An anarchic, over the top action comedy, Bullet Train is an explosion of colorful, zany filmmaking, that takes takes advantage of its limited space and eclectic cast to deliver undemanding and unrelenting entertainment to its viewers.
Bullet Train stars Brad Pitt as a mercenary codenamed Ladybug, who boards a bullet train to retrieve a briefcase, only to encounter a melange of assassins, who are in some way connected to his mission.
Having proven his knack for comedy with Deadpool 2 and Hobbs & Shaw, Bullet Train effectively builds upon director David Leitch’s previous outings in the genre. While the film is filled with exhilarating action sequences, Leitch ensures the action takes a back seat, letting the intricate plot and its idiosyncratic characters do the talking, which are enlivened by a delightfully game cast. Leitch’s treatment of the plot and characters leans into the crime films and styles of Quentin Tarantino, Guy Ritchie, and Shane Black, which just adds to the overall quirkiness of the film.
Bullet Train is also appreciable for the fact that, while it does feature Brad Pitt’s surefire star power and charismatic performance, it provides the room for the remainder of the cast to showcase their talents, letting Andrew Koji, Joey King and Michael Shannon turning in noteworthy performances. It is however the performances of Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry that emerge as the most energetic, hilarious and memorable besides Pitt’s.
Bullet Train makes the most of its premise and cast with lots of action and gags to spare. With an enthusiastic cast at its core, Bullet Train has nothing more on its mind to entertain the audience and show them a fun time in the cinemas. On that front, it does definitely deliver.
Texts of A Pop Culture Buff 