Bullet Train (2022)
Director: David Leitch
Starring: Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Hiroyuki Sanada
Primary genre: Action
Secondary genre: Comedy
David Leitch (of the “John Wick” (2014) fame) has created a successful director career since the stoic assassin plunged into a tale of Nietzsch-ian revenge by taking over Tim Miller’s “Deadpool” sequel (2018) and helming the first “Fast and the Furious” spin off with “Hobbs and Shaw” (2019).
“Bullet Train”, an adaptation of the “Maria Beetle” novel by Kotaro Isaka is colorful, exciting and funny. Pitt plays Ladybug, a newly reborn assassin with a kill restraint and easy going attitude who feels a run of bad luck has been inflicted upon him when a simple snatch and deliver job on a Japanese bullet train becomes a full blown war that involves other assassins, killers and the Yakuza.
“Bullet Train” bears a clear Tarantinian influence to its proceedings with indifferent to murder characters who can get quite upset over chosen nicknames or slang terms elevating the film above your cookie-cutter action flicks of today complemented by a groovy soundtrack. This particular comedic approach to R-rated material is hard to pull it off (especially if you are not Tarantino) and at the wrong hands it could devolve a movie into cinematic torture. Leitch mostly succeeds in his mission to craft OTT action with a cast willing to be on board with the jokes amidst all the blood splattered chaos.
However, what should have been a straightforward story along the lines of “Train to Busan” (2016) or “Snowpiercer” (2013), seeks to disorient the viewer with twists, turns, exposition and flashbacks in a constant fashion and to hype a big bad. By the time though we reach our final destination that involves the much anticipated reveal which has been foreshadowed for so long, there is nothing but a lingering emotion of disappointment.
Pitt is on fine form clearly having the time of his life after his Oscar win in Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (2019) which is surely to please his fans. Yet his Ladybug character occasionally feels like a supporting one due to the large ensemble cast that threatens to steal the film right under his feet with OTT antics and (depending on their role) dead pun delivery. Aaron Taylor-Johnson in particular is a delight with his London Gangster accent sharing great chemistry with Brian Tyree Henry as the killer twin duo Tangerine-Lemon that might have jumped out straight out of a Guy Ritchie early noughties flick while the much respected Hiroyuki Sanada shines as the (typical) mystical Japanese Elder who kicks ass no questions asked.
And speaking of kicking ass, the action is well executed and brutally funny with Leitch staging with flair some inventive mano-a-mano clashes (where Pitt is doing 95% of his stunts) in the restrictive environment of a bullet train which have hilariously bloody outcomes under Jonathan Sela’s colorful and obviously comic book inspired cinematography. Until the CGI infested climax that is with its sub-par special effects that feel wholeheartedly unnecessarily, cheap and distracting like any of the previous directional vehicles of Leitch.
With plenty of giggles, good comedic performances and an intriguing setting, “Bullet Train” has a clear destination. Despite some too-smart-for-their-own-good script shenanigans and an underwhelming villain, it remains a great choice for a popcorn and pizza night.
Colorful but lengthy Tarantinian actioner
+Pitt is having the time of his life
+Like the rest of the cast
+Welcomed cameos
+Solid one-on-one clashes
+Deliriously funny
+Good soundtrack
+Colorful
-Lengthy
-Unnecessary exposition and flashbacks
-Subpar CGI climax
-Underwhelming villain