“Five assassins aboard a fast moving bullet train find out their missions have something in common.” -IMDB
If you’ve seen the trailers for Bullet Train, then you know it presents itself as a wild, scattered, random, fight-filled, star-filled action comedy. And, to its credit, that’s exactly what it turned out to be. Let me clarify…
Brad Pitt (who’s only making more interesting career decisions as he ages), stars as a fill-in thief, charged with stealing a briefcase from a Japanese bullet train after his colleague calls in sick. From there, we are introduced to various competing criminals and assassins, some more competent than others, and their various intertwining missions.
Bullet Train clearly tips its hat to Tarantino and Guy Ritchie films of the 90s, with intersecting storylines, graphic and sometime tedious fight scenes, absurdist dialogue, and an old Hollywood nostalgia running throughout.
And for the most part, Bullet Train stays true to those 90s classics. The intersecting storylines are compelling enough to keep you intrigued by the storyline, the dialogue is honestly hilarious (special shout-out to Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry on this), and the characters are likable enough to keep you rooting for (most of) them.
The movie does lose a bit of steam by the end as it becomes more absurdist (AKA it could and should have been 30 minutes shorter), but overall it’s a wild, scattered, frivolously entertaining movie.
Do you need to run to the theaters to see it? Probably not. But as soon as it’s streaming, I think it makes a solid Saturday night flick pick.
Rating: 7 out 10 Claire Bears
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If you like this movie, you should also watch: The Bullet Train, Pulp Fiction, Snatch
Streaming: Only available in theaters currently
With: Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji
Directed By: David Leitch
Let Me Clarify 