The Bullet Train Movie Review: Brad Pitt Has Fun Riding This Crazy Train And David Leitch Adds A Dash Of Deadpool
In spite of the fact that David Leitch has only produced a handful of films, he has proven time and again that he is capable of delivering an entertaining film at the box office.
It is no different with Bullet Train. The director of Deadpool 2 adapts the Japanese novel Maria Beetle (published as Bullet Train in English) for the big screen, putting Brad Pitt in the driver’s seat of the project.
The Bullet Train Movie Review: Brad Pitt Has Fun Riding This Crazy Train And David Leitch Adds A Dash Of Deadpool
The fact that both the director and the Academy Award winner were enjoying the process of making this film is evident.
In the beginning, Bullet Train revolves around a seasoned assassin, Ladybug (Brad Pitt) who is returning from a hiatus after taking more than a decade off from killing.
As the Ladybug fills in for another assassin on the train, he has a simple task – find a briefcase and deboard as soon as he locates it.
There is an assassin who is guided by his handler, Maria Beetle (Sandra Bullock), who provides him with guidance. Despite Ladybug’s good luck, the job only gets more difficult with every stop, as a result of her luck with the job.
It is not long before he meets a few old assassins as well, those include the British assassin Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry) and his notorious twin brother Tangerine (Brian Tyree Henry), who is obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine; the Japanese assassin Yuichi Kimura (Andrew Koji) and his father The Elder (Hiroyuki Sanada); The Wolf (Benito A Martinez Ocasio aka Bad Bunny)
It is with each new assassin that the Ladybug crosses paths with that the story takes a new turn.
Through each of these run-ins, we learn about the deadly assignments the Ladybug was involved in, as well as how each of these assignments resulted in severe deaths, none of which were caused by the Ladybug.
In the course of the film, fans get to see how complicated the situation gets, and regardless of how hard Ladybug tries to detangle it, the situation only worsens as the film proceeds.
I think what works best about Bullet Train is the fact that it doesn’t take itself too seriously and that’s what makes it work.
It is a surprising fact that some scenes from the movie look straight out of an absurd anime show and yet they work out well for the story.
It is a well-written article. It is amazing how well the screenplay by Zak Olkewicz manages to avoid plotholes considering the number of characters involved, as well as numerous subplots that open up every 15 to 20 minutes.
As well as the writing of the story on paper, the execution of it is also of high quality. In order to create as much action as possible, Leitch interweaves every single event that unfolds in the movie, which is in line with the film’s main theme – everything is connected in the end.
A dash of Deadpool is also infused into the film by Leitch. As in Deadpool 2, the film also breaks the fourth wall, features scenes that are scientifically impossible, and packs in elements of humor in between the intense scenes, which makes it one of the strongest movies in the genre.
In addition to that, the film also has a few interesting cameos that you need to keep an eye out for so don’t miss them.
As fast as the actual Bullet Train, Bullet Train’s pace is as fast as the actual Bullet Train. There is no time to look away from the big screen because the film zooms to the end with no time to lose your interest.
In spite of the fact that this is a great advantage for the film, even when you are trying to wrap your head around a particular twist, the film expects you to keep up with it.
This film gives you a minute to take in the new information that is offered to you, just like the bullet train halts for a minute in the movie.
Let’s take it and get back on the train as soon as possible.
It is also worth mentioning that the cinematography of the film is another highlight of the film. This movie is directed by Jonathan Sela, who has worked behind the camera on films such as John Wick, The Midnight Meat Train, Transformers: The Last Knight, and Deadpool 2. Sela retains the elements of a trademark Leitch film while elevating the visuals in order to describe the colors of Japan.
In spite of the fact that the film features several impressive actors who help this train from derailing, I was a bit disappointed to see that there were very few Japanese actors in the film.
In spite of the fact that the film is based in Japan, at least the extras could have been Japanese if not for the star cast, which is crucial to the film’s success.
Brad Pitt is undoubtedly the star of the film and he is a great actor. It is the actor’s performance throughout the film that shines the brightest.
The fact that Pitt returns to the big screen in a comedy avatar is refreshing to see. The actor is brilliantly supported by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, and Benito A Martnez Ocasio, who all play their roles very well.
Aside from Taylor-Johnson and Henry, Pitt is also overshadowed in some scenes by Taylor-Johnson and Henry.
There is no way anyone will be able to tell that this is Benito A Martinez Ocasio’s first film. Joey King, on the other hand, seemed to be a misfit in the film, especially given her connection to the plot of the movie.
There is no doubt that Bullet Train is filled with trademark David Leitch elements that make the film an entertaining experience to watch. Take a ride on the train if you have been craving a pre-pandemic action-comedy for some time now.