David Leitch's Bullet Train is a fast and furious ride — though its writing runs out of steam quickly.
The action-comedy, featuring a colourful cast of oddball killers led by Brad Pitt, excites with its kinetic choreographed scenes and marvellous stunts, however its grating attempts to connect with Gen Z almost send it off the rails.
Based on the 2010 Japanese novel by Kotaro Isaka, the story follows luckless hitman Ladybug (Pitt) as he boards a bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto on a seemingly simple mission to retrieve a suitcase.
As it turns out, half a dozen other assassins on board have the same idea.
There are the cockney British "twins" Tangerine and Lemon (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry); the maniacal Mexican dubbed The Wolf (rapper Bad Bunny); the narcissistic high schooler Prince (Joey King); the spiky — in more ways than one — Hornet (Zazie Beetz) and chief villain White Death, a shadowy European mob boss played by Michael Shannon.
When their paths cross on the overnight journey, Bullet Train erupts in such spasms of fantastical violence an alternative film title could have easily been Massacre on the Orient Express.
This is not necessarily a bad thing.
Super-stylised violence is increasingly becoming the norm in major blockbusters and Leitch is partly responsible for that shift.
A former stunt double for Pitt and Jean-Claude Van Damme, his keen understanding of fluid action choreography for the big screen has elevated his directorial efforts, from John Wick (2014) and Atomic Blonde (2017) to Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw (2019), into entertaining spectacles.
Where the action sequences in those films were lavish in scale, it was intriguing to see if Leitch could exercise the same panache within the narrower confines of a train carriage.
Ultimately, he does a decent job of matching Bullet Train’s increasing intensity by upping the number of rapid pans, zooms, jump cuts, voice overs and pulsating rock soundtrack.
It’s not the subtlest filmmaking, but when six killers are blazing infantry loads of bullets at each other in tight spaces — and a deadly snake is slithering around the train for good measure — a soft touch is arguably not what’s needed.
That levity, instead, should have been all over the script by Zak Olkewicz.
Leaden and relentlessly unoriginal, the dialogue comes perilously close to stopping the film on its tracks.
The pub banter by Lemon and Tangerine — including an unconvincing pseudo-psychological exchange on the meaning behind children’s show Thomas the Tank Engine — is a pale imitation of hitmen Jules Winfield and Vincent Vega's thrilling exchanges in Pulp Fiction.
And the whole concept of Pitt playing a hitman trying to find inner peace through mantras such as “hurt people, hurt people” doesn’t take off as its used more as a comedic trope, rather than a way to offer some form of illuminating insight amid the blood splatter.
That being said, Pitt does his best in a role more suited to the neurotic stylings of Ryan Reynolds.
Old school watchers of the Oscar winner will find the performance mostly satisfying as it channels many of his beloved past characters.
Laydbug's blend of nervous eccentricity and killer instinct harkens the likes of Tyler Durden and Mickey O'Neil in Fight Club and Snatch respectively.
While the slacker character, responsible for Bullet Train’s biggest laughs, recalls a young Pitt, at 28, making his debut appearance as laconic drifter JD in the 1991 drama Thelma and Louise.
In interviews promoting the release, Pitt described Bullet Train as a fresh move into the action-comedy field.
While providing the thrills and his fair share of spills, let’s hope his next journey into the genre actually goes someplace new.
'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood': the style evolution of Brad Pitt — in pictures
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Brad Pitt, in a paisley shirt, at the 'True Romance' premiere in Hollywood, California, on August 9, 1993. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in a white linen shirt, and Gwyneth Paltrow attend the 'Living in Oblivion' premiere on July 12, 1995 at the Royal Theatre in West Los Angeles, California. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in a wide-open collar, arrives for the 'Meet Joe Black' premiere at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City on November 12, 1998. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in a black suit and questionable sunglasses, and Jennifer Aniston at the 51st Annual primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, California, on September 12, 1999. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in a leather jacket and combat trousers, and Jennifer Aniston attend the 'Erin Brockovich' premiere in Los Angeles, California, on March 14, 2000. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, wearing a beaded necklace, and Jennifer Aniston arrive at the 52nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on September 10, 2000 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in a taupe suit, and Jennifer Aniston arrive for the premiere of 'The Mexican' on February 23, 2001 in Westwood, California. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in sunnies and a grey blazer, at a photocall for 'Troy' during the 57th Cannes Film Festival on May 13, 2004 in Cannes, France. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in a classic tux, and Jennifer Aniston attend the premiere of 'Troy' at Le Palais de Festival on May 13, 2004 in Cannes, France. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in clear plastic sunglasses, attends the Japanese premiere of 'Troy' at Nippon Budokan on May 17, 2004 in Tokyo. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in a camel coat, at a photocall to promote 'Ocean's Twelve' on December 10, 2004 in Rome, Italy. Getty Images -
