At Hundreds of Miles Per Hour, Assassins Converge

Brad Pitt in "Bullet Train"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

When it comes to movies that take place on trains either for most or some of the runtime, there’s the enticing premise of having destinies intertwine as the characters wait to reach their destinations.  Whether it be Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Lady Vanishes” or “Strangers on a Train,” or either Sidney Lumet’s or Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of “Murder on the Orient Express,” you can’t help but get caught up in the unexpected connections that strangers have while confined in boxcars as the scenery races by the windows.

Director David Leitch ventures into this type of narrative with his action comedy, “Bullet Train,” a film that doesn’t quite reach the full potential of its premise, but still manages to uphold a sense of fun with the performances and vibrant setting.

In Tokyo, a former assassin, codenamed “Ladybug” (Brad Pitt), reenters the field for an assignment.  Upon boarding a bullet train to carry out his mission, Ladybug comes across other assassins.  They soon realize that their missions have something in common.

Pitt channels his natural screen charisma as a character who’s equal parts bumbling and competent.  It’s a performance like this that reminds you of how much fun Pitt’s comedic side is, providing a humorous energy when Ladybug converses with other characters and makes his way through brutal fights as he tries to adjust back into the profession.  After a career that spans over three decades, Pitt still manages to be one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors, and he immerses you right away in his character’s liveliness as Ladybug goes from one challenge to the next.

While some of the cast members portray characters who aren’t too interesting or have very little screen time, there are a few who stand out.  There are Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Bryan Tyree Henry as “Tangerine” and “Lemon,” respectively, a pair of assassins whose quick verbal exchanges make for an entertaining chemistry between them, while Joey King provides a great turn as “The Prince,” a mercenary who’s as conniving as she is ruthless.

The screenplay by Zak Olkewicz, which is based on Kōtarō Isaka’s 2010 novel “MariaBeetle” (which was published in English as “Bullet Train”), has an intriguing premise, but it’s not quite as compelling as it should be.  Despite some of the characters being memorable, pretty much all of them don’t have backgrounds that invest you much in their arcs.  Given how the narrative deals with a group of vicious assassins, providing the characters with more layers would have added more thrills to the story and have you care about their outcomes.  And, while the story has a pretty good angle involving fate, there isn’t much to back it up and give it some heft.

Leitch, who’s proven to be skilled in action with movies like “Atomic Blonde,” “Deadpool 2,” and the “Fast and Furious” spinoff “Hobbs and Shaw,” stages some kinetic and creative fight sequences, with the help of cinematographer Jonathan Sela and editor Elisabet Ronaldsdottir, both of whom have worked with Leitch on other films.  He makes us feel the tension as the camera capture the tightness of the space and when the characters attempt to overtake each other within those confines. 

Although “Bullet Train” doesn’t quite reach the destination it should have, it still offers a fun trip, nonetheless.

Grade: B