It’s no accident that both "Bullet Train" and "Snatch" feature Brad Pitt; he seems drawn to these kinds of unusual narratives. I was reminded of his performance in “Twelve Monkeys,” where he fully embraced the story's craziness. You can also sense a touch of Tarantino’s influence in the storytelling style, although most critics are right to point out that the execution feels somewhat lacking. What does work well are the montages introducing the other assassins and their backgrounds. The entire film, every single shot, has the feel of a graphic novel come to life. There's a real attention to detail with glowing lights from buttons or TV screens, and generally striking lighting, which gives the movie a vibrant quality that really captures the look of a Japanese cityscape. In fact, every view of the Bullet train traveling between Tokyo and Kyoto (a route I’ve personally taken) presents a CGI cityscape. The polished aesthetic is achieved by using shots of the bullet train always within the city limits—an intentional choice to create a striking visual effect when something unexpected happens with the plot; it's surprising, because in reality the train does pass through some countryside. This is a thriller that attempts to incorporate a "whodunit" element, revealing danger to the audience before the main character realizes he’s in peril. I appreciated the effort to avoid clichés with the characters, including the wealthy teenage daughter who appears innocent but has a coldness beneath the surface. As for Brad Pitt, his performance felt overly casual, as if he were just going through the motions—though I don't believe that reflects how seriously he approaches acting. It seems like he’s giving his full effort to the role; it’s just that the character himself feels a little underdeveloped. The movie stumbled out of the gate with the dialogue between Pitt and his handler. As an editor, I would have trusted viewers to understand what was happening without such obvious exposition. A more serious tone might also have made the violent scenes feel less like something from a comic book. Ultimately, this film exists because of “John Wick”; audiences now expect inventive action sequences, and "Bullet Train" makes good use of its confined setting. Two other central characters are a pair of English assassins who seem straight out of "Snatch." That earlier movie showcased a group of lower-class criminals in England speaking silly dialogue and getting into slapstick situations reminiscent of the Three Stooges. This duo spends the entire film arguing, more interested in their own problems than the main caper. I felt that their comedic routine was overdone (their names are Tangerine and Lemon), and the intended humor didn't quite land with audiences—which is a shame, because they’re essentially the leads, probably getting more screen time than Pitt. The Japanese setting worked well, although it seems unlikely much of the film was actually shot in Japan beyond perhaps one or two establishing shots. The stylish production design required numerous enhancements to the backgrounds that real-world locations couldn't match. I appreciated how visually striking the movie looked as this complicated world of criminals—many of whom aren’t even Japanese—pursued their goal. The action scenes are adequate, featuring a mix of weaponry and hand-to-hand combat. However, there’s an irritating tendency for characters to die and then reappear. These kinds of plot inconsistencies prevent the movie from being a straightforward thriller like James Bond. I recently saw “Gray Man,” and it struck me that while its story lacked originality, it adhered to basic action principles and didn't try to confuse viewers with unnecessary twists. So even though both films have been criticized, there’s still an enjoyable, roller-coaster feel to a well-made action film. I preferred this to the recent "Fast and Furious" movies, but found the story too complicated, even more so than “Gray Man”. 6 out of 10.

Source on TMDB