Movie Review: Bullet Train

Truth be told, I didn't know what I was walking into when I decided to watch Brad Pitt's new action movie Bullet Train.

Based off its fast-paced trailer alone, I figured that it would just be another high-octane action movie with non-stop and over the top fight sequences that would give audiences little to no time to catch their breath.

The motion picture however exceeded my expectations in almost all ways imaginable and I will explain how in this review. As always, I will try to keep spoilers to a minimum.

First and foremost, let's begin with the plot. Set in modern Japan, Bullet Train (majority of the film takes place on board a bullet train, hence the name) follows the story of Ladybug (Brad Pitt), an assassin who is on a covert mission to recover precious cargo from the said train.

Ladybug comes with his own set of humorous and bizarre quirks and the movie wastes no time in establishing that the assassin is quite unlucky, just not in the way that you might think.

The train notably makes just a few stops during it long voyage and passengers only have a minute to disembark from it when it does. Director David Leitch uses tiny details such as these to weave together a plot of inevitable calamities (for Ladybug) as well as choreographing some riveting close-quarter fight scenes.

What caught my eye about the storyline, was how all major characters were introduced using theatrical back stories that made for great visuals. This gives the audience a clear indication of the kind of people, who will appear in the two-hour-long movie. From Mexican gangsters to feared mafia leaders, Bullet Train makes sure to cover all the bases.

The characters and script are also quite entertaining and comical, making the movie quite hearty rather than overbearing.

Next up in my review, is the film's cinematography and overall set design which complements the witty plot mentioned above. Saying that Bullet Train is a visual spectacle is an understatement.

The movie is exceptionally well lit and this coupled with the set's rich colours and magnificent sound design makes each scene more eye-catching than the other.

Personally, I can watch any movie as long as the plot is decent enough but it sort of hits different when both the movie's visuals and plot are captivating.

The train's carts were also quite unique in that they had their own specific themes that left you eager to see the next cart. There were also several slow-motion sequences in the film that were just breathtaking to watch.

The costume design team also deserves a fair amount of recognition for their work on this one as each outfit perfectly encapsulates the nature and personality of each main character.

Movie buffs, such as myself, can clearly see that the cinematographer, Jonathan Sela, deservedly earned his paycheck for his works during production.

Lastly, I will review the film's casting. It’s been said by countless directors that casting is unequivocally the most important element in the filmmaking process.

It is the cast that brings the director's vision to the screen and it is important for them to form a genuine connection with the audience to drive the movie forward and Bullet Train’s casting did just that.

Brad Pitt was cast perfectly for the role of Lady Bug but actors Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry who play brother assassins, Lemon and Tangerine, stole the show so much so that they fast became my best characters in the film.

Throw in a few cameos from other actors such as Ryan Reynolds and Channing Tatum and the movie became even more pleasant.

In a nutshell, if are looking for an entertaining, eye-catching, witty and comedic movie, Bullet Train will definitely offer you all that and so much more.