a bullet train going from Tokyo to Kyoto. Those who are familiar with Leitch’s work on the films “Deadpool 2” and “Fast and Furious: Gifts: Hobbs and Shaw” know his style, and this film will not disappoint. The high-octane roller coaster of the movie, it’s a blockbuster of the summer, which is a must-see, as it’s a fun, awesome train ride.
A high-speed train greeted me. The idea of an action movie set on a train traveling at 200 miles per hour sounded like the popcorn entertainment I’d like. Add in the fact that Leitch is known for his overly stylized action, and you have a recipe for blockbuster success with a movie that never stands up to any punches. Leitch collaborates again with cameraman Jonathan Sela to create a bright, colorful action movie with shades that appear in all the ways that the Gray Man wanted. As a result, this movie looks polished and phenomenal from start to finish, even during the ridiculous final act.
This is Pitt’s fourth decade as a leading actor. A household name that has been showing fantastic performances for years, Pitt gets a chance to demonstrate his comedic abilities in this hilarious role of Ladyboy. He nails this part of a killer doomed to fail. The tone of the film is consistently outrageous, and Pitt does his best to match that tone in one of his first roles after winning an Oscar. He enjoys this role and does not hold back, performing many of his own tricks in the role of an action hero who is over 60.
While Pitt is the star of the show, this movie is determined by the cast. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is excellent in every movie he stars in, and Brian Tyree Henry continues to impress with a series of high-profile roles in which he excels. These two portray Mandarin and Lemon, whose chemistry with each other is not the same as you might. expect, but it works so well. Joey King also plays great against the type in the role of an assassin, who manages to shine in many scenes. In addition to all this, we have a stellar supporting cast with unexpected appearances. Everyone is at the top of their game and gives this movie everything they have.
Zack Olkiewicz’s script does an exceptional job of putting characters in humorous but dangerous situations. You realize that this movie could work well as a dark, harsh action movie for most of the movie. Nevertheless, Leitch is engaged in comedy, never taking this story seriously and arranging a funny, entertaining explosion. For some, the ruthless excessive nature can be exhausting. To me, it’s a hilariously silly movie that knows exactly what it’s trying to be and does a great job of it by sticking to its bloody hard R rating.
Bullet Train tells a surprisingly unpredictable story. While Leitch’s previous film, Hobbs and the Show, had a story about biological weapons, the narration was more of an excuse to have as many funny action sequences as possible. This film has a multi-layered narrative with many characters who can sometimes interfere with the action. However, despite the fascinating plot, the film never gets bored. Leitch directs his action clearly and effectively, creating a beautifully senseless thrilling ride that could have been a train wreck, but entertains to the end.