Matt Damon and Brad Pitt, in a long black dress coat, at the European premiere of 'Ocean's Twelve' on December 10, 2004 at the Palazzo Venezia in Rome, Italy. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in a jacket and bleached hair, on stage at Live 8 London in Hyde Park on July 2, 2005 in London, England. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in a knit beanie, with daughter Zahara at the New Tokyo International Airport on November 27, 2005 in Narita, Japan. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in Tom Ford, attends a photocall for 'A Mighty Heart' at the Palais des Festivals during the 60th Cannes Film Festival on May 21, 2007 in Cannes, France. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie attend the premiere for 'A Mighty Heart' at the Palais des Festivals during the 60th Cannes Film Festival on May 21, 2007 in Cannes, France. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at the premiere for 'Ocean's Thirteen' at the Palais des Festivals during the 60th Cannes Film Festival on May 24, 2007 in Cannes, France. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in a light beige three-piece, attends a photocall for 'The Assassination Of Jesse James' at the 64th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2007 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images -
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, in a cream tux, attend 'The Assassination Of Jesse James' premiere during the 64th Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2007 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in a flat cap and coat, and Angelina Jolie arrive for the premiere of 'The Assassination of Jesse James' during the 33rd Deauville American Film Festival on September 3, 2007 in Deauville , France. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in a charcoal three-piece, and Angelina Jolie attend the 'Beowulf' premiere at the Vue Leicester Square on November 11, 2007 in London, England. Getty Images -
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt attend the 'Kung Fu Panda' premiere at the Palais des Festivals during the 61st Cannes Film Festival on May 15, 2008 in Cannes, France. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in a summer suit, during the 'Burn After Reading' photocall at the 65th Venice Film Festival at Palazzo del Casino on August 27, 2008 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie arrive for the premiere of 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' at the Sony Center CineStar on January 19, 2009 in Berlin, Germany. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in Tom Ford, and Angelina Jolie attend 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' premiere on January 22, 2009 at Gaumont Marignan in Paris. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in Tom Ford, and Angelina Jolie arrive for the Orange British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Opera House on February 8, 2009 in London, England. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in Spencer, attends the 'Inglourious Basterds' photocall held at the Palais Des Festivals during the 62nd Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2009 in Cannes, France. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in monogrammed shoes, attends the 'Inglorious Basterds' premiere during the 57th San Sebastian International Film Festival on September 18, 2009 in San Sebastian, Spain. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, dressed down in a beanie and jeans, attends the premiere of 'Kick Ass' at the Empire Leicester Square on March 22, 2010 in London, England. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in leather trousers, and Angelina Jolie attend 'The Tourist' premiere at Palacio de los Deportes on December 16, 2010 in Madrid, Spain. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in Maison Martin Margiela, attends 'The Tree Of Life' photocall during the 64th Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 16, 2011 in Cannes, France. Getty Images -
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, in Tom Ford, attend 'The Tree Of Life' premiere during the 64th Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 16, 2011 in Cannes, France. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in Dolce & Gabbana, and Angelina Jolie attend the 'In The Land of Blood and Honey' premiere during the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival on February 11, 2012 in Berlin, Germany. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in Gucci, poses at the 'Killing Them Softly' photocall during the 65th Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 22, 2012 in Cannes, France. Getty Images -
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt attends the premiere of 'World War Z' at The Empire Cinema on June 2, 2013 in London, England. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in Valentino, at the EE British Academy Film Awards at The Royal Opera House on February 16, 2014 in London, England. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in Gucci, and Angelina Jolie attend a private reception at Kensington Palace on May 8, 2014 in London, England. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in jeans and a checked blazer, attends the photocall for 'Fury' during the 58th BFI London Film Festival at The Corinthia Hotel on October 19, 2014 in London, England. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in Salvatore Ferragamo, attends the 'Fury' premiere at Time Square on November 13, 2014 in Seoul, South Korea. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in Salvatore Ferragamo, attends the premiere of 'Allied' at Callao City Lights on November 22, 2016 in Madrid, Spain. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in white suiting, attends the Japanese premiere of 'War Machine' in Tokyo, Japan, on May 23, 2017. EPA -
Brad Pitt, in Garrett Leight sunnies, attends the photocall for 'Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood' during the 72nd Cannes Film Festival on May 22, 2019 in Cannes, France. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt attends the 'Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood' premiere at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on July 30, 2019 in London, England. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt attends the 'Ad Astra' screening during the 76th Venice Film Festival at Sala Grande on August 29, 2019 in Venice, Italy. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt attends a press conference for 'Ad Astra' at National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Miraikan on September 12, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. Getty Images -
Brad Pitt, in Brioni, with the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor during the 92nd Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, on February 9, 2020. EPA
