Bullet Train

Bullet Train from David Leitch is a fun film that works primarily because of the Deadpool kind of irreverent comedy that is there throughout the film. Towards the climax, the movie goes full fast and furious mode with nonsensical levels of stunts. But the characters they have managed to create till that point somehow save the film from being atrociously bad in that phase.

An American assassin, code-named Ladybug, is in Tokyo, and his mission is to snatch a briefcase from a bullet train going to Kyoto. The briefcase was with two other assassins, Tangerine and Lemon, who had the custody of a mighty assassin’s group leader White Death’s son. When Death’s son gets killed during that train journey, they all realize that it wasn’t just them on that train who had other plans. The eventful trip of these people to Kyoto with so many unexpected twists is what we see in Bullet Train.

It is that irreverent comedy nature of the movie that makes it enjoyable. The banter among characters that occasionally spoofs the assassin genre gives the film that popcorn entertainer texture. There is a little bit of Guy Ritchie also in the treatment in the presentation of certain quick flashbacks. All of this makes us forget about the routine format of the story. The placement of Ladybug’s bad luck creates a handful of hilarious moments, and some of the cameos will surely surprise you.

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The strong zone of David Leitch is the action part, and the Atomic Blonde director is catering directly to that audience. The fights are mostly happening inside confined spaces, and Leitch makes it fun by adding some banter between characters. But the Hobbs and Shaw director is occasionally over-ambitious, and we have people running on top of bullet trains, breaking its glass and getting in. The outrageous climax set piece doesn’t feel like a significant problem because of the quirky treatment of the whole film.

As Ladybug, Brad Pitt is pretty cool and clearly knows how to crack those lines. The unsentimental yet calm character was safe in his hands. With that accent and attitude, Aaron-Taylor Johnson was super fun to watch. Brian Tyree Henry, with his peculiar style, was also hilarious. With those sparkly eyes, Joey King plays the dual shade of her character very convincingly. Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Michael Shannon are the other prominent faces, along with some surprise last-minute entries.

One movie that came to my mind immediately after watching Bullet Train was James McAvoy, and Angelina Jolie-starrer Wanted. I am not comparing the two. But just like how the curving bullets in that movie were utter bullshit yet so fun, you enjoy how they insult physics in this one too. If it was a bullet in Wanted, here, it is a bullet train.