Bullet Train — Movie Review
by KJ Proulx
It has been a while since I have had this much fun at the movies. Upon first hearing about this film I was intrigued. How can you go wrong with this much talent on and off the screen? I was very pleasantly surprised when sitting through this film. We don’t usually get films like this anymore. Movies that are made for the action and characters, but done well. There is nothing special about the story being told here, but sometimes if the amount of fun you have can trump your negatives, that is all that matters.
Bullet Train focuses mainly on Brad Pitt’s Ladybug, an assassin for hire who’s really just lucky with his job. They play the character out as if he has bad luck, but that’s an ironic bit. Along with four others on this train, they all realize they are there for similar reasons. This in turn sets the action of the film in motion and it is a ride from beginning to end. Is it silly? Absolutely, but in the best ways. I laughed very hard on multiple occasions, at and with the film.
As I said, the premise is very straightforward, so you really need to like the characters and be having fun with the action to really enjoy it. For that reason alone, I can say that I loved watching it. Brad Pitt has charisma for days and the duo of Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry was an absolute joy. Their chemistry is some of the best I have seen in a long time. On top of them, Bullet Train is filled with big-name stars that you weren’t even expecting and they just added to the fun.
There’s not too much else to say about this film, other than the fact that David Leitch is a terrific action director and his films usually always pack some great jokes. I think you will be hard-pressed to find a film more enjoyable than Bullet Train this summer, especially when you are looking for nothing but fun. It is not a film that will win any awards, but it will definitely be one that I will purchase and revisit time and time again. It’s heavy on the gore and violence though, so if that is a detraction for you, that would be my only concern. Other than that, I just had a great time with one all around.
Rating: 4/5
Check out the trailer below:
