- Date of Release: 05 August 2022
- Genre: Action, Comedy, Thriller
- Language: English
Bullet Train
Introduction
Onto the next release of the weekend and I finished watching the new English film Bullet Train starring Brad Pitt. This weekend was a quiet weekend as far as theatrical release are concerned with no major Hindi films out this weekend. This is because this is a shortened week and two biggies Laal Singh Chaddha and Rakshabandhan are scheduled to release on Thursday. So with that in mind, there were smaller players who did eye a weekend release. Amidst the few of them, I decided to watch Bullet Train with minimal expectations. I hadn’t watched its trailer and so I did not know what to expect. The name did promise for it to be an action thriller. So then does Bullet Train manage to impress, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
Bullet Train follows the story of five assassins who board the train only for their lives to intersect. The story is an action thriller laced with dark humour which makes it a delicious watch. The screenplay at just over two hours is just about the right length and it guarantees a lot of fun!
The drama opens with seemingly unrelated characters each having a past who board the bullet train. Now this could have been a tricky bit of writing but the writers have ensured to simplify this seemingly convoluted tale which is easily digestable for the audience. Also, the setup is perfect for the drama to unfold. There is something about the dramas in trains be it Train to Busan or this. The setup does work beautifully here.
If I were to call this a mass masala entertainer then it wouldn’t be wrong on my part. There are so many characters which are introduced in the narrative each with a bit of their backstory and that really adds value to the drama. The humour here is maintained throughout and there are so many scenes and sequences which will find you laughing hysterically by the silly antiques onscreen.
One minor flaw in the screenplay was that the drama does get slightly repetitive early on in tje second half. At this point I thought that there were high chances of the drama just derailing to a point of no return. But the writers quickly pick themselves up almost immediately and avoid the train wreck. Instead, the urgency of the drama picks up with many worlds coinciding inside the train which meant for an engrossing and interesting watch. Another positive was the humour which just did not dip even slightly. This momentum which was generated leads up to an explosive final act which might look far fetched but is thoroughly entertaining.
Bollywood should take a leaf from this film and observe how a mass masala entertainer should be made. If the emotions are intact even in action thrillers then you will have the audience on your side. So even the Bullet Train crashing into the city wouldn’t bother them. But if there aren’t any emotions in play, a guy(s) pulling the helicopter with his bare hands would definitely be meme material. Overall, a thoroughly entertaining and hilarious screenplay which is well worth your time.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are witty and they will make you chuckle with some quirky humour. The music is outstanding and I really loved how some of the action sequences were set against some music set pieces. The BGM manages to keep your adrenaline rush intact. The cinematography and VFX are wonderful and make for a memorable Big Screen outing. Director David Leitch has done a remarkable job here. Not only does he manage to execute some intense action sequences but he keeps the audiences invested throughout through some of the wonderfully written dark humour.
Performances
The performances are excellent here. There are some charming cameos by huge starlets who make for a great watch. Hiroyuki Sanada as The Elder, Andrew Koji as Kimura, Bad Bunny as The Wolf and Zazie Beetz as The Hornet all have their moments to shine. Michael Shannon as The White Death is a perfect nemesis to the protagonists. Joey King as The Prince is first rate. Aaron Taylor Johns as Tangerine is exceptional. Brian Thyree Henry as Lemon has an impeccable sense of comic timing and he is terrific in combat sequences too. Brad Pitt as Ladybug is suave and has a sense of style with a magnificent screen presence. He is terrific in the film!
Conclusion
Bullet Train is a hilarious action thriller which is well worth your time. Available in a theatre near you.